Cost of living in Wasilla research summary. The cost of living index is set to 100 for the average place in the United States. A cost of living index above 100 means Wasilla is expensive. An index value below 100 means the city is a relatively cheap place to live.
On a city-by-city basis in Alaska, home prices and rent have the biggest impact on the cost of living. Here are the key takeaways based on Saturday Night Science:
The cost of living index in Wasilla is 123, with 100 being the average.
The cost of living index in Wasilla is 1.2x higher than the national average.
Wasilla ranks as the #5 cheapest in Alaska out of 22.
Wasilla ranks as the #4,598 cheapest out of 6,489 in the US.
The median home value in Wasilla is $406,509.
The median income in Wasilla is $70,756.
According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Wasilla has an overall cost of living index of 123, which is 1.2x higher than the national index of 100.
Compared to Alaska, Wasilla has a cost of living index that's 0.9x lower than Alaska's index of 131.
The standard of living in Wasilla ranks as #5 most affordable out of the 22 places we measured in Alaska. By definition, that implies Wasilla ranks as the #17 most expensive place in the Last Frontier.
For more reading on life in Wasilla, check out:
Six factors go into calculating the cost of living index in Wasilla. Here is how it fairs on each of the criteria:
The Services index in Wasilla is 116.
The Groceries index in Wasilla is 125.
The Health index in Wasilla is 141.
The Housing index in Wasilla is 132.
The Transportation index in Wasilla is 114.
The Utilities index in Wasilla is 113.
| Living Expense | Wasilla | Alaska | National Average | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 123 | 131 | 100 | |
| Services | 116 | 120 | 100 | |
| Groceries | 125 | 123 | 100 | |
| Health | 141 | 150 | 100 | |
| Housing | 132 | 136 | 100 | |
| Transportation | 114 | 116 | 100 | |
| Utilities | 113 | 158 | 100 | |
Housing swings affordability the most between places in Alaska, so we broke down housing costs into more detail. Home and income data comes from the most recent US Census ACS 2019-2023. The key points are:
The Median Home Value in Wasilla is $406,509.
The Median Rent in Wasilla is $1,104.
The Median Income in Wasilla is $70,756.
The Home Value To Income in Wasilla is 5.7x.
The Rent To Monthly Income in Wasilla is 0.19x.
The cost of living varies in the cities and towns around Wasilla. Here's a quick look at the cost of living in the most populous nearby places:
Knik-Fairview, AK has a cost of living index of 126, 1.0x Wasilla.
Tanaina, AK has a cost of living index of 123, 1.0x Wasilla.
Meadow Lakes, AK has a cost of living index of 120, 1.0x Wasilla.
| City | Population | Cost Of Living | Vs. Wasilla |
|---|---|---|---|
| Knik-Fairview, AK | 18,921 | 126 | 1.0x |
| Tanaina, AK | 9,738 | 123 | 1.0x |
| Meadow Lakes, AK | 8,994 | 120 | 1.0x |
| Gateway, AK | 6,716 | 130 | 1.1x |
| Palmer, AK | 6,141 | 116 | 0.9x |