NAICS 51

Information in Anchorage, AK

Metro Market Score 64.2 (Difficult), ranked #255 of 294 metros. 190 establishments, 3,006 jobs.

Metro Market Score 64.2

Favorable 0-35

Moderate 35-48

Challenging 48-60

Difficult 60+

Difficult

ⓘ Lower is better. Relative to national information average.

Anchorage scores 64.2 on the Metro Market Score for information, placing it in the bottom quartile. High wage costs, strong existing competition, or slowing growth contribute to tougher entry conditions compared to most metros.

Industry Concentration

90.1

LQ: 0.91

Rank #265 of 294 metros

Wage Competitiveness

73.1

$95,349 avg wage

Growth Trend

↓ 38.4

Employment growth index

Rank #182 of 294 metros

Wage Pressure

24.4

YoY wage change index

190 Information Firms in Anchorage

190

Establishments

+1.1% YoY

3,006

Total Employment

-3.8% YoY

$95,349

Average Annual Wage

+7.8% YoY

0.91

Location Quotient

Below national avg

Within Alaska

#2 of 2

information metros in state

Alaska state rank

#3 of 51

for information entry risk

vs State Median

0.0

matches median (64.2)

Anchorage vs Alaska Statewide

How this metro's information market compares to Alaska overall. The state ranks #3/51 for entry risk.

Measure	Anchorage	AK Statewide
Overall Score	64.2 Difficult	31.5 Moderate
Score Type	Metro Market Score	Entry Risk Score
Rank	#255 of 294 metros	#3 of 51 states

Metro and state scores use different methodologies (metro has 4 QCEW-based metrics; state adds BDS survival and momentum data). Direct score comparisons are approximate.

Other Industries in Anchorage

Administrative and Support Services 49.0 Real Estate and Rental and Leasing 50.1 Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services 54.6 Construction 55.7 Finance and Insurance 61.9 Healthcare and Social Assistance 63.5 Other Services 64.1 Retail Trade 72.7 Accommodation and Food Services 73.2

Information in Other Alaska Metros

Fairbanks-College 35.5 #87/294

Information Metros With Similar Conditions

Metros within 5 points of Anchorage's 64.2 score. Useful when comparing markets with comparable entry profiles.

Tucson, AZ 64.1 #254/294 Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL 64.0 #253/294 Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN 64.3 #256/294 Asheville, NC 64.8 #257/294 Myrtle Beach-Conway-North Myrtle Beach, SC 64.8 #258/294 Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater, WA 64.9 #259/294 Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI 63.0 #252/294 Worcester, MA 65.6 #260/294 Grand Forks, ND 62.6 #251/294 Medford, OR 62.5 #250/294

Browse Information in Other States

State-level entry risk reports for information across all 51 markets, sorted by rank.

About Metro Market Score: A weighted composite of industry concentration (25%), wage competitiveness (25%), wage pressure (20%), and employment growth trend (30%). Lower scores indicate more favorable conditions. For Anchorage's information sector, the industry concentration component (90.1) has the strongest pull on the composite. Metro scores use QCEW data only (no BDS survival data at metro level). Read full methodology →

Data Sources

Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW), Bureau of Labor Statistics. MSA-level establishment counts, employment, wages, and location quotients for the Anchorage, AK MSA area.

Data period: 2024. Last updated: April 2026.

Metro Market Assessment