Salary comparison
Home Health and Personal Care Aides: Fairbanks vs Spokane
Spokane, WA pays about 11.4% more for home health and personal care aides on paper — $47,410 vs $42,550. But once you factor in what it costs to live there, Spokane comes out ahead by $4,860 a year in real buying power.
Fairbanks, AK
$42,550
$37,520
$44,660
$20.46
100
$42,550/yr
Median adjusted for local cost of living.
Spokane, WA
$47,410
$42,810
$48,630
$22.80
100
$47,410/yr
Median adjusted for local cost of living.
What the numbers mean in practice
The headline gap is $4,860 a year (11.4%) in favor of Spokane. That is the raw salary difference before any living costs.
Fairbanks runs a cost index of 100 against the national baseline of 100; Spokane sits at 100. After adjusting the median for those costs, Spokane is the better deal by $4,860 a year — that is what each paycheck actually buys locally.
If you are weighing a move from Fairbanks to Spokane for this role, the raise needs to beat 11.4% to come out ahead after living costs. Anything below that and you are earning more on paper but keeping less.
Common questions
Where do home health and personal care aides earn more, Fairbanks or Spokane?
Spokane pays $47,410 on median — about 11.4% more than Fairbanks ($42,550). Based on BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics.
Which city is the better deal after living costs?
Spokane. Once you divide each median by the local cost index, Spokane gives you roughly$47,410 of real buying power versus $42,550 in the other city.