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

Which city costs less?

Ketchikan, AK has a modeled overall cost index 7.2% lower than Sweet Home, OR.

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

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Cost of Living Comparison 2026

Compare Sweet Home, OR and Ketchikan, AK 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 Sweet Home, OR

Numbers update automatically as you type

Estimated savings: $464/month in Ketchikan, AK

$150,000 in your current city has a modeled equivalent of $144,430 in Ketchikan, AK

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

Overall Cost

↓ 7.2%

Less expensive

Monthly Impact

$464

Savings

Annual Impact

$5.6K

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.

Sweet Home, OR

Population:10K

Cost Index:

101.9

100 = national average

Typical Home:$344K

Ketchikan, AK

Population:8K

Cost Index:

94.6

100 = national average

Typical Home:$380K

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Sweet Home, OR

The Beaver State

10K

Population

State Tax

Yes

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

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!

Cost Breakdown by Category

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

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	Sweet Home, OR	Ketchikan, AK	Difference	Change
Other	$1,392/mo	$1,002/mo	↓ $390less	28.0%
Housing	$3,061/mo	$3,440/mo	↑ $379more	12.4%
Transportation	$1,244/mo	$963/mo	↓ $281less	22.6%
Groceries	$873/mo	$738/mo	↓ $135less	15.5%
All Utilities	$388/mo	$329/mo	↓ $59.32less	15.3%
Healthcare	$541/mo	$564/mo	↑ $22.24more	4.1%

Other

↓ 28.0%

Sweet Home, OR

$1,392

Ketchikan, AK

$1,002

Difference

$390

less

Housing

↑ 12.4%

Sweet Home, OR

$3,061

Ketchikan, AK

$3,440

Difference

$379

Transportation

↓ 22.6%

Sweet Home, OR

$1,244

Ketchikan, AK

$963

Difference

$281

less

Groceries

↓ 15.5%

Sweet Home, OR

$873

Ketchikan, AK

$738

Difference

$135

less

All Utilities

↓ 15.3%

Sweet Home, OR

$388

Ketchikan, AK

$329

Difference

$59.32

less

Healthcare

↑ 4.1%

Sweet Home, OR

$541

Ketchikan, AK

$564

Difference

$22.24

🏠Rent Comparison

Studio

From$970

To$1,120

↑ $150

1 Bed

From$1,160

To$1,240

↑ $80.00

2 Bed

From$1,410

To$1,630

↑ $220

3 Bed

From$1,910

To$2,270

↑ $360

Sweet Home, ORZIP-level data

1BR range: $1,160–$1,160/mo

Ketchikan, AKZIP-level data

1BR range: $1,240–$1,240/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 Sweet Home, OR

$7,036

Monthly in Ketchikan, AK

$464

Difference

Home Values

Sweet Home

Ketchikan

$344K

Median Value

$380K

↑ +0.5%

YoY Change

↑ +8.8%

↑ +33.5%

5-Year Change

↑ +19.5%

Homes in Ketchikan are 10% more expensive than Sweet Home

Calculate payment - Sweet Home Calculate payment - Ketchikan

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

Tax Comparison

Annual tax burden comparison at $150.0K salary

Tax Savings

↑ $15.5K

Per year

Monthly Difference

$1,293

More take-home

Effective Rate Diff

10.3%

Rate difference

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

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

Additional Tax Information

Sweet Home, OR Tax Rates

Sales Tax:0.0%

Property Tax:0.9%

Ketchikan, AK Tax Rates

Sales Tax:1.8%

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

Sweet Home

Ketchikan

35 Good

Air Quality

41 Good

85%

Good Air Days

69.7%

98 High

Climate Risk

100 Very High

🌊🌡🫨

Top Hazards

🌊🌡🫨

▲+2.5°F

2050 Outlook

▲+2.6°F

9 days

Heat Days >95°F

2 days

▲+2.5°F

2050 Outlook

▲+2.6°F

9 days

Heat Days >95°F

2 days

Before moving from Sweet Home, OR to Ketchikan, AK

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

Compare actual homes. Get current quotes in Ketchikan, AK for the same bedroom count and included utilities as your home in Sweet Home, OR. 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 Sweet Home to Ketchikan moving checklist to organize the tasks and timing.

Still choosing a destination? Explore cities similar to Ketchikan, AK by cost, housing, population and region.

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

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

Ketchikan, AK has a modeled overall cost index 7.2% lower than Sweet Home, OR. 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 Sweet Home, OR, the model estimates $144,430 in Ketchikan, AK. 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 Sweet Home, OR and Ketchikan, AK?

The modeled two-bedroom rents are $1,410/month in Sweet Home, OR and $1,630/month in Ketchikan, AK. 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 Oregon and Alaska on TaxTakeHome.com