Texas vs Alaska: cost of living compared
Statewide price levels and incomes from BEA (2024); gas prices from EIA (weekly).
Is it cheaper to live in Texas or Alaska?
- Overall, Alaska is 5.5% more expensive than Texas (BEA, 2024).
- To keep the same standard of living, $75,000 in Texas works out to about $79,100 in Alaska, before taxes.
- Most of the difference is everyday costs rather than housing: goods are 8.4% higher and other services 5.3% higher in Alaska, while housing is 2.8% lower.
- Utility prices (electricity, gas, water) are 36.0% higher in Alaska.
- After adjusting for local prices, personal income per person is $60,272 in Alaska and $58,219 in Texas (3.5% higher in Alaska; BEA, 2024, in 2017 dollars).
- Inside each state, metro price levels run from 103.2 in Fairbanks, AK to 105.4 in Anchorage, AK (Alaska) and from 83.8 in Eagle Pass, TX to 103.1 in Dallas, TX (Texas), US = 100.
- The gap is about where it was in 2019 (4.6%).
derived Calculated from BEA Regional Price Parities and real personal income by state. Statewide averages mix cities and rural areas; taxes are not included. How we calculate.
Category by category
Both states against the US average (100).
Everyday costs, not housing, drive the gap between Texas and Alaska
Price level by category, 2024. US average = 100.
- Texas
- Alaska
Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities by metropolitan area, 2024 (US = 100).
Show the numbers
| Texas | Alaska | |
|---|---|---|
| All items | 97.1 | 102.4 |
| Goods | 98.1 | 106.3 |
| Housing (rents) | 96.5 | 93.8 |
| Utilities | 87.5 | 119.0 |
| Other services | 97.1 | 102.2 |
| Category | Texas | Alaska | Alaska vs Texas |
|---|---|---|---|
| All items | 97.1 | 102.4 | +5.5% |
| Goods | 98.1 | 106.3 | +8.4% |
| Housing (rents) | 96.5 | 93.8 | −2.8% |
| Utilities | 87.5 | 119.0 | +36.0% |
| Other services | 97.1 | 102.2 | +5.3% |
| Income per person, adjusted for prices | $58,219 | $60,272 | +3.5% |
| Regular gas, week of October 19, 2026* | $3.70 | $5.56 | +50.0% |
| Salary to match $75,000 in Texas | $75,000 | $79,100 | +5.5% |
Index values: BEA, 2024, US = 100. Income: BEA real personal income per person, 2017 dollars. Gas: EIA weekly retail prices. *West Coast region average (EIA has no separate Alaska figure).
Cheapest and most expensive places in each state
Texas
- Eagle Pass, TX 83.8
- Texarkana, TX 84.0
- McAllen, TX 85.9
- Brownsville, TX 86.0
- Laredo, TX 87.0
- Longview, TX 89.5
- Wichita Falls, TX 89.5
- Victoria, TX 89.8
- El Paso, TX 89.9
- Beaumont, TX 90.0
- Abilene, TX 90.4
- College Station, TX 91.0
- Killeen, TX 91.1
- Lubbock, TX 91.3
- Amarillo, TX 91.8
- Tyler, TX 92.2
- San Angelo, TX 92.5
- Waco, TX 92.6
- Corpus Christi, TX 92.7
- Sherman, TX 93.8
- Odessa, TX 93.9
- San Antonio, TX 94.7
- Midland, TX 95.8
- Austin, TX 98.1
- Houston, TX 98.6
- Dallas, TX 103.1
Alaska
- Fairbanks, AK 103.2
- Anchorage, AK 105.4
Metro areas ordered from cheapest to most expensive. BEA, 2024, US = 100.
How the gap has changed since 2008
The price gap between Texas and Alaska has narrowed since 2008: 6.8 points then, 5.3 now
Overall price level each year, 2008–2024. US average = 100.
- Texas
- Alaska
Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities by state, 2024 (US = 100).
Show the numbers
| Texas | Alaska | |
|---|---|---|
| 2008 | 97.1 | 103.9 |
| 2009 | 96.7 | 106.1 |
| 2010 | 97.7 | 103.1 |
| 2011 | 97.0 | 103.3 |
| 2012 | 97.7 | 102.5 |
| 2013 | 98.1 | 102.1 |
| 2014 | 98.4 | 102.4 |
| 2015 | 98.3 | 103.3 |
| 2016 | 98.1 | 104.1 |
| 2017 | 97.4 | 104.8 |
| 2018 | 97.8 | 104.6 |
| 2019 | 98.5 | 103.0 |
| 2020 | 98.8 | 101.3 |
| 2021 | 98.4 | 104.9 |
| 2022 | 97.4 | 102.1 |
| 2023 | 97.1 | 103.3 |
| 2024 | 97.1 | 102.4 |
Goods
- Texas
- Alaska
Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities by state, 2024 (US = 100).
Show the numbers
| Texas | Alaska | |
|---|---|---|
| 2008 | 97.1 | 105.9 |
| 2009 | 96.1 | 105.7 |
| 2010 | 98.1 | 104.0 |
| 2011 | 96.5 | 103.5 |
| 2012 | 97.6 | 101.5 |
| 2013 | 97.6 | 100.1 |
| 2014 | 97.4 | 99.9 |
| 2015 | 97.1 | 104.4 |
| 2016 | 98.4 | 107.4 |
| 2017 | 97.1 | 107.7 |
| 2018 | 97.1 | 103.2 |
| 2019 | 97.9 | 100.5 |
| 2020 | 98.2 | 101.5 |
| 2021 | 98.5 | 109.1 |
| 2022 | 97.2 | 105.6 |
| 2023 | 98.1 | 103.7 |
| 2024 | 98.1 | 106.3 |
Housing (rents)
- Texas
- Alaska
Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities by state, 2024 (US = 100).
Show the numbers
| Texas | Alaska | |
|---|---|---|
| 2008 | 88.0 | 106.0 |
| 2009 | 88.2 | 119.7 |
| 2010 | 89.3 | 113.7 |
| 2011 | 89.7 | 110.0 |
| 2012 | 91.1 | 116.5 |
| 2013 | 91.4 | 114.8 |
| 2014 | 93.6 | 116.7 |
| 2015 | 94.0 | 114.5 |
| 2016 | 95.6 | 108.7 |
| 2017 | 95.2 | 109.4 |
| 2018 | 95.2 | 104.8 |
| 2019 | 95.8 | 101.3 |
| 2020 | 95.8 | 89.7 |
| 2021 | 95.6 | 103.4 |
| 2022 | 97.0 | 96.6 |
| 2023 | 97.5 | 96.7 |
| 2024 | 96.5 | 93.8 |
Utilities
- Texas
- Alaska
Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities by state, 2024 (US = 100).
Show the numbers
| Texas | Alaska | |
|---|---|---|
| 2008 | 101.4 | 89.9 |
| 2009 | 96.2 | 103.9 |
| 2010 | 98.1 | 106.1 |
| 2011 | 94.4 | 110.7 |
| 2012 | 93.1 | 113.1 |
| 2013 | 95.7 | 118.3 |
| 2014 | 94.9 | 112.9 |
| 2015 | 91.1 | 117.0 |
| 2016 | 91.9 | 123.4 |
| 2017 | 88.0 | 123.1 |
| 2018 | 87.5 | 129.7 |
| 2019 | 87.7 | 131.6 |
| 2020 | 85.0 | 127.7 |
| 2021 | 86.2 | 116.8 |
| 2022 | 88.7 | 108.5 |
| 2023 | 92.4 | 113.3 |
| 2024 | 87.5 | 119.0 |
Other services
- Texas
- Alaska
Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities by state, 2024 (US = 100).
Show the numbers
| Texas | Alaska | |
|---|---|---|
| 2008 | 100.0 | 102.9 |
| 2009 | 100.4 | 103.4 |
| 2010 | 100.3 | 99.9 |
| 2011 | 100.1 | 101.2 |
| 2012 | 100.4 | 99.5 |
| 2013 | 101.0 | 99.6 |
| 2014 | 101.1 | 100.2 |
| 2015 | 101.1 | 99.8 |
| 2016 | 99.0 | 100.7 |
| 2017 | 98.9 | 101.8 |
| 2018 | 99.8 | 104.4 |
| 2019 | 100.5 | 103.9 |
| 2020 | 101.3 | 103.8 |
| 2021 | 100.0 | 102.6 |
| 2022 | 98.2 | 101.4 |
| 2023 | 96.6 | 104.4 |
| 2024 | 97.1 | 102.2 |
What incomes buy in each state
Income per person after adjusting for prices: $60,272 in Alaska, $58,219 in Texas
Real personal income per person, constant 2017 dollars (adjusted for each state's price level and for inflation).
- Texas
- Alaska
- United States
Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, real personal income by state (SARPI), 2008–2024.
Show the numbers
| Texas | Alaska | United States | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2008 | $46,068 | $51,647 | $45,816 |
| 2009 | $43,349 | $50,081 | $44,204 |
| 2010 | $44,078 | $53,163 | $44,808 |
| 2011 | $46,663 | $54,766 | $45,957 |
| 2012 | $47,554 | $55,096 | $46,796 |
| 2013 | $47,301 | $53,525 | $46,358 |
| 2014 | $48,959 | $55,480 | $47,661 |
| 2015 | $48,983 | $56,528 | $49,396 |
| 2016 | $47,686 | $54,411 | $49,828 |
| 2017 | $49,918 | $54,022 | $51,006 |
| 2018 | $51,551 | $55,403 | $52,242 |
| 2019 | $52,343 | $56,834 | $53,683 |
| 2020 | $53,181 | $58,522 | $56,514 |
| 2021 | $56,442 | $57,677 | $59,365 |
| 2022 | $56,452 | $58,413 | $57,104 |
| 2023 | $57,708 | $58,204 | $58,088 |
| 2024 | $58,219 | $60,272 | $59,195 |
More
- Cost of living in Texas
- Cost of living in Alaska
- Reverse: moving from Alaska to Texas
- All states ranked
Related state comparisons
What this comparison leaves out
- Taxes. State income, sales and property taxes differ a lot between states and are not included.
- Where you live inside the state. Statewide figures average cities and rural areas; the metro lists above show the spread.
- Your own spending mix. The default uses an average household. Use the housing slider if housing is a bigger share of your budget.
- Timing. BEA price levels and incomes are for 2024; gas prices are weekly.