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Moving. Simplified.
Are you mulling over moving to Alaska?
If you love adventure, canoeing, kayaking, river rafting, mountain climbing, camping, fishing and the likes, moving to Alaska is perfect for you. The state is home to about 3 million lakes and 3000 rivers.
Alaska is the largest state by area in the U.S. with lots of breathtaking landscapes, mountains, rivers, and lakes to be explored.
Known as the Last Frontier, Alaska’s cold weather makes it a perfect spot for all sorts of snow related recreations and sports including snowboarding, skiing, and dog sledding etc.
If you’re considering moving to Alaska and wondering if the state is right for you or not, this guide contains all the key information you need to know to make the right decision.
A quick look at the population and other demographics of Alaska.
Alaska is home to 724,357 people. The Last Frontier is rated 48th in the United States in terms of population. Alaska stretches across 665,384 square miles. Check out the following key stats about the state’s population since you’re considering moving to Alaska:
Alaska gets 121 sunny days per year. The national average is 205 sunny days a year. The weather is most likely one of the key things you’ll have to mull over before making up your mind about moving to Alaska. Here are key stats of the Last Frontier’s weather:
Tip: While moving the home, safety of your belongings is the priority and you need a trustworthy mover at your side. Know the top-rated moving companies in Alaska.
Alaska’s average one-way commute time is 18.8 minutes. The national average is 26.4 minutes. That means commuting time in Alaska is shorter than the national average. If you’d like to spend less time commuting on the road, with less stress and stay more productive, moving to Alaska is right for you.
Here’s how Alaskans commute to work:
Why are people moving to Alaska? If you love adventure, you’ll most likely like Alaska
But there’s more to Alaska than snow, mountains, and wildlife. The following are some of the key reasons people are moving to Alaska:
With massive tracts of wild open spaces, ancient forests, soaring mountains, and salmon-filled rivers, Alaska is the last frontier of the US. The unspoiled wildlands of Alaska are home to some of the best wildlife habitats in the country, including eagles, salmon, caribou, and grizzly bears.
Alaska is the best and the last place to savor the best wild-caught seafood. And, with strict federal and state management ensuring sustainable harvests, this dining experience is guilt-free. Alaska salmon, in particular, is abundant and healthy, if not an outright “superfood.
Some of the outstanding seafood in Alaska to relish includes:
Alaska is meant for people who are crazy about winter. The state is notorious for long, cold winters, and cool summers, and in some parts of northern Alaska, snow is possible year-round.
There’s no shortage of water in Alaska, which means there’s no shortage of fun water-sport experiences to be had. While kayaking is the most popular water activity, scuba diving, kitesurfing, and sailing are also highly popular.
Situated hundreds of miles away from the mainland of the US, bordering the north of Canada, Alaska is a perfect destination if you love working in remote areas. The largest state of the US, Alaska is rich in minerals but is extremely cold in climate.
A big plus of living in Alaska is the absence of income tax. As the state does not impose a tax on your income, your paycheck will be fatter every month
Alaska is too big and too beautiful. Highly breathtaking, Alaska has no shortage of outdoor fun. Along with state and national parks, the state also has many museums to explore.
We’ve compiled some of the best places to explore Alaska outdoors.
Alaska’s winter season is the perfect playground for winter sports of all types. From Nordic skiing to alpine skiing, from snowshoeing to snowboarding, from ice fishing to ice climbing, Alaska is the best turf to play winter sports.
While the state is known for pristine nature, snowy mountains, and abundant wildlife, Alaska also has a rich traditional culture that is preserved intact. Visiting the Sheldon Museum and Cultural Center or Hammer Museum helps you learn more about the rich past of Alaska.
Moving to Alaska is the best way to catch up with a different lifestyle. There is a strong Russian orthodox influence in Alaska and even the Native American lifestyle is still visible. The people are more laidback and the geography is highly serene
Taking a look at the pros and cons of living in the Last Frontier can make it easier for you to decide if moving to Alaska is right for you or not.
If you're considering moving to Alaska, living in the best places in the state should be among your top priority.
So, we've compiled relevant data about the ten Best places to live in Alaska to help you get started.
Alaska is home to several beautiful cities, towns, and neighborhoods. Moving to Alaska means you can live in any of these neighborhoods. So, to make your house hunting easier, we’ve made a list of the ten best neighborhoods to live in Alaska. Check out the list below:
| Rank | City | Population | Unemployment Rate | Home Value |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cordova | 2,829 | 2.2% | $330,600 |
| 2 | Unalaska | 4,724 | 1.9% | $368,000 |
| 3 | Valdez | 3,847 | 1.9% | $168,600 |
| 4 | Juneau | 32,227 | 4.6% | $345,900 |
| 5 | Sitka | 8,640 | 5.0% | $358,600 |
| 6 | North Pole | 2,740 | 6.2% | $226,000 |
| 7 | Homer | 5,709 | 4.6% | $282,400 |
| 8 | Soldotna | 4,649 | 2.8% | $211,400 |
| 9 | Nome | 3,850 | 9.6% | $258,100 |
| 10 | Kodiak | 6,022 | 3.6% | $255,000 |
Tip: When you’ve got a home to move in Alaska, getting the best moving quote will be your goal. Request moving company quotes to save on moving cost.
The cost of living in Alaska is 125. The national average is 100.
That means the average cost of living in Alaska is higher than the U.S. average. Since you’re considering moving to Alaska, check out the various items that makes up the cost of living in the state:
| Cost of living | Alaska | United States |
|---|---|---|
| Overall | 125.8 | 100 |
| Grocery | 141.7 | 100 |
| Health | 113 | 100 |
| Housing | 134.3 | 100 |
| Median Home Cost | $310,600 | $231,200 |
| Utilities | 169.8 | 100 |
| Transportation | 98.2 | 100 |
| Miscellaneous | 119.5 | 100 |
If you’re considering buying a home after moving to Alaska, you should be aware that up to 65% of Alaskans are homeowners. That means buying a property in the Last Frontier is a good idea. The following are key stats about the state’s housing market:
If you’re interested in renting a home after moving to Alaska, we’ve collated key prices about the state’s rental market. Check out the average costs of renting various homes and apartments in Alaska:
Due to the impact of COVID-19 and other related factors, presently, Alaska’s unemployment rate is higher than the national average.
Here’s key stats of the state’s job market:
| Employment Information | Alaska | United States |
|---|---|---|
| The income per Cap | $35,065 | $31,177 |
| Household Income | $76,114 | $57,652 |
| Unemployment Rate | 7.1 | 6.0% |
| Recent Job Growth | -4.34% | -6.18% |
| Future Job Growth | 16.45% | 33.51% |
Whether you’re interested in getting a job after moving to Alaska or not, you’ll most likely be interested in the average salary and income in the state. Check out this breakdown of average pay in Alaska:
Compare upto 6 Moving Quotes and save upto 65% on Your Move.
Start My Quote NowLooking for the highest paying jobs in the Last Frontier? We’ve made a list of the top career options to give you a glimpse of what to expect if you’re moving to Alaska:
| Rank | Job Title | Average Salary | Entry Level Salary | # Of People |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | General Internal Medicine Physicians | $282,730 | $145,250 | 90 |
| 2 | Physicians, All Other; And Ophthalmologists, Except Pediatric | $266,200 | $124,470 | 660 |
| 3 | Family Medicine Physicians | $264,010 | $157,240 | 420 |
| 4 | Pediatricians, General | $263,390 | $148,030 | 30 |
| 5 | Dentists, General | $242,850 | $137,940 | 220 |
| 6 | Airline Pilots, Copilots, And Flight Engineers | $180,100 | $65,190 | 1,370 |
| 7 | Chief Executives | $166,360 | $66,800 | 1,080 |
| 8 | Psychiatrists | $166,180 | $53,150 | 40 |
| 9 | Judges, Magistrate Judges, And Magistrates | $153,880 | $91,210 | 150 |
| 10 | Physician Assistants | $150,430 | $100,890 | 430 |
Alaska is home to several large industries running the state’s economy. Since you’re considering moving to Alaska, you should be aware of these industries. The following are the leading industries in Alaska:
Taxes are most likely part of the key things you’ll have to take into account before making up your mind about moving to Alaska.
Here’s a breakdown of the key taxes in the Last Frontier:
There are tons of things you can do to have fun in Alaska.
The Last Frontier is home to several different rare gems and the number of things you can do to have fun depends on how adventurous you are. If you’re moving to Alaska, here are some of the best things to do in the Last Frontier:
Once it snows in Alaska, the skiing trails across the state get packed. There may be no other U.S. city laced with so many groomed trails open to the public without a mandatory user’s fee.
Here are some best skiing trails in Frontier State to explore cross-country skiing.
Alaska has unlimited options to explore the backcountry on a swift machine. The frozen lakes and wooded trails in winter offer plenty of thrills and spectacular treks. Snowmobile tours are a fantastic way to escape into Alaska’s chilly wild.
The 6,045,153-acre Denali National Park and Preserve is a mix of forest at the lowest elevations, including deciduous taiga, with tundra at middle elevations, and glaciers, snow, and bare rock at the highest elevations.
Nothing can beat the river floating in Alaska. The rivers here are huge bodies of water that move fast, run deep, and are cold. You can float through the heart of the Alaskan wilderness, without the physical exertion of hiking or climbing.
Drift into the wind in Alaska and watch the breathtaking scenic beauty of the state from the sky from the air – in Alaska, this is one of the common ways to explore the state. There are dozens of flight tours over the state to explore the beauty from height.
Alaska promises the golden opportunity to watch glaciers from the close. You can walk to any glacier in the state as Alaska boasts about glaciers covering an estimated 34,000 square miles of area. There are also guided tours to glaciers.
Pick one of the many highways in Alaska to experience the scenic and wild beauty of Alaskan landscapes. Each highway and road takes you through different historic Alaskan towns and provides plenty of recreational and entertaining stops along the way.
We’ve got a list of 6 highways in Alaska to explore the grandeur scenery of the state.
The 12-mile Glacier River rises in a remote valley from a glacial meltwater lake from a Twentymile glacier and flows out into a large, wide valley where it receives the water of the Carmen River.
Watch an alpenglow, a stunning natural phenomenon in Alaska, in which a glowing horizontal red band is observed along the horizon line, opposite to the sun. The hues are usually soft and subtle pink, purple and red colors which pop out against a clear backdrop
Perhaps there is no place better than Alaska to watch whales. The state has many whale-watching points that attract millions of people every year. You watch here humpback whales, beluga whales, killer whales, and grey whales, hundreds in number.
To help you narrow your options, here are some of the best places in Alaska to see whales:
Alaska is one of the best places on earth to see the northern lights, colorful bands of light that dance in the night sky. It is possible to see northern lights in Alaska from mid–August to mid-April, in the winter.
The University of Alaska Museum of North displays many wonders, including diverse wildlife and Arctic dinosaurs along with collections relating to the natural, artistic, and cultural heritage of Alaska and the Circumpolar North. In summer, the museum also hosts performances and programs to promote science and research.
Whether you're still schooling or have school age kids or not, if you're moving to Alaska, you'd most likely be interested in the best schools in the state. Here we've made a list of the best elementary, middle, high, and colleges in Alaska. Check out the list below:
Hydaburg School
Hydaburg City School District, Public, PK-12 | 93 students, Rating: 10/10
Nuniwarmiut School
Lower Kuskokwim School District, Public, PK-12 | 51 students, Rating: 10/10
Nanwalek School
Kenai Peninsula Borough School District, Public, PK-12 | 75 students, Rating: 10/10
Hope School
Kenai Peninsula Borough School District, Public, PK-12 | 17 students, Rating: 10/10
Susan B English School
Kenai Peninsula Borough School District, Public, PK-12 | 32 students, Rating: 10/10
Hydaburg School
Hydaburg City School District, Public, PK-12 | 93 students, Rating: 10/10
Nuniwarmiut School
Lower Kuskokwim School District, Public, PK-12 | 51 students, Rating: 10/10
Nanwalek School
Kenai Peninsula Borough School District, Public, PK-12 | 75 students, Rating: 10/10
Hope School
Kenai Peninsula Borough School District, Public, PK-12 | 17 students, Rating: 10/10
Susan B English School
Kenai Peninsula Borough School District, Public, PK-12 | 32 students, Rating: 10/10
Hydaburg School
Hydaburg City School District, Public, PK-12 | 93 students, Rating: 10/10
Nuniwarmiut School
Lower Kuskokwim School District, Public, PK-12 | 51 students, Rating: 10/10
Nanwalek School
Kenai Peninsula Borough School District, Public, PK-12 | 75 students, Rating: 10/10
Hope School
Kenai Peninsula Borough School District, Public, PK-12 | 17 students, Rating: 10/10
Susan B English School
Kenai Peninsula Borough School District, Public, PK-12 | 32 students, Rating: 10/10
University of Alaska Fairbanks - Fairbanks
University of Alaska Anchorage - Anchorage
Alaska Pacific University - Anchorage
Wilmington University
University of Alaska Southeast - Juneau
Alaska Bible College - Palmer
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