Alaska is the largest state by land area but is home to just slightly over 750,000 residents.
A big part of this population lives in Anchorage.
This makes it the third-least inhabited state in the country. It forms the most north-western part of the country
Hence, What Are the Pros and Cons of Relocating to Alaska?
The large tracts of untainted forests and water are home to rich wildlife and fish. If you are into hunting and you love to fish, there’s no way you’d turn down an opportunity to settle in the state. Also, with its 20-hour summer daytimes, Alaska experiences the longest summer days than any other part of the U.S. However, snowfalls last longer and you’ll spend much of the year trying to keep your backyard clear.
The Pros Of Living In Alaska
Here’s why you should be setting everything ready to relocate to the state of fish and bears:
1. Alaskan real estate is cheap
First off, the overall cost of some essentials is quite high (Alaskans don’t produce groceries, so all of that and related items have to be sourced out of the state.).
However, real estate is more affordable here compared to the nearby east coast.
Whether you prefer being part of a bustling town or a more secluded upcountry enclave, you are assured to get a decent home at an affordable price.
2. It is the best place to learn all snow sports
The state could be everything you have been longed for as far as snow sports are concerned.
If you like to lose yourself playing in snowy fields, you won’t find better places to learn new sports like the snowy fields of Wasilla in the north.
If you have always wanted to get serious with your passion for skiing, snowmobiling, backpacking, hiking, and snowshoeing,
Alaska is the best place (of all the 50 states) to relocate to.
3. Some of the best fishing and hunting grounds on the planet
If you are not into snow sports, then you probably have a soft spot for hunting or fishing.
The Alaskan woods are home to rich wildlife but you might need a permit to hunt ins some areas.
The Southeast rainforest is endowed with hares, mountain goats, and brown bears.
Moose and Caribou can be found virtually everywhere here.
Fishing opportunities are plentiful here as well. Stop at any stream or river in the state and you’re likely to catch some Salmon, crab, halibut, trout.
4. Daily overtime pay
Alaskans are paid for the extra grind. The state introduced the overtime pay policy, which means you will be paid more past a certain time.
Here, if you work for eight straight hours on the usual workday, any work beyond that time attracts a pay 1½ times what you normally earn.
This is different from the standard in most other states where a person has to work longer, often 40 hours a week, before receiving overtime pay.
A big part of the seasonal workforce in Alaska works 5 – 6 days a week, 8 – 10 hours a day.
If you manage to utilize just a few of your workdays (10-hour days) every week, your paycheck won’t be disappointing at all.
5. Slightly higher minimum wage compared to some
Since 2017, Alaska’s minimum wage rate has been held at $9.80 an hour, making it one of the highest rates in the country.
While some richer states like Washington have considered an hourly rate of $15 and even have implemented something closer to that.
Alaska’s rate dwarfs most other states in its group including Georgia and Wyoming, each with a rate of $5.15 an hour.
Then there are those without a minimum wage, such as South Carolina and Alabama, and South Carolina.
6. Zero state sales tax
Thanks to the thriving gas and oil industry, Alaska doesn’t impose a sales tax. Oil revenues compensate for the tax holes.
Zero sales tax means everything you will buy in the state costs exactly what is indicated before checkout.
7. Meet the friendly Alaskans
Alaskans are some of the nicest people you could meet.
First off, status quo and materialism aren’t something that people concern themselves with here.
And due to fewer outdoor activities in the state, the residents are happier than those in some parts of the country.
If you get a chance to sit down somewhere and chat with anyone who has been for 30 – 50+ years, you’ll hear many great tales of the region.
8. Healthy Living
Let’s talk fish: fish is to Alaska what pineapples are to Hawaii – plentiful and cheap!
There is a fistful of places remaining on the planet where you can fill your freezer with tons of wild game and fish at low cost, one of those areas in Alaska.
Fish are laden with protein but that’s not the whole point. It has something to do with safety. Alaskan waters aren’t as polluted as those you’d find elsewhere.
Farmed fish is extremely rare here (farmed fish is starting to receive scrutiny in Europe in the wake of allegations of unsafe farming practices).
You don’t find Alaskan caribou and moose feeding on GMO plants or drinking bad water straight from the drainage ditch.
The state’s summer gardening season remains short but robust.
If you find time, you can head to upcountry hills towards the end of the summer and pick a basketful of blueberries (they drip antioxidants).
9. Long summer days
When the summer finally comes knocking, it lasts longer than most parts of the country.
In the middle of the summer, it’s not uncommon to experience a straight 20 hours of sunshine.
The 4 hours after this are never completely dark – the sky will alternate between dusky and plain grey.
The temperature can get high but seldom surpasses 60 ºF. Don’t just leap into any lake or river for a quick swim though.
The Cons Of Relocating To Alaska
Alaska probably isn’t such a great place for you, especially if you dread coming face-to-face with wildlife often. Here is the bad side of the state:
1. Expect to meet wildlife more often
It doesn’t matter whether you live in a city like Anchorage or you’re upcountry, wild animals are a common sight.
You will bump into a herd of moose almost every day on your way to work. The trails in Anchorage are closed quite often because of bears.
2. Alaska and the United States sometimes feel like a world apart
You will be surprised by the distance of Alaska from the United States.
While many flights link the state to 48 other states, the distance feels long even when traveling to closer places like California.
This drawback is more noticeable if – by bad chance – you have a pressing emergency elsewhere that requires you to leave the state at a moment’s notice
Washington appears to be close to Alaska but driving between them takes about 72 hours – and that’s only if you don’t stop often on the 1000-mile link.
3. Snow removal is part of life
Snowfall lasts longer in most places in the state.
The typical frost-free growing period in Alaska lasts less than 100 days.
This means you will spend about the same duration struggling with snow annually.
Even the southernmost areas of Alaska see longer and more sustained snowfall than some parts of the country.
The average annual snowfall in the state is 30 inches, January and March being the worst.
You have a lot of plowing and shoveling once you move here.
Conclusion
So what are the pros and cons of relocating to Alaska?
Firstly, Alaskans are some of the friendliest people out there.
The large tracts of untainted forests and water are home to rich wildlife and fish.
If you are into hunting and you love to fish, there’s no way you’d turn down an opportunity to settle in the state.
Also, with its 20-hour summer daytimes, Alaska experiences the longest summer days than any other part of the U.S.
However, snowfalls last longer and you’ll spend much of the year trying to keep your backyard clear.
References
Is Alaska a Good Place to Live? Pros and Cons of Living in Alaska
18 Living in Alaska Pros and Cons
Here Are 20 Benefits Of Living In Alaska That We Shouldn’t Ever Take For Granted
The Financial Benefits of Working in Alaska
Related
United States Relocations
| Alabama | Alaska | Arizona | Arkansas | California |
| Colorado | Connecticut | Delaware | Florida | Georgia |
| Hawaii | Idaho | Illinois | Indiana | Iowa |
| Kansas | Kentucky | Louisiana | Maine | Maryland |
| Massachusetts | Michigan | Minnesota | Mississippi | Missouri |
| Montana | Nebraska | Nevada | New Hampshire | New Jersey |
| New Mexico | New York | North Carolina | North Dakota | Ohio |
| Oklahoma | Oregon | Pennsylvania | Rhode Island | South Carolina |
| South Dakota | Tennessee | Texas | Utah | Vermont |
| Virginia | Washington | West Virginia | Wisconsin | Wyoming |
