Albuquerque or Anchorage: which is better?

US metro area: head-to-head comparison

Winner
Albuquerque
Albuquerque, NM
6
indicators ahead
Anchorage
Anchorage, AK
4
indicators ahead

Albuquerque wins on more indicators: 6 of 11 against 4.

  • Money: Albuquerque 3:1
  • Climate and risks: tie 3:3

All indicators weigh the same. This is a score based on data, not advice on where to live: different people have different circumstances.

Albuquerque
Anchorage

Money

Better: Albuquerque (3 : 1)
Per capita income
higher is better
✗$60,899
202422% lower
✓$78,485
202429% higher
Typical rent
lower is better
✓$1,490
2026-09-3021% lower
✗$1,890
2026-09-3027% higher
Typical home value
lower is better
✓$348,674
2026-09-3018% lower
✗$424,607
2026-09-3022% higher
Price level
lower is better
✓95.5 100 = US average
20249% lower
✗105.4 100 = US average
202410% higher

Climate and risks

Tie (3 : 3)
Air: median AQI
lower is better
✗61 AQI
2024135% higher
✓26 AQI
202457% lower
Days with unhealthy air
lower is better
✗30 days per year
2024
✓0 days per year
2024
Hot days (max ≥ +30 °C)
lower is better
✗106 days per year
2016-202552950% higher
✓0 days per year
2016-2025100% lower
Frost days (min ≤ −10 °C)
lower is better
✓2 days per year
2016-202598% lower
✗68 days per year
2016-20253906% higher
Severe frost (min ≤ −20 °C)
lower is better
✓0.0 days per year
2016-2025
✗11.3 days per year
2016-2025
Ice days (max ≤ 0 °C)
neutral indicator: higher does not mean better
1 days per year
2016-2025
102 days per year
2016-2025
Heating degree days
neutral indicator: higher does not mean better
2,001 °C·days per year
2016-2025
5,312 °C·days per year
2016-2025
Cooling degree days
neutral indicator: higher does not mean better
958 °C·days per year
2016-2025
9 °C·days per year
2016-2025
Rainy days
neutral indicator: higher does not mean better
35 days per year
2016-2025
90 days per year
2016-2025
Snowfall days
neutral indicator: higher does not mean better
2 days per year
2016-2025
22 days per year
2016-2025
Annual precipitation
neutral indicator: higher does not mean better
183 mm per year
2016-2025
523 mm per year
2016-2025
Daylight on December 21
neutral indicator: higher does not mean better
9.8 hours
December 21 and June 21 (does not depend on the year)
5.1 hours
December 21 and June 21 (does not depend on the year)
Daylight on June 21
neutral indicator: higher does not mean better
14.5 hours
December 21 and June 21 (does not depend on the year)
19.9 hours
December 21 and June 21 (does not depend on the year)
Air humidity
neutral indicator: higher does not mean better
39 %
2021-2025
74 %
2021-2025
Muggy days (dew point ≥ +20 °C)
tie
0 days per year
2021-2025
0 days per year
2021-2025
Distance to the sea
neutral indicator: higher does not mean better
725 km
2006-2025
1 km
2006-2025
Earthquakes M4.5+ within 100 km
lower is better
✓0.00 per year
2006-2025
✗3.00 per year
2006-2025
Strongest earthquake in the period
no data for one of the places
no data
7.1 magnitude
2006-2025

Urban environment

no winner
Population
neutral indicator: higher does not mean better
926,303 people
2024
407,213 people
2024

A winner is named only for indicators with a known “better / worse” direction. Population and other neutral indicators are shown without a winner. Outdated and missing values are not counted. Details for each place: Albuquerque, Anchorage.

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