Is it cheaper to live in Juneau or Rutland?

Rutland, VT is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,120 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 27% below Juneau, AK's $1,530, mainly because of rent.

How much more do you need to earn to live in Juneau than in Rutland?

To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $50,000 a year in Juneau versus $34,000 in Rutland.

Which has lower taxes, Juneau or Rutland?

Juneau is taxed under Alaska's rules (no state income tax and no state sales tax); Rutland under Vermont's (a top state income tax rate of 8.75% and a 6% state sales tax).

Juneau vs Rutland Cost of Living 2026

Juneau

Alaska

$1,530/mo est.

Rutland

Vermont

$1,120/mo est.

Monthly estimate = 1BR rent + electricity + gas

A one-person monthly baseline (1BR rent plus typical utilities) runs $1,530 in Juneau, AK versus $1,120 in Rutland, VT. Overall, Rutland, VT is roughly 27% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Juneau, AK, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $100,513 in Juneau, AK and $55,000 in Rutland, VT — about 45% higher in Juneau, AK. Alaska has no state income tax and no state sales tax; Vermont has a top state income tax rate of 8.75% and a 6% state sales tax.

Juneau, AK

Rutland, VT

Rent

Studio

$993

$893

+10% in Juneau, AK

1 Bedroom

$1,257

$856

+32% in Juneau, AK

2 Bedroom

$1,647

$1,097

+33% in Juneau, AK

3 Bedroom

$1,949

$1,207

+38% in Juneau, AK

Buying a Home

Median Home Value

$432,500

$176,400

+59% in Juneau, AK

Income

Median Household Income

$100,513

$55,000

+45% in Juneau, AK

Metro Median Wage (annual)

—

People & Lifestyle

Median Age

39.8 yr

48.5 yr

+8.7 yr in Rutland, VT

Homeownership

64.4%

52.7%

+11.7 pp in Juneau, AK

Bachelor's+ (25+)

40.5%

32.2%

+8.3 pp in Juneau, AK

Avg Commute

15.8 min

14.7 min

+1.1 min in Juneau, AK

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime

515.6

487.8

+5% in Juneau, AK

Property Crime

2,113.1

3,973.3

+88% in Rutland, VT

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

Climate

Avg Annual Temperature

42.1°F

44.6°F

+2.5°F in Rutland, VT

Annual Precipitation

62.3 in

40.5 in

+21.8 in in Juneau, AK

Gas

Regular Gasoline

$5.21/gal

$3.94/gal

+24% in Juneau, AK

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

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)

28.2

24.4

+13% in Juneau, AK

Natural Gas ($/MCF)

$17.35

$26.07

+50% in Rutland, VT

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

Groceries

Milk (gal)

$4.82

$4.31

+10% in Juneau, AK

Bread (lb)

$2.04

$1.92

+6% in Juneau, AK

Eggs (doz)

$2.19

about equal

Ground Beef (lb)

$7.36

$6.90

+6% in Juneau, AK

Chicken (lb)

$2.01

$2.19

+9% in Rutland, VT

Bananas (lb)

$0.70

$0.69

about equal

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

State Taxes

Sales Tax (AK / VT)

None

+6.0 pp in VT

Income Tax (top rate)

None

8.75%

+8.8 pp in VT

Juneau vs Rutland — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Juneau or Rutland?: Rutland, VT is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,120 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 27% below Juneau, AK's $1,530, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Juneau than in Rutland?: To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $50,000 a year in Juneau versus $34,000 in Rutland.
Which has lower taxes, Juneau or Rutland?: Juneau is taxed under Alaska's rules (no state income tax and no state sales tax); Rutland under Vermont's (a top state income tax rate of 8.75% and a 6% 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).