Quality of Life Score
44.17
State Comparison
Alaska vs New York
Alaska is cheaper overall, while $100 goes further in Alaska, Alaska has higher incomes, Alaska has lower state income tax, and New York gets more sunshine.
Alaska
19
/ 31
metrics won
Score
VS
New York
12
/ 31
metrics won
AK wins Housing
AK wins Quality of Life
NY wins Climate
AK wins Income
Quality of Life
Composite score — income, affordability, education, health, and safety.
Alaska
vs
New York
winner
New York scores higher on quality of life — 13.77 points difference.
Overview
Key differences overview
These cards keep the comparison factual first, so the biggest tradeoffs in affordability, housing, taxes, politics, climate, and day-to-day living are easy to scan.
Overall Affordability
Alaska is 6.9 points cheaper overall
Alaska has the lower cost-of-living index. Alaska is at 125.8, while New York is at 132.7.
View detailed comparison
Real Dollar Value
$100 goes $9.49 further in Alaska
After BEA price-level adjustments, $100 has about $97.79 of local buying power in Alaska, versus $88.30 in New York.
View detailed comparison
Income
Alaska income is 10.1% higher
Alaska has the higher median household income at $86,533, compared with $78,609 in New York.
View detailed comparison
Jobs
New York minimum wage is $3.50 higher
New York has the higher statewide minimum wage at $16.50/hr, compared with $13.00/hr in Alaska.
View detailed comparison
Housing
New York homes cost about 1.2x more
Alaska has the lower median home value at $316,400, versus $367,200 in New York.
View detailed comparison
Taxes
Alaska has lower state income tax
Alaska has the lower state income tax rate. Its top rate is 0.00%, compared with 10.90% in New York.
View detailed comparisonTake-Home Calculator
What's Your Salary Really Worth?
Enter your gross income to see real purchasing power and the cost-of-living equivalent in both states.
$
$10k$250k$500k
Alaska
- Gross salary
- —
- State income tax (none)
- —
- After state tax
- —
- Real buying power (BEA RPP)
- —
New York
- Gross salary
- —
- State income tax (top rate 10.9%)
- —
- After state tax
- —
- Real buying power (BEA RPP)
- —
Cost-of-Living Equivalent
—
* "After state tax" uses the top marginal rate — actual effective rate is lower for most incomes. Real buying power uses BEA Regional Price Parity (102.7 for Alaska, 114.8 for New York). COL equivalent uses the MERIC/C2ER composite index.
Tradeoffs
Pros and cons for each state
A fast scan of the biggest advantages and drawbacks pulled from affordability, housing, income, taxes, safety, health, education, jobs, and weather.
Alaska
At-a-glance strengths and tradeoffs
Pros: Alaska
- Alaska has a lower overall cost of living.
- Alaska has a lower housing cost index.
- Alaska has lower median home values.
- Alaska shows higher median income.
- Alaska has lower property tax rates on average.
Cons
- Alaska has a higher violent crime rate.
- Alaska job growth trend is weaker.
- Alaska health access/outcomes proxy is lower.
- Alaska health coverage access proxy is weaker.
- Alaska education proxy is lower.
- Alaska has fewer sunny days.
New York
At-a-glance strengths and tradeoffs
Pros: New York
- New York has a lower violent crime rate.
- New York job growth trend is stronger.
- New York health access/outcomes proxy is higher.
- New York health coverage access proxy is stronger.
- New York education proxy is higher.
- New York has more sunny days.
Cons
- New York has a higher overall cost of living.
- New York has a higher housing cost index.
- New York has higher median home values.
- New York shows lower median income.
- New York has higher property tax rates on average.
Full Comparison
Pick a category to focus on. General shows the most important facts at a glance.
| Metric |
AK
|
NY
|
|---|---|---|
|
Capital City
|
Juneau | Albany |
|
State Color
|
Solid Red | Solid Blue |
|
Population
|
733,391
|
20,201,249
|
|
Median Income
|
$86,533
|
$78,609
|
|
Cost of Living
|
125.8
|
132.7
|
|
Median Housing Value
|
$316,400
|
$367,200
|
|
Property Tax
|
1.11%
|
1.55%
|
|
State Income Tax
|
None (0%)
|
10.90%
|
|
Minimum Wage
|
$13.00/hr
|
$16.50/hr
|
|
Gas Price
|
$4.619/gal
|
$4.069/gal
|
|
Electricity Rates
|
25.52 c/kWh
|
28.37 c/kWh
|
|
Livability Score
|
44.17
|
57.94
|
|
Average Temperature
|
26.6°F
|
45.4°F
|
|
Sunny Days
|
61 days
|
63 days
|
|
Land Area
|
663,268 sq mi
|
54,555 sq mi
|
|
Population Density
|
1.1 per sq mi
|
370.3 per sq mi
|
|
Statehood
|
January 3, 1959 (#49)
|
July 26, 1788 (#11)
|
Intent-Oriented
Which state fits your priorities better?
Use these cards as decision shortcuts for common goals like saving money, buying a home, finding better weather, or optimizing for work and family life.
6
of
17
shown
Saving Money
Alaska is cheaper overall
Overall cost-of-living index: 125.8 vs 132.7 in New York. On a national baseline of 100, the lower score usually means cheaper day-to-day expenses.
See full data
Gas Price
New York is cheaper at the pump
Average regular gas price: $4.069/gal in New York vs $4.619/gal in Alaska. Lower pump prices can cut everyday driving costs.
See full data
Minimum Wage
New York has the higher minimum wage
State minimum wage: $16.50/hr in New York vs $13.00/hr in Alaska. That matters most for hourly, entry-level, and part-time workers.
See full data
Electricity Rates
Alaska has cheaper electricity
Average residential electricity rate: 25.52 c/kWh in Alaska vs 28.37 c/kWh in New York. Lower cents-per-kWh pricing can help keep utility bills down.
See full data
Buying a Home
Alaska is more attainable for buyers
Home-value-to-income ratio: 3.66x in Alaska vs 4.67x in New York. A lower ratio means the median home is easier to afford on a median income.
See full data
Renting
Alaska is easier for renters
Rent-to-income ratio: 18.7% in Alaska vs 24.1% in New York. A lower percentage means rent takes a smaller bite out of a typical household budget.
See full dataExplore by Category
Dive Deeper
Each link opens a full one-on-one breakdown for that metric — national rankings, charts, and context.
People Also Ask
Alaska vs New York - Common Questions
Q Is Alaska cheaper to live in than New York?
Alaska has the lower cost of living. On the national index (100 = average), Alaska scores 125.8 versus 132.7 for New York - a gap of 6.9 points.
Q Where does $100 go further - Alaska or New York?
$100 goes further in Alaska. After BEA regional price adjustments, $100 is worth about $97.79 in Alaska, compared with $88.30 in New York.
Q Which state is bigger - Alaska or New York?
Alaska is larger, covering 663,268 sq mi compared with 54,555 sq mi for New York - roughly 12.2x the size.
Q Does Alaska or New York have more people?
New York has the larger population at 20,201,249, compared with 733,391 in Alaska.
Q Which state has higher household income - Alaska or New York?
Alaska has the higher median household income at $86,533, versus $78,609 in New York.
Q Which state has lower income taxes - Alaska or New York?
Alaska has no state income tax, while New York charges up to 10.90%.
Q Is housing cheaper in Alaska or New York?
Homes are cheaper in Alaska, where the median home value is $316,400, versus $367,200 in New York.
Q Which state is more densely populated - Alaska or New York?
New York is more densely populated at 370.3 per sq mi people per sq mi. Alaska is more spread out at 1.1 per sq mi people per sq mi.
Related Comparisons
Methodology
All figures are sourced from U.S. government datasets and updated annually. Page last updated: April 2026.
Core demographic data comes from the 2020 U.S. Census, with land area from U.S. Census Bureau TIGER files and statehood dates from the National Archives. Income, housing, affordability, and tax fields are maintained in our comparison dataset; purchasing-power figures use BEA Regional Price Parities. Minimum wage data comes from the U.S. Department of Labor, gas prices from AAA, and electricity rates from the U.S. Energy Information Administration. Political control and election fields use 2024 presidential results together with National Conference of State Legislatures data. Gun-law labels use the Giffords scorecard, alcohol system data comes from NABCA, and marijuana status uses NCSL's state cannabis laws tracker. See our editorial policy for how we review and update these pages.