Anchorage, AK is a vibrant metropolis with many positives together with its beautiful surroundings, no gross sales tax, and pleasant neighborhood. Nonetheless, town additionally has its downsides, comparable to restricted job alternatives and difficult site visitors and transportation situations. The brief summer time season and lengthy winter nights may also be elements that potential residents want to contemplate. So, is Anchorage a very good place to reside? Whether or not you’re trying to lease an house in Anchorage on Redfin or buy a house within the space, the reply might rely in your priorities and way of life preferences. On this various and sophisticated metropolis, it’s vital to contemplate the advantages and disadvantages earlier than making a call about dwelling in Anchorage.
Execs of Residing in Anchorage
1. Scenic magnificence
Anchorage, Alaska, is thought for its breathtaking scenic magnificence with its picturesque mountains, beautiful glaciers, and expansive forests. One of the widespread points of interest is the Chugach State Park, which covers over half 1,000,000 acres of wildlands, together with glaciers, lakes, and forests. The park affords many actions together with mountaineering, tenting, and wildlife viewing. The Tony Knowles Coastal Path, a scenic 11-mile path alongside the coast, is one other must-visit vacation spot. It affords unbelievable views of the Prepare dinner Inlet, the Chugach Mountains, and even the occasional glimpse of beluga whales. Anchorage can also be residence to a number of lovely gardens, such because the Alaska Botanical Backyard and the Anchorage Coastal Wildlife Refuge, the place guests can admire the area’s distinctive natural world.
2. No gross sales tax
One distinctive side of Anchorage is that there isn’t any gross sales tax on items and companies. That is because of the metropolis’s reliance on property taxes and different income streams, comparable to charges and licenses, to fund metropolis companies and operations. The shortage of a gross sales tax in Anchorage could be a important draw for residents. Moreover, companies in Anchorage can profit from the shortage of a gross sales tax, as it may possibly make their merchandise extra reasonably priced and aggressive in comparison with companies in different states with gross sales tax.
3. Out of doors recreation alternatives
Anchorage, Alaska, is a hub of out of doors leisure actions. One of the widespread actions in Anchorage is mountaineering. The Tony Knowles Coastal Path is a well-liked path for guests and locals alike, providing unbelievable views of the Prepare dinner Inlet and surrounding mountains. Within the winter, cross-country snowboarding and snowshoeing are widespread actions, with a number of groomed trails in and round Anchorage. Downhill snowboarding and snowboarding are additionally obtainable at Alyeska Resort, situated about an hour’s drive from Anchorage. In the course of the summer time months, guests can go kayaking, fishing, or take a wildlife viewing cruise. Anchorage can also be recognized for its unbelievable wildlife, together with moose, bears, and bald eagles, which might be noticed on many outside excursions.
4. An abundance of daylight through the summer time months
Anchorage is thought for its lengthy summer time days, that are characterised by an abundance of daylight. From late Could to early August, the solar stays above the horizon for as much as 19 hours a day, giving residents loads of time to benefit from the open air. This phenomenon is because of Anchorage’s location at a excessive latitude, which signifies that through the summer time months, the solar by no means units under the horizon.
5. Entry to contemporary seafood and different domestically sourced meals
Anchorage, Alaska, is thought for its entry to contemporary seafood, because of its location on the shores of the Prepare dinner Inlet and proximity to the Gulf of Alaska. The town is residence to a number of seafood markets and eating places that supply quite a lot of contemporary seafood choices, together with salmon, halibut, crab, shrimp, and extra. Along with native markets and eating places, Anchorage additionally hosts a number of seafood festivals and occasions all year long, such because the Anchorage Salmon Daze Competition.
6. Pleasant neighborhood and welcoming environment
Anchorage is a metropolis that’s famend for its pleasant neighborhood and welcoming environment. Regardless of being the most important metropolis in Alaska, Anchorage has managed to keep up a small-town really feel. The neighborhood is made up of individuals from all walks of life, and this melting pot of cultures creates a singular neighborhood. Anchorage residents are recognized for his or her heat hospitality and welcoming nature, which is mirrored within the quite a few neighborhood occasions and festivals which are organized all year long just like the Iditarod Sled Canine Race, Anchorage First Fridays, and the Anchorage Market.
7. Alternatives for northern lights viewing
Anchorage is among the finest locations on this planet to view the northern lights, also called the aurora borealis. The town’s location throughout the auroral oval, a band of sunshine across the Earth’s magnetic poles the place auroras happen most continuously, makes it a great spot for viewing this pure phenomenon. The northern lights are most seen through the winter months, from late September to early April when the nights are lengthy and darkish. Anchorage has quite a few areas the place residents and guests can view the northern lights, such because the Chugach Mountains, the Arctic Valley, and the Knik River Valley.
Cons of Residing in Anchorage
8. Restricted job alternatives
Anchorage affords fewer job alternatives in comparison with different cities. This is because of authorities businesses, the healthcare sector, and the oil and fuel business being the first employers, leaving restricted prospects for different industries. The Ted Stevens Worldwide Airport, Windfall Alaska Medical Middle & Hospital System, and Fort Richardson US Military Base are among the many largest employers in Anchorage.
9. Isolation
Anchorage is situated in a distant space, separated from the remainder of the US by huge stretches of wilderness, which may make it troublesome to entry items, companies, and assets which are available in different cities. The truth is, Anchorage is round 350 miles from Fairbanks and round 850 miles from Juneau, two of Alaska’s main cities.
10. Visitors
Regardless of having a comparatively small inhabitants, Anchorage has restricted highway infrastructure, which may result in congestion throughout peak journey instances. Throughout rush hour and different busy durations, town’s most important roads can change into congested, leading to lengthy delays and irritating commutes. The tough winter climate situations may also exacerbate site visitors situations, as snow and ice could make roads slick and troublesome to navigate.
11. Chilly climate
Anchorage is thought for its bitterly chilly climate, which may make every day life difficult for residents. The winter season in Anchorage can final from October to March, with common temperatures starting from 5 to 25 levels Fahrenheit. The chilly climate might be exacerbated by wind chill, making it really feel even colder.
12. Restricted Public Transportation
The town’s public transportation system is comparatively small and primarily consists of the Folks Mover bus system. Nonetheless, the frequency and protection of those routes might be restricted, making it troublesome for residents to depend on public transportation to get across the metropolis. Anchorage residents usually depend on Folks Mover in the event that they select to not drive themselves.
13. Brief summer time season
Whereas summer time in Anchorage might be lovely and pleasant, the season is comparatively brief in comparison with different elements of the nation. The summer time season usually lasts from mid-June to mid-September, which signifies that residents have only some months to benefit from the heat climate and outside actions earlier than the chilly winter months set in. Moreover, the climate through the summer time months might be unpredictable, with rain and chilly temperatures nonetheless attainable even within the coronary heart of summer time.
