Anchorage, Alaska

IndependenceParking8
9mo ago
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I moved here from south Texas. Things that are difficult to get accustomed to: -it doesn’t get dark from the middle-ish of May to the middle-ish of August. It gets a little dim around 1-3 am. -from Thanksgiving to Valentine’s Day it feels like you never see the sun. It’s still dark when you drive to work and dark again when you drive home. If you do get to be outside during the day the sun is probably hiding behind the clouds, or the fog, or the @&!”-&):)6 snow. -it’s cold from September to May. Some years it feels like it never warms up before it gets cold again. -earthquakes

Things that are easy to get accustomed to: -seeing moose and eagles from your back yard. Maybe a bear. -not needing to run the A/C most of the summer. (We did not have an A/C unit for the first 7 years I lived here and rarely thought about it. Until the summer we hit 90 degrees in May and had high 80s and low 90s most of the summer and so many forest fires we had to close up the house.) -Combat Fishing -camping in unparalleled beauty and being able to see for miles all night.

It’s as cold and miserable as Texas is hot and miserable. But it’s a nice place to live. Mostly the people are good folk. Depending on where in Texas you are from you may know all about lousy drivers. (Anywhere along the I-35 corridor is a good example)

The best thing about Anchorage is that it’s so close to Alaska!

Life in Anchorage

I’m from a big city. The crime is bad here. But it’s nothing you haven’t seen before. It’s new to Alaska. Stop listening to the SB91 crap. Do your homework. Politics are weird, too. So’s Alaska. Libertarians disguise themselves as republicans. It’s funny.

The commute from Wasilla or Palmer (aka the Valley) is an hour plus one way. In winter, it can be worse. There’s only one way in or out to about every place in Alaska. When goobers goof the turns, it shuts the whole place down. It’s cheaper there, but crime is also bad there. You’ll have to choose car time vs house payment.

We love it in Anchorage. Everyone is talking about the distance from “home”- yes. It’s not easy. But, you plan and adapt. It also keeps most people from just showing up on your door for a weekend without notice.

Winter is dark. But the snow and cold make it magical and no place handles it better. Alaska works better when it’s cold and snowy in winter. You go outside. There’s no bad weather. Just bad gear. Activity makes winter survivable and fun. We don’t get the huge winter winds like the Midwest or CO plains. That makes all the difference. It’s a dry cold. It’s not Minnesota or Montana.

Summer is amazing. Anchorage gets ocean and land influences and can be cloudy at times, sometimes rainy for stretches, but equally warm. Average highs top out in the mid 60s. It usually is “hot” for a week in the summer. We don’t do A/C up here. But unlike CO, the afternoon storms don’t always kick up and the sun doesn’t set to cool you down each day. There’s usually a run on box fans that week.

There are bike and hike and ski trails all over. The mountains call. People love their dogs, their salmon, their blueberries.

Come have a blast. And don’t be afraid to ask questions. Alaskans make new family out of who’s here. There are only 2 degrees of separation up here. You’re welcome to join.

Edit: Homes with southern exposure are good for sun worries in winter. Check that if you’re concerned.

Guns are everywhere. It’s a hunting state. You don’t have to have a gun to hike and be safe, but you’ll need to learn animal safety and likely want bear spray at very least.

u/david-bowies-buldge
2y ago
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I grew up in here and moved away from Alaska for 8 years and moved back last spring, I couldn't be happier to be home! I don't think I'll ever leave again. Being away just made me appreciate home even more. Anchorage is quirky. I like how there's not a ton of people here or traffick. People are friendly but also have a reserved/mind your own business vibe 😂 I think there's an unspoken bond we have as Alaskans living in a somewhat harsh climate and our own little nook of the US that's so different from other states. After being away and missing Alaska so much, the winters are still a bit rough but not as bad as I remember. I come in more prepared than I have been in the past. Really the darkness is what bugs me most but I keep reminding myself just to get to mid February when we get more sunlight. I'm definitely happier now than I've ever been and won't leave again! Alaska hits different when you've had some time away from it. But of course not everyone feels this way! Not everyone is cut out for Alaska. If you're feeling called back, I would do it.

WishfulGardenAK
1y ago
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The breath taking beauty is still here, easy to access and soak up. I have a similar story where we moved away before I started high school and I moved back to AK after getting married. I couldn't stop dreaming of Alaska and my home in Anchorage and I feel very blessed to be back in my childhood home. But, things very much feel different. I do think a big part of that is seeing through the lense of an adult now, so more serious and negative. There is new development, more cars and people, and less of a rustic feel than before. Also, the community feel has definitely faded, especially after covid. I also live in South, South side and oh my god, the speed racers down our road are driving me nuts. But, I still love Alaska and its people and couldn't pull myself fully away until my grandparents aren't here anymore or if the safety of my child is even more compromised. It might fulfill your soul…or suck it out.

**10 Reasons Everyone is Moving to Anchorage, Alaska. **
Why is everyone moving to Anchorage? This is a question a lot of people from Anchorage wonder all the time.
In my experience, it is kind of rare to find an Anchorage local that is willing to give the city a glowing review.
The website area vibe gives a letter grade for how locals feel about where they live. Anchorage gets a D-. A D-. Chicago gets a C+
Anchorage has its problems but it still can be a nice city to live in.
In the 2020 census, they had their first decade where the population declined. It went down by .2%. Not a big drop but drop nonetheless.
But, since 2020 they have started to gain population. Anchorage has grown in population by 3.2% and it is expected to continue for at least the next 6 years.