What's it like to live in Anchorage?
Apr 8th, 2004, 05:23 AM
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What's it like to live in Anchorage?
OK, at the risk of being told, "It's a travel board," I'm going to ask the question that others seem to ask about their possible relocation cities anyway....
What's it like to live in Anchorage, AK? What are the best & worst things about the city? What are the nicest/safest/prettiest neighborhoods?
I have visited Anchorage, but I'm sure there are those of you out there with a much more detailed perspective on the area.
Thanks for any information you can provide!
What's it like to live in Anchorage, AK? What are the best & worst things about the city? What are the nicest/safest/prettiest neighborhoods?
I have visited Anchorage, but I'm sure there are those of you out there with a much more detailed perspective on the area.
Thanks for any information you can provide!
Apr 10th, 2004, 04:07 AM
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You might want to read the Anchorage Daily News website to get a feel for things. www.adn.com
My son didn't care for living in the city and was happy to get a new job and move 2 hours south. You don't get a good view of the northern lights because of light pollution. There are times when winter driving on the highway is extremely dangerous. He would never stop to help anyone who had slid off the road because it was too risky. He helps people on local roads though. Worst driving experience was when he arrived at ANC after 3 feet of snow had fallen and digging the 4 WD truck out of the airport parking lot. OTH in 2002/2003 winter there was hardly any snow. The best part of living in Anchorage is how little time it takes to get out of the city and into the wilderness. The worst part is that it is a city. Well, a local's first hand account would be better but this post will get you to the top.
My son didn't care for living in the city and was happy to get a new job and move 2 hours south. You don't get a good view of the northern lights because of light pollution. There are times when winter driving on the highway is extremely dangerous. He would never stop to help anyone who had slid off the road because it was too risky. He helps people on local roads though. Worst driving experience was when he arrived at ANC after 3 feet of snow had fallen and digging the 4 WD truck out of the airport parking lot. OTH in 2002/2003 winter there was hardly any snow. The best part of living in Anchorage is how little time it takes to get out of the city and into the wilderness. The worst part is that it is a city. Well, a local's first hand account would be better but this post will get you to the top.
Apr 10th, 2004, 07:12 AM
#3
My perspective is that of a former resident but still semi-frequent visitor.
First, there's an old but very true saying - the best thing about Anchorage is that it's twenty minutes from Alaska.
Nowadays that's more like 30 or 40 minutes, but it still holds. There's no other major US city that abuts wilderness the way Anchorage does. You look up in the morning at the Chugach mountains on the city's east edge and you know there are places even there that nobody's ever set foot. You look out across the Inlet at sunset toward the Sleeping Lady (a mountain that looks like a sleeping person in silhouette) and know the same. Out at Lake Hood the float planes buzz in and out all the time, and they're going off into the true boonies most of the time. If you have access (and that's a big if) to the resources (money, time) to get out into the bush or out to the small villages off the highway system, then Anchorage can be a gateway to amazing adventures.
If you don't have that access, then the other fact about Anchorage can become a huge burden. That's the fact that you're three hours (by jet plane) from anywhere else. Although it's a well equipped city for its size (300,000 or so) it's the only place with real urban facilities for over 1000 miles. And that's just to Seattle or Portland; double that for anywhere else - California, the midwest, you name it.
It's not all that cold compared to many places in the lower 48. Most of the upper midwest and parts of New England have much harsher winters. Summers can be glorious or wet and cool, much like the Pacific NW.
The difference is the length of the seasons, especially winter, and (in our case and that of many others) the darkness. I personally hated watching baseball on TV while it was snowing outside. In the winter, you get up and it's dark. Go to work, dark. Out to lunch, beautiful long shadows if the sun's out (maybe, maybe not but if the sun's out it usually means it's cold as hell, so you don't stay out that long.) Leave work, dark. Repeat. And repeat...
Because of the relative isolation, people make friends, usually lots of them. The friends we made in Alaska remain our best friends ever; the kids bond. In that way it's still a bit of a "small town" - although I fear that's slipping some. There used to be a "nobody understands or cares about us" mentality that led to a "so we have to care for ourselves" inter-dependence mindset. I don't see much of that anymore - too mobile and affluent I guess, too much CNN and high-bandwidth life.
Some striking things that one notices when you leave Anchorage. You notice right away how many older people there are in the US. Many elder Alaskans bail when they can - who needs broken hips on icy sidewalks? Why not think about Arizona, Florida, Hawaii, parts of the Pacific NW, golf in February? Many do, so they leave, the result of which is a population heavily skewed to the younger end of the scale. The big (that's big) military presence in Anchorage helps.
It also used to the "crossroads of the world" because long-haul jets from Europe to Asia had to stop for gas, so the town was always full of Japanese, European etc. tourists, flight crews, foreign papers, great sushi restaurants, all that. Now the planes fly the shorter routes over Russia, or just fly nonstop. There are a couple of good Japanese places still, but the cultural variety is not what it was.
But it's very much an all-American, western, strip mall, fast food, RV-driving, bagel-eating, espresso-gulping, place. Some things cost a ton compared to Outside (that's the term) but other things are surprisingly cheap. If you're a greenie and vote for Nader, kiss your politics goodbye. Learn how to love the oil companies and mining companies.
Regarding neighborhoods, well, you already know it's a very young city by most standards, so don't go looking for Victorian fixers. It's true commutes are short but think about hillsides with ice on the roads. The winter in the Upper Hillside area lasts a month longer than down on the flats. Think about airport noise - there are four airports in the city, plus a couple of private strips, ranging from civil aviation to commercial jets to Air Force jocks in love with their afterburners.
Most important of all, if you haven't visited in the winter, do so if at all possible. It's a much different place than the one Holland America shows off in July.
Good luck.
First, there's an old but very true saying - the best thing about Anchorage is that it's twenty minutes from Alaska.
Nowadays that's more like 30 or 40 minutes, but it still holds. There's no other major US city that abuts wilderness the way Anchorage does. You look up in the morning at the Chugach mountains on the city's east edge and you know there are places even there that nobody's ever set foot. You look out across the Inlet at sunset toward the Sleeping Lady (a mountain that looks like a sleeping person in silhouette) and know the same. Out at Lake Hood the float planes buzz in and out all the time, and they're going off into the true boonies most of the time. If you have access (and that's a big if) to the resources (money, time) to get out into the bush or out to the small villages off the highway system, then Anchorage can be a gateway to amazing adventures.
If you don't have that access, then the other fact about Anchorage can become a huge burden. That's the fact that you're three hours (by jet plane) from anywhere else. Although it's a well equipped city for its size (300,000 or so) it's the only place with real urban facilities for over 1000 miles. And that's just to Seattle or Portland; double that for anywhere else - California, the midwest, you name it.
It's not all that cold compared to many places in the lower 48. Most of the upper midwest and parts of New England have much harsher winters. Summers can be glorious or wet and cool, much like the Pacific NW.
The difference is the length of the seasons, especially winter, and (in our case and that of many others) the darkness. I personally hated watching baseball on TV while it was snowing outside. In the winter, you get up and it's dark. Go to work, dark. Out to lunch, beautiful long shadows if the sun's out (maybe, maybe not but if the sun's out it usually means it's cold as hell, so you don't stay out that long.) Leave work, dark. Repeat. And repeat...
Because of the relative isolation, people make friends, usually lots of them. The friends we made in Alaska remain our best friends ever; the kids bond. In that way it's still a bit of a "small town" - although I fear that's slipping some. There used to be a "nobody understands or cares about us" mentality that led to a "so we have to care for ourselves" inter-dependence mindset. I don't see much of that anymore - too mobile and affluent I guess, too much CNN and high-bandwidth life.
Some striking things that one notices when you leave Anchorage. You notice right away how many older people there are in the US. Many elder Alaskans bail when they can - who needs broken hips on icy sidewalks? Why not think about Arizona, Florida, Hawaii, parts of the Pacific NW, golf in February? Many do, so they leave, the result of which is a population heavily skewed to the younger end of the scale. The big (that's big) military presence in Anchorage helps.
It also used to the "crossroads of the world" because long-haul jets from Europe to Asia had to stop for gas, so the town was always full of Japanese, European etc. tourists, flight crews, foreign papers, great sushi restaurants, all that. Now the planes fly the shorter routes over Russia, or just fly nonstop. There are a couple of good Japanese places still, but the cultural variety is not what it was.
But it's very much an all-American, western, strip mall, fast food, RV-driving, bagel-eating, espresso-gulping, place. Some things cost a ton compared to Outside (that's the term) but other things are surprisingly cheap. If you're a greenie and vote for Nader, kiss your politics goodbye. Learn how to love the oil companies and mining companies.
Regarding neighborhoods, well, you already know it's a very young city by most standards, so don't go looking for Victorian fixers. It's true commutes are short but think about hillsides with ice on the roads. The winter in the Upper Hillside area lasts a month longer than down on the flats. Think about airport noise - there are four airports in the city, plus a couple of private strips, ranging from civil aviation to commercial jets to Air Force jocks in love with their afterburners.
Most important of all, if you haven't visited in the winter, do so if at all possible. It's a much different place than the one Holland America shows off in July.
Good luck.
Apr 10th, 2004, 07:44 AM
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I was fortunate to be able to spend a month in Anchorage on a business trip in 2002. One of my coworkers had family who lived there, so we spent a lot of time with them to both get away from our hotel, and also to experience more of the local life.
One thing that really struck me about Anchorage was the poverty that affects so many of its residents. Even though the Natives only make up 10% of the population, they take up a lot of time with the social service organizations. Alaska leads the US in fetal alcohol syndrome and domestic violence. One of my coworker's relatives is a foster parent, and her husband is an Anchorage firefighter, and they had lots of stories to tell. I was there when the annual Permanent Fund checks were distibuted to residents, and it was something I'll never forget.
I also found it odd how there was so little "industry" in Alaska. Beyond mining and oil, there were just retail and tourism jobs. The military has a huge presence there, too.
That being said, Anchorage was a neat city. Coming from a major metropolitan area in the Lower 48, I definitely felt the small-town feel of the place, and how close I was to the real wilderness. It was indeed one of the most beautiful places I've ever visited.
I agree that you need to come up during the long winter so you can really see what Alaska is like. My coworker's relatives all lived for the winters, and they made the best of them. (They were getting their snow machines tuned up as we were getting ready to leave!) But other people hate the winters!
One thing that really struck me about Anchorage was the poverty that affects so many of its residents. Even though the Natives only make up 10% of the population, they take up a lot of time with the social service organizations. Alaska leads the US in fetal alcohol syndrome and domestic violence. One of my coworker's relatives is a foster parent, and her husband is an Anchorage firefighter, and they had lots of stories to tell. I was there when the annual Permanent Fund checks were distibuted to residents, and it was something I'll never forget.
I also found it odd how there was so little "industry" in Alaska. Beyond mining and oil, there were just retail and tourism jobs. The military has a huge presence there, too.
That being said, Anchorage was a neat city. Coming from a major metropolitan area in the Lower 48, I definitely felt the small-town feel of the place, and how close I was to the real wilderness. It was indeed one of the most beautiful places I've ever visited.
I agree that you need to come up during the long winter so you can really see what Alaska is like. My coworker's relatives all lived for the winters, and they made the best of them. (They were getting their snow machines tuned up as we were getting ready to leave!) But other people hate the winters!
Apr 12th, 2004, 04:08 AM
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WOW - Great information so far. I really appreciate it. Keep it coming!
Fortunately, I love winter (very into both cross country & downhill skiing), otherwise I wouldn't even consider Anchorage. And, coming from a snowbelt city in the Midwest, hopefully (aside from the daylight issue), handling winter won't be a problem.
Anway, appreciate the feedback so far, and any other insights on the city will be most welcome!
Fortunately, I love winter (very into both cross country & downhill skiing), otherwise I wouldn't even consider Anchorage. And, coming from a snowbelt city in the Midwest, hopefully (aside from the daylight issue), handling winter won't be a problem.
Anway, appreciate the feedback so far, and any other insights on the city will be most welcome!
Apr 13th, 2004, 10:34 PM
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Well, it all started when I though I was getting as far away from parents as possible at 18 yrs old. Now a parent myself, and 28 years of Alaska living, I just can't leave. Many of those years were in Anchorage, and other cities (towns, villages).
Alaska's best assets are the people. It is like we are in a time warp of the 1050's. Doors still are not locked, people know where your kids are and you don't have to wait long for a helping hand. The city of Anchorage has changed alot and this is becoming less true there. There are rough areas - like the mountain view area, with drugs and a few gang related activities. Muldoon area used to be suburbia - but now is becoming more "lower class". Any zipcode higher than 99513 is considered upper side. Hillside is the affluent area. Downtown is mostly business and tourism now.
The best choice now seems to be to live in outlying areas like Eagle River, or the Mat-su valley and commute. The commute can be long, but having done it myslef for years, it also gives you solitude time to review your day, before facing home issues. Plus it is not like Los Angeles freeways with bumper-to-bumper traffic. Winter driving can be hazzardous, but if you are a "sourdough" (lived here a long time) you just know to get up early when it snows, start before the crowd, and drive slow.
Alaska is like no other place on earth. The winters are peacful, with the aurora, the moose, the snow machines - what more could you want
The summers are the BEST with long days to play, sun forever for the gardener, and perfect temps - not to hot, not to cold.
The only downside to Alaska is never being able to get it out of your blood. You can never leave - it stays in your heart. I hope you fall in love with it like I have. Feel free to e-mail if you have specific questions. Good luck and welcome!
Alaska's best assets are the people. It is like we are in a time warp of the 1050's. Doors still are not locked, people know where your kids are and you don't have to wait long for a helping hand. The city of Anchorage has changed alot and this is becoming less true there. There are rough areas - like the mountain view area, with drugs and a few gang related activities. Muldoon area used to be suburbia - but now is becoming more "lower class". Any zipcode higher than 99513 is considered upper side. Hillside is the affluent area. Downtown is mostly business and tourism now.
The best choice now seems to be to live in outlying areas like Eagle River, or the Mat-su valley and commute. The commute can be long, but having done it myslef for years, it also gives you solitude time to review your day, before facing home issues. Plus it is not like Los Angeles freeways with bumper-to-bumper traffic. Winter driving can be hazzardous, but if you are a "sourdough" (lived here a long time) you just know to get up early when it snows, start before the crowd, and drive slow.
Alaska is like no other place on earth. The winters are peacful, with the aurora, the moose, the snow machines - what more could you want
The summers are the BEST with long days to play, sun forever for the gardener, and perfect temps - not to hot, not to cold.The only downside to Alaska is never being able to get it out of your blood. You can never leave - it stays in your heart. I hope you fall in love with it like I have. Feel free to e-mail if you have specific questions. Good luck and welcome!
May 24th, 2004, 02:13 PM
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Hi KMK,
It's been a while since you posted your question, but I just registered for this board. I lived in Anchorage for twelve years, and I can tell you that if you like cross-country skiing, you'll be in heaven in Anchorage in the winter. I currently live in Minnesota, and although there are a number of skiing parks in the Twin Cities area, none compare in size, trail quality, and grooming quality to the parks right in the city of Anchorage. I doubt there's a park anywhere in the U.S. that's better than Anchorage's Kincaid Park for cross-country skiing (and Hillside Park across town isn't far behind Kincaid). When Anchorage was vying for the winter Olympics 10-15 years ago, Olympic-caliber trails were developed in Kincaid. There are 60 kilometers of trails in Kincaid, including the longest lighted ski trail in the country. Hillside park also has a very nice lighted trail, so you can ski in the afternoons/evenings when it's dark out. Then in the spring, when the days get longer and warmer but the snow is still plentiful, get out your touring skis and enjoy the fabulous backcountry skiing.
I miss winters in Anchorage almost as much as I miss the summers there.
It's been a while since you posted your question, but I just registered for this board. I lived in Anchorage for twelve years, and I can tell you that if you like cross-country skiing, you'll be in heaven in Anchorage in the winter. I currently live in Minnesota, and although there are a number of skiing parks in the Twin Cities area, none compare in size, trail quality, and grooming quality to the parks right in the city of Anchorage. I doubt there's a park anywhere in the U.S. that's better than Anchorage's Kincaid Park for cross-country skiing (and Hillside Park across town isn't far behind Kincaid). When Anchorage was vying for the winter Olympics 10-15 years ago, Olympic-caliber trails were developed in Kincaid. There are 60 kilometers of trails in Kincaid, including the longest lighted ski trail in the country. Hillside park also has a very nice lighted trail, so you can ski in the afternoons/evenings when it's dark out. Then in the spring, when the days get longer and warmer but the snow is still plentiful, get out your touring skis and enjoy the fabulous backcountry skiing.
I miss winters in Anchorage almost as much as I miss the summers there.
May 26th, 2004, 05:45 AM
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Hi Su_soir! Thanks for the post.
When/where did you live in Anchorage? What neighborhoods/areas might you recommend for easy trail access? What neighborhoods would you recommend that have other features to recommend them?
When/where did you live in Anchorage? What neighborhoods/areas might you recommend for easy trail access? What neighborhoods would you recommend that have other features to recommend them?
May 26th, 2004, 06:03 AM
#10
Housing is cheaper than in the more affluent parts of the Pacific NW or California, more expensive than other areas. Location, location, location.
Gas prices are more or less the same as other west coast markets.
Food is slightly more on average but not nearly as dramatically different as in the past. Pretty well-oiled distribution systems and a big market.
Taxes are much lower than in most Lower 48 areas. That may change as the oil runs out.
Utility bills are higher than on the west coast - more heating degree days.
What makes up for it are transportation and travel costs. Any trip beyond driving around town or out to fishing holes, etc., involves a plane ride and several hundred dollars, make that a couple of grand for you and the family. Any savings you might make up on taxes or food costs gets gobbled up pretty quick at the airport.
Gas prices are more or less the same as other west coast markets.
Food is slightly more on average but not nearly as dramatically different as in the past. Pretty well-oiled distribution systems and a big market.
Taxes are much lower than in most Lower 48 areas. That may change as the oil runs out.
Utility bills are higher than on the west coast - more heating degree days.
What makes up for it are transportation and travel costs. Any trip beyond driving around town or out to fishing holes, etc., involves a plane ride and several hundred dollars, make that a couple of grand for you and the family. Any savings you might make up on taxes or food costs gets gobbled up pretty quick at the airport.
