Living Cost Compare
Burlington

Vermont

$1,540/mo est.

vs
Juneau

Alaska

$1,530/mo est.

Monthly estimate = 1BR rent + electricity + gas

A one-person monthly baseline (1BR rent plus typical utilities) runs $1,540 in Burlington, VT versus $1,530 in Juneau, AK. Overall, Juneau, AK is roughly 1% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Burlington, VT, driven mainly by electricity costs.

Median household income is $68,854 in Burlington, VT and $100,513 in Juneau, AK — about 31% higher in Juneau, AK. Vermont has a top state income tax rate of 8.75% and a 6% state sales tax; Alaska has no state income tax and no state sales tax.

Burlington, VT
Juneau, AK

Rent

Studio
$1,284
$993
+23% in Burlington, VT
1 Bedroom
$1,275
$1,257
+1% in Burlington, VT
2 Bedroom
$1,731
$1,647
+5% in Burlington, VT
3 Bedroom
$2,002
$1,949
+3% in Burlington, VT

Buying a Home

Median Home Value
$400,200
$432,500
+8% in Juneau, AK

Income

Median Household Income
$68,854
$100,513
+46% in Juneau, AK
Metro Median Wage (annual)
$60,020
—

People & Lifestyle

Median Age
26.7 yr
39.8 yr
+13.1 yr in Juneau, AK
Homeownership
39.8%
64.4%
+24.6 pp in Juneau, AK
Bachelor's+ (25+)
60.5%
40.5%
+20.0 pp in Burlington, VT
Avg Commute
19.2 min
15.8 min
+3.4 min in Burlington, VT

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime
497.1
515.6
+4% in Juneau, AK
Property Crime
4,408.9
2,113.1
+52% in Burlington, VT

FBI Crime Data Explorer. Offenses per 100,000 residents per year; agency reporting practices vary, so this is approximate.

Climate

Avg Annual Temperature
46.0°F
42.1°F
+3.9°F in Burlington, VT
Annual Precipitation
36.8 in
62.3 in
+25.5 in in Juneau, AK

Gas

Regular Gasoline
$3.94/gal
$5.21/gal
+32% in Juneau, AK

Area: East Coast (PADD 1) vs West Coast (PADD 5).

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)
24.4
28.2
+15% in Juneau, AK
Natural Gas ($/MCF)
$26.07
$17.35
+33% in Burlington, VT

Residential, state-level averages (EIA). MCF = 1,000 cubic feet.

Groceries

Milk (gal)
$4.31
$4.82
+12% in Juneau, AK
Bread (lb)
$1.92
$2.04
+6% in Juneau, AK
Eggs (doz)
$2.19
$2.19
about equal
Ground Beef (lb)
$6.90
$7.36
+7% in Juneau, AK
Chicken (lb)
$2.19
$2.01
+8% in Burlington, VT
Bananas (lb)
$0.69
$0.70
about equal

Average prices — Northeast vs West (BLS). Regional where available, otherwise U.S. average.

State Taxes

Sales Tax (VT / AK)
6%
None
+6.0 pp in VT
Income Tax (top rate)
8.75%
None
+8.8 pp in VT

Burlington vs Juneau — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Burlington or Juneau?
Juneau, AK is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,530 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 1% below Burlington, VT's $1,540, mainly because of electricity costs.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Burlington than in Juneau?
To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $51,000 a year in Burlington versus $50,000 in Juneau.
Which has lower taxes, Burlington or Juneau?
Burlington is taxed under Vermont's rules (a top state income tax rate of 8.75% and a 6% state sales tax); Juneau under Alaska's (no state income tax and no state sales tax).

Sources: US Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year (rent, income, home value, demographics); NOAA Climate Normals 1981–2010 (climate); EIA weekly retail (gas); Tax Foundation 2026 (state taxes).