Is it cheaper to live in Juneau or Wilmington?

Wilmington, DE is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,250 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 18% below Juneau, AK's $1,530, mainly because of rent.

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

To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $50,000 a year in Juneau versus $41,000 in Wilmington.

Which has lower taxes, Juneau or Wilmington?

Juneau is taxed under Alaska's rules (no state income tax and no state sales tax); Wilmington under Delaware's (a top state income tax rate of 6.60% and no state sales tax).

Juneau vs Wilmington Cost of Living 2026

Juneau

Alaska

$1,530/mo est.

Wilmington

Delaware

$1,250/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 $1,250 in Wilmington, DE. Overall, Wilmington, DE is roughly 18% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Juneau, AK, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $100,513 in Juneau, AK and $55,269 in Wilmington, DE — about 45% higher in Juneau, AK. Alaska has no state income tax and no state sales tax; Delaware has a top state income tax rate of 6.60% and no state sales tax.

Juneau, AK

Wilmington, DE

Rent

Studio

$993

$1,103

+11% in Wilmington, DE

1 Bedroom

$1,257

$1,024

+19% in Juneau, AK

2 Bedroom

$1,647

$1,213

+26% in Juneau, AK

3 Bedroom

$1,949

$1,394

+28% in Juneau, AK

Buying a Home

Median Home Value

$432,500

$224,500

+48% in Juneau, AK

Income

Median Household Income

$100,513

$55,269

+45% in Juneau, AK

Metro Median Wage (annual)

—

$54,310

People & Lifestyle

Median Age

39.8 yr

37.0 yr

+2.8 yr in Juneau, AK

Homeownership

64.4%

46.0%

+18.4 pp in Juneau, AK

Bachelor's+ (25+)

40.5%

33.1%

+7.4 pp in Juneau, AK

Avg Commute

15.8 min

23.0 min

+7.2 min in Wilmington, DE

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime

515.6

1,138.2

+121% in Wilmington, DE

Property Crime

2,113.1

3,182.4

+51% in Wilmington, DE

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

54.9°F

+12.8°F in Wilmington, DE

Annual Precipitation

62.3 in

43.1 in

+19.2 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

19.3

+32% in Juneau, AK

Natural Gas ($/MCF)

$17.35

$29.73

+71% in Wilmington, DE

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

Groceries

Milk (gal)

$4.82

$4.00

+17% in Juneau, AK

Bread (lb)

$2.04

$1.75

+14% in Juneau, AK

Eggs (doz)

$2.19

$2.21

+1% in Wilmington, DE

Ground Beef (lb)

$7.36

$6.45

+12% in Juneau, AK

Chicken (lb)

$2.01

$1.90

+6% in Juneau, AK

Bananas (lb)

$0.70

$0.62

+12% in Juneau, AK

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

State Taxes

Sales Tax (AK / DE)

None

about equal

Income Tax (top rate)

None

6.60%

+6.6 pp in DE

Juneau vs Wilmington — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Juneau or Wilmington?: Wilmington, DE is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,250 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 18% below Juneau, AK's $1,530, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Juneau than in Wilmington?: To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $50,000 a year in Juneau versus $41,000 in Wilmington.
Which has lower taxes, Juneau or Wilmington?: Juneau is taxed under Alaska's rules (no state income tax and no state sales tax); Wilmington under Delaware's (a top state income tax rate of 6.60% 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).