Reviews & Comments
Anchorage, AK
Not as good as you have seen on TV -
7/4/2018This review is for most of Alaska.
Born and raised in Anchorage, I lived there for 20+ years before I left to explore the world. 10 years ago I came back and have lived in the Municipality of Anchorage in the Mat-Su Borough. Although I have family and friends throughout the whole state.
Growing up I was aware of the crime as it touched my life even as a child. Alaska is definitely a rugged country and takes its toll on its people.
Things to be aware of, if you are planning on moving up to Alaska:
Cost of Living: The cost of living is extremely high.
Rental properties are not of the same standards as the lower 48. If you find a place that the rent is cheap, either the place is not brought up to date or the location is a place where you would fear your life or your children's lives. Definitely do not rent a place before viewing it in person and seeing who your neighbors will be. In the Anchorage municipality, these locations are by far the most dangerous: Fairview, Mountain View, Russian Jack, anything off of Muldoon Road, anything near Gambell, Baxter Bog, South Anchorage near the mall, lower Hillside...the list goes on for other communities. There are web sites out there to check out crime in the community, plus I believe you can call the local law enforcement to see how the crime is in that area. I recommend people do their due diligence.
If you plan on purchasing a home in Alaska, it is very expensive for the most part. Buyer beware - definitely do your research on the crime, commute, and your neighbors. Property taxes are high in the metropolitan areas. If you are in a location that does not have a property tax, the cost of living is extremely high.
Groceries: Groceries are extremely expensive. A loaf of bread is around $3. Meat is very expensive, Dairy is very expensive, the list goes on. Not very much food is grown in Alaska so it's shipped up. Then in approximately 2-3 days it rots on your countertop.
Crime: Crime is through the roof. It is definitely the most dangerous state in the nation. When I was going to high school back in the 80s, 3 out of 5 of my friends had been raped by the time they were seniors in high school. It is definitely not a place to raise your children unless you keep constant supervision over them. Crime against women is extremely high. Rape in Alaska is 2.5 times higher then any other part of the nation. It is 6 times higher the national average if you are a child. I can't stress to you how important it is to watch your children from the moment they are born until the moment they leave your house at as an adult. It is a very dangerous state for children.
Drug use and opioid use is extremely high. Burglaries and stolen cars are extremely high. Drive-by shootings, hit-and-runs... you name it, it happens. Needles are found on the sidewalk in even the nicest parts of town. Every year, each Community does perform a community wide clean up due to the amount of trash that is produced and thrown on the sidewalks, in the Parks, and on the side of the road.
With the passing of the bill SB 91, crime continues to sky rocket as there are no punishments delivered for crime. People are arrested for crime and within 24 hours are put back out on the street to go back at it again.
Homeless people abound. Don't think just because you can't see them that they're not there. They are living in every park, on the streets, pretty much where are there are trees, there are homeless people. These people are constantly panhandling for their next drugs or alcohol.
Healthcare: Healthcare is hit-and-miss. Good doctors are hard to find. Unless you can find a good doctor and need surgery, I don't recommend doing it here . most smart people go out of state for surgery.
Dental: Dental is extremely high. Most people can't afford to go to the dentist up here due to their price gouging. Even on insurance, going to the dentist is expensive. I was quoted by one dentist implants were going to cost me $40,000. This same procedure would cost $10,000 in Arizona. I have been quoted $2500-$4000 for a root canal and Crown. Cleaning of teeth can run you $2000 with insurance. Veneers can cost $1000-$2500 per tooth.
*Note: Most people who live here for a long time do not get a lot of vitamin D due to not very much sunshine for 9 months of the year. While you may come up here with good teeth, over time without Vitamin D your teeth definitely suffer. Vitamins are a necessity to supplement the lack of sunlight and good food.
Climate: every year is different. Some winters have a lot of snow, some winters have hardly any snow.
Depression is extremely high in the winter months due to the darkness. Alaska has one of the highest suicide rates in the nation.
Some people may try and discount this review, but it is publicized widely across the Nation in the news. The newspaper and news stations up here do not report on the crime as much as they should. I believe part of this reason is, it would affect tourism and people moving up here. If you want to be aware of the crime up here sign up for Nixle alerts, join Facebook groups, and network with people.
People are fleeing the state in droves due to the crime, low wages, bad people, bad government, and overall bill of goods (lies people tell to get you to move here) they were sold when they first moved up here.
If a company offers you a high bonus to move up here, there is a reason.
While it is a very beautiful State, hunting, fishing, and there are some good people here, it does sadden me deeply to report that for the most part my State is a cesspool.
My family and I can't wait until we can leave and move to a safer place, with a better cost of living, and overall better life.
* Disclaimer: This review is for most parts of Alaska. While I have not traveled to the Villages, my understanding is the crime is bad there too, especially with crime against the women.