Living Cost Compare
Juneau

Alaska

$1,530/mo est.

vs
South Burlington

Vermont

$1,790/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 $1,790 in South Burlington, VT. Overall, Juneau, AK is roughly 15% cheaper to live in day-to-day than South Burlington, VT, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $100,513 in Juneau, AK and $97,229 in South Burlington, VT — about 3% 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
South Burlington, VT

Rent

Studio
$993
$1,557
+57% in South Burlington, VT
1 Bedroom
$1,257
$1,533
+22% in South Burlington, VT
2 Bedroom
$1,647
$1,805
+10% in South Burlington, VT
3 Bedroom
$1,949
$2,356
+21% in South Burlington, VT

Buying a Home

Median Home Value
$432,500
$399,600
+8% in Juneau, AK

Income

Median Household Income
$100,513
$97,229
+3% in Juneau, AK
Metro Median Wage (annual)
—
$60,020

People & Lifestyle

Median Age
39.8 yr
38.8 yr
+1.0 yr in Juneau, AK
Homeownership
64.4%
60.1%
+4.3 pp in Juneau, AK
Bachelor's+ (25+)
40.5%
65.1%
+24.6 pp in South Burlington, VT
Avg Commute
15.8 min
18.9 min
+3.1 min in South Burlington, VT

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime
515.6
239.4
+54% in Juneau, AK
Property Crime
2,113.1
4,446
+110% in South 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
42.1°F
46.0°F
+3.9°F in South Burlington, VT
Annual Precipitation
62.3 in
36.8 in
+25.5 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 South Burlington, 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
$2.19
about equal
Ground Beef (lb)
$7.36
$6.90
+6% in Juneau, AK
Chicken (lb)
$2.01
$2.19
+9% in South Burlington, 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%
+6.0 pp in VT
Income Tax (top rate)
None
8.75%
+8.8 pp in VT

Juneau vs South Burlington — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Juneau or South Burlington?
Juneau, AK is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,530 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 15% below South Burlington, VT's $1,790, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Juneau than in South Burlington?
To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $50,000 a year in Juneau versus $61,000 in South Burlington.
Which has lower taxes, Juneau or South Burlington?
Juneau is taxed under Alaska's rules (no state income tax and no state sales tax); South Burlington 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).