So, you’re curious about living in Alaska? Well, you’ve come to the right place!
The expert movers, travelers, and worldwide locals that make up the team at Relocalate.com are here to help.
We’ve compiled the ultimate guides to answer the most common questions people just like you have about living in the great state of Alaska.
Dive deep into the topics you’re interested in to make sure your new home in Alaska matches what you’re looking for.
We’ll explore whether Alaska is a good place for YOU to live, and we’ll highlight some of the best cities for you to visit, explore, and ultimately call home.
Pros and Cons of Living in Alaska
You’ve heard it before, and it’s true: no place is perfect. What matters is how good of a fit it is for you.
Relocalate.com is here to help you decide whether Alaska is the best place for YOU to live.
Here are some reasons to love living in Alaska:
- Amazing natural beauty and a thriving outdoor lifestyle.
- Strong sense of community.
- Natural settings that cannot be found anywhere else outside the United States.
And, on the flip side, here are some of the downsides of living in Alaska:
- It is a pretty expensive place to live, and you won’t have access to many of the things you may be used to in other states.
- Alaska has some very wild places that might not be accessible to everyone.
- The summers can offer milder temperatures than other parts of the country, but winters are often brutally cold with temperatures well below zero degrees Fahrenheit on a regular basis (and even far colder in certain areas).
- Everything will cost more due to import taxes and shipping costs.
Read More: Is Alaska a Good Place to Live?
Best Place to Live in Alaska
So, you’ve got your heart set on living in Alaska? Well, the decision making doesn’t end there. You’ve still got to decide where to live in Alaska!
In some other articles, we’ll dive deeper into some of the best places to live in Alaska.
Our experts have considered a whole bunch of different criteria to select the top locations, including:
- The best places to live for families, retirees, singles, young adults, outdoor lovers, foodies, and more.
- The safest places to live.
- The cheapest places to live.
- The best schools.
- The best job markets.
- The best housing markets.
- And so much more.
Just want a quick list? No worries, here are some of the best cities to live in Alaska:
- Anchorage
- College
- Ketchikan
Read More: Best Places to Live in Alaska
Checklist for Moving to Alaska
So now you’re preparing for your big move to Alaska. Maybe you’ve even started packing!
As you probably already know, there are a lot of things to take care of when you’re moving. Both in your current state and once you get to Alaska.
Here are some of the major things you’ll want to take care of when you move to Alaska:
- Updating your address with USPS.
- Getting your Alaska driver’s license.
- Transferring your vehicle titles and registrations to Alaska
- Getting Alaska car insurance.
- Signing up for health insurance in Alaska and finding new doctors, dentists, and local hospitals.
- Updating/changing other insurance policies you may need (homeowner’s insurance, renter’s insurance, pet insurance, motorcycle insurance, etc.)
- Registering to vote in your district in Alaska.
- Updating your address with your banks, credit cards, subscription services, loans, investments, phone plans, and bill pay.
- Enrolling your kids in their new school district.
- Licensing your pets and finding a new vet.
- Setting up your utilities for your new home.
- Preparing to file state taxes for Alaska and your previous home state.
Visit your Alaska Moving Checklist for a detailed guide on all of the above.
Read More: Moving to Alaska Checklist
While we’re at it, let’s cover some high-level questions and fun facts about Alaska.
Things to Know About Living in Alaska
As you’re preparing for your move or getting settled into your new home in Alaska, here are some things to know about living there.
Cost of Living in Alaska
One thing to consider when moving to a new state is the relative cost of living.
Alaska ranks 45th on the Cost of Living Index with an overall rating of 125.8, meaning it’s a relatively more expensive place to live.
Here is how Alaska scores for the cost of living in each specific category:
- Groceries: 132.7
- Housing: 126.6
- Utilities: 157
- Transportation: 98.8
- Health: 155.8
- Miscellaneous: 113.7
The average cost of living in this index is scored at 100. The numbers above represent the percentage of the average. A number higher than 100 represents an above average cost of living, while a number lower than 100 represents a lower cost of living. A lower rank indicates a lower cost of living.
This data comes from the Cost of Living Index prepared by the Council for Economic Research (C2ER), which compiles data from cities across the country to rank and compare the differences in costs of living.
Sales Tax Rates in Alaska
Sales tax is a way that state and local governments collect tax revenue from its residents and visitors.
These taxes are applied when you purchase something. It’ll show up on your receipt or bill. If you’ve recently moved to Alaska from somewhere else, the new sales tax rates may surprise you.
On top of the state sales tax rates, local rates for certain counties and cities may apply and vary as well.
Alaska’s state sales tax rate is lower than the national average at 0.00% at the state level, with an average local rate of 1.76% (the highest local sales tax rate is 7.5%). Across the state, the average sales tax rate is about 1.76%.
Check with the Alaska tax office for the most current tax rates.
Real-Estate Property Tax Rates in Alaska
If you own or plan to own real estate in Alaska, you’ll want to think about the property tax rates when you move there.
Alaska ranks 33rd (from low to high) for its state property tax rate of 1.19%.
There may be additional property taxes on top of the rate stated here depending on your county, city, and school districts.
Check with the Alaska tax office for the most current tax rates.
Alaska’s Job Market & Economy
Another thing to think about when moving to Alaska is the job market and economic indicators.
Overall, Alaska ranks 49th for Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in the United States.
The GDP measures the overall monetary value of all goods and services produced within a certain place over a period of time.
Its top 10 industries (ranked from largest to smallest by economic contribution to the state) are:
- Mining, quarrying, and oil and gas extraction
- Transportation and warehousing
- Real estate and rental and leasing
- Educational services, health care, and social assistance
- Professional and business services
- Retail trade
- Construction
- Arts, entertainment, recreation, accommodation, and food services
- Manufacturing
- Wholesale trade
The top employer in Alaska is Providence Health & Services.
Notable Destinations and Landmarks in Alaska
Our Alaska moving guide wouldn’t be complete without a brief mention of some of the most iconic destinations in the state.
When you get settled in, a road trip may just be in order.
One of the most iconic landmarks in Alaska is Denali.
National Parks that you can visit in Alaska include:
- Denali National Park
- Gates of the Arctic National Park
- Glacier Bay National Park
- Katmai National Park
- Kenai Fjords National Park
- Kobuk Valley National Park
- Lake Clark National Park
- Wrangell-St. Elias National Park
National Monuments that you can find in Alaska include:
- Admiralty Island National Monument
- Aleutian Islands World War II National Monument
- Aniakchak National Monument
- Cape Krusenstern National Monument
- Misty Fjords National Monument
These destinations are all great places to visit when you get a chance.
Facts about Alaska
Alaska is the 49th state of the United States that lies in the western region.
What is the capital of Alaska?
The capital of Alaska is Juneau.
Juneau has a population of 31,275.
What is the population of Alaska?
The population of Alaska based on 2020 US Census data is 733,391.
What is the largest city in Alaska?
The largest city in Alaska is Anchorage
Anchorage has a population of 291,538.
What is the size of Alaska?
Alaska is 665,384 square miles, making it the largest state in the U.S.
What is the state motto of Alaska?
The state motto of Alaska is: North to the Future
What is the state bird of Alaska?
The state bird of Alaska is the Willow ptarmigan.
What is the state flower of Alaska?
The state flower of Alaska is the Forget-me-not.
What is the state tree of Alaska?
The state tree of Alaska is the Sitka Spruce.
What is the minimum wage in the state of Alaska?
The minimum wage in Alaska is $10.34 per hour.
What is the median income in Alaska?
The median annual household salary in Alaska is $74,346.