Ketchikan, AK vs Sweet Home, OR: Cost of Living

Which city costs less?

Sweet Home, OR has a modeled overall cost index 7.7% higher than Ketchikan, AK.

Ketchikan, AK · modeled 2BR rent: $1,630 / month
Sweet Home, OR · modeled 2BR rent: $1,410 / month

These are saved estimates, not current rental listings. Some cities use adjusted regional data. Your household budget can differ from the overall index. Sources and assumptions

Adjust your income and compare the budget ↓

Tap to swap

Cost of Living Comparison 2026

Compare Ketchikan, AK and Sweet Home, OR using saved regional data and explicit budgeting assumptions. Rent estimates are not live listings. Change the salary below, then check the source notes before applying a result to your household.

Saved regional estimates · Sources and assumptions

Current salary in Ketchikan, AK

Numbers update automatically as you type

Estimated extra cost: $495/month in Sweet Home, OR

$150,000 in your current city has a modeled equivalent of $155,937 in Sweet Home, OR

Regional cost estimates: Ketchikan, AK uses Seattle, WA. Sweet Home, OR uses Portland, OR. Available city ZIP rent estimates are shown separately.

Overall Cost

↑ 7.7%

More expensive

Monthly Impact

$495

Extra cost

Annual Impact

$5.9K

Per year

Assumes 60% of current gross income goes to living costs. The headline uses the category budget below; taxes, moving costs and savings goals are excluded.

Ketchikan, AK

Population:8K

Cost Index:

94.6

100 = national average

Typical Home:$380K

Sweet Home, OR

Population:10K

Cost Index:

101.9

100 = national average

Typical Home:$344K

Planning the move to Sweet Home?

Organize packing, address changes, and moving-day tasks with a free checklist. Your progress saves in this browser. No account needed.

Plan my move with the free checklist

Ketchikan, AK

The Last Frontier

Population

State Tax

No Income Tax

Located in Alaska, this city has a population of 8K residents.

💡 Advantage: Alaska has no state income tax!

Sweet Home, OR

The Beaver State

10K

Population

State Tax

Yes

Located in Oregon, this city has a population of 10K residents.

Cost Breakdown by Category

Estimated monthly spending: Ketchikan, AK vs Sweet Home, OR

Assumes 60% of your current gross income is spent on these categories. The headline and totals use this same budget. Rent estimates below are separate reference data. Rounded amounts may differ by $1.

Category	Ketchikan, AK	Sweet Home, OR	Difference	Change
Other	$1,068/mo	$1,484/mo	↑ $416more	38.9%
Housing	$3,667/mo	$3,263/mo	↓ $404less	11.0%
Transportation	$1,027/mo	$1,327/mo	↑ $300more	29.2%
Groceries	$787/mo	$931/mo	↑ $144more	18.3%
All Utilities	$351/mo	$414/mo	↑ $63.24more	18.0%
Healthcare	$601/mo	$577/mo	↓ $23.70less	3.9%

Other

↑ 38.9%

Ketchikan, AK

$1,068

Sweet Home, OR

$1,484

Difference

$416

Housing

↓ 11.0%

Ketchikan, AK

$3,667

Sweet Home, OR

$3,263

Difference

$404

less

Transportation

↑ 29.2%

Ketchikan, AK

$1,027

Sweet Home, OR

$1,327

Difference

$300

Groceries

↑ 18.3%

Ketchikan, AK

$787

Sweet Home, OR

$931

Difference

$144

All Utilities

↑ 18.0%

Ketchikan, AK

$351

Sweet Home, OR

$414

Difference

$63.24

Healthcare

↓ 3.9%

Ketchikan, AK

$601

Sweet Home, OR

$577

Difference

$23.70

less

🏠Rent Comparison

Studio

From$1,120

To$970

↓ $150

1 Bed

From$1,240

To$1,160

↓ $80.00

2 Bed

From$1,630

To$1,410

↓ $220

3 Bed

From$2,270

To$1,910

↓ $360

Ketchikan, AKZIP-level data

1BR range: $1,240–$1,240/mo

Sweet Home, ORZIP-level data

1BR range: $1,160–$1,160/mo

💡 Note: HUD Fair Market Rents estimate 40th-percentile gross rents, including most tenant-paid utilities. City ZIP summaries are medians of those estimates, not market median rents. Actual prices vary by neighborhood, amenities, and condition. Source: HUD Small Area Fair Market Rents FY2026.

$7,500

Monthly in Ketchikan, AK

$7,995

Monthly in Sweet Home, OR

$495

Difference

Home Values

Ketchikan

Sweet Home

$380K

Median Value

$344K

↑ +8.8%

YoY Change

↑ +0.5%

↑ +19.5%

5-Year Change

↑ +33.5%

Homes in Sweet Home are 9% less expensive than Ketchikan

Calculate payment - Ketchikan Calculate payment - Sweet Home

Source: Zillow Home Value Index (ZHVI), January 2026

Tax Comparison

Annual tax burden comparison at $150.0K salary

Tax Savings

↓ $15.5K

More taxes

Monthly Difference

$1,293

Less take-home

Effective Rate Diff

10.3%

Rate difference

Ketchikan, AK

Federal Income Tax

Effective: 18.9%

$25.5K

Alaska State Tax

No state income tax

FICA Taxes

Social Security + Medicare

$11.5K

Total Taxes

Effective: 24.7%

$37.0K

Take-Home Pay

$9,416/month

$113.0K

Sweet Home, OR

Federal Income Tax

Effective: 18.9%

$25.5K

Oregon State Tax

Effective: 10.3%

$15.5K

FICA Taxes

Social Security + Medicare

$11.5K

Total Taxes

Effective: 35.0%

$52.5K

Take-Home Pay

$8,123/month

$97.5K

Additional Tax Information

Ketchikan, AK Tax Rates

Sales Tax:1.8%

Property Tax:0.9%

Sweet Home, OR Tax Rates

Sales Tax:0.0%

Property Tax:0.9%

💡 Note: Tax calculations are estimates based on 2024/2025 tax brackets for single filers with standard deduction. Actual taxes may vary based on filing status, deductions, credits, and local variations.

Environment

Ketchikan

Sweet Home

41 Good

Air Quality

35 Good

69.7%

Good Air Days

85%

100 Very High

Climate Risk

98 High

🌊🌡🫨

Top Hazards

🌊🌡🫨

▲+2.6°F

2050 Outlook

▲+2.5°F

2 days

Heat Days >95°F

9 days

▲+2.6°F

2050 Outlook

▲+2.5°F

2 days

Heat Days >95°F

9 days

Before moving from Ketchikan, AK to Sweet Home, OR

Use this comparison to shortlist a move, then check the costs that depend on your household.

Compare actual homes. Get current quotes in Sweet Home, OR for the same bedroom count and included utilities as your home in Ketchikan, AK. Add parking, deposits, insurance and any overlapping leases. The rent estimates above are a starting point, not available listings.
Confirm your income. Check your expected pay with your employer, including any location adjustment. Use “Different salary at destination?” above to compare two incomes. The budget model excludes taxes and one-time moving costs; it is not a take-home-pay calculation.
Price your daily routine. Check the commute from a specific address to work, school or childcare. Add household expenses missing from this model, such as childcare, debt payments and medical needs. Verify local services before signing a lease.
Plan the transition. Get moving quotes and budget for travel, setup costs and time off. Open your Ketchikan to Sweet Home moving checklist to organize the tasks and timing.

Still choosing a destination? Explore cities similar to Sweet Home, OR by cost, housing, population and region.

Frequently Asked Questions: Ketchikan, AK vs Sweet Home, OR

How do the cost estimates for Ketchikan, AK and Sweet Home, OR compare?

Sweet Home, OR has a modeled overall cost index 7.7% higher than Ketchikan, AK. This is a broad model comparison, not a survey of today's prices or a forecast of your household spending. Some cities use adjusted regional fallback data.

What does the equivalent salary mean?

At a $150,000 salary in Ketchikan, AK, the model estimates $155,937 in Sweet Home, OR. It allocates 60% of gross income to the origin city’s category budget and applies each destination category’s relative cost. The equivalent salary adds the total category difference to your income. The monthly difference is the same category difference divided by 12; it is not take-home pay or guaranteed savings. Household size, childcare and your actual lease are not inputs to this calculation.

What rent estimates are available for Ketchikan, AK and Sweet Home, OR?

The modeled two-bedroom rents are $1,630/month in Ketchikan, AK and $1,410/month in Sweet Home, OR. Where available, the source is a city median of HUD FY2026 ZIP-level estimates; otherwise a saved metro table is used. City adjustments may also apply. These are not asking rents or available listings. Compare actual properties with the same bedroom count and included utilities.

How should I use this comparison before moving?

Use it to shortlist locations, then replace modeled costs with a current housing quote, employer-confirmed income, commute costs, insurance and your household's other expenses. Add one-time moving costs separately. Source years differ and the saved datasets are not a live price feed. Read the methodology for the formulas and fallback rules.

💰 See how taxes change too — compare take-home pay between Alaska and Oregon on TaxTakeHome.com