Want to move to AK from TN (Fairbanks, Ketchikan: housing, rental)

[jojo2172000]

I have been living TN sicne 1995 and came here form N.Y.C. I am tired of living here and want to relocate to AK with my husband and family. i would greatly appreciate information on the schools, crime rate jobs and housing. I really want to be able to have all my ducks in a row bofore I move my family thst far. Any and all help is appreciated.
Thanks
JOJO

[Rance]

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Peninsula Clarion

The towns here are spread out over a vast area. What area are you considering. I'm not into looking up all this info for every town we have. Go here:Alaska Bigger Cities (over 6000 residents) and start looking for a town the size your interested in.

[Metlakatla]

This is a huge state. The answers to your questions are going to be different depending on location.

[stiffnecked]

Have you ever been here before? Why do so many people say they want to move here before they have ever even experienced any of it? Maybe I'm jaded. When I was working for DPS we served lots of evicitions on people that couldn't wait to move to Alaska and then a few months later didn't have enough money to leave.

Any problems a person has in Podunk or Bugtussle America will only be magnified 10 times in Alaska. When your at the end of the road and out of gas things look really bleak......

[Metlakatla]

Pretty much so, stiffnecked. You live in Ketchikan, right? About 20 years ago I was in the Arctic Bar with a couple of friends and this drunk guy started talking to us--told us the only reason he moved to our blankety blank state was to get rich, and asked if we knew where he could get a job on a fishing boat. My friends and I were all highly involved in the salmon industry at the time, but...this was in November. None of us would have recommended the guy for a job on a seiner anyway. So much for hanging at the local pub and thinking a fishing job is going to land in your lap.

I think though that this is going to be a banner year for people coming up. I don't know if it's the TV shows or Penn's film or what.

There seem to be a lot of posts lately from people thinking that Alaska is going to fix their lives, and you're so right on when you say that their problems will only be magnified. I'm not saying the OP falls into that category so I do hope I've hurt no feelings here.

But--it has so damned little left to give to you people. Especially SE.

[RayinAK]

Originally Posted by Metlakatla

Pretty much so, stiffnecked. You live in Ketchikan, right? About 20 years ago I was in the Arctic Bar with a couple of friends and this drunk guy started talking to us--told us the only reason he moved to our blankety blank state was to get rich, and asked if we knew where he could get a job on a fishing boat. My friends and I were all highly involved in the salmon industry at the time, but...this was in November. None of us would have recommended the guy for a job on a seiner anyway. So much for hanging at the local pub and thinking a fishing job is going to land in your lap.

I think though that this is going to be a banner year for people coming up. I don't know if it's the TV shows or Penn's film or what.

There seem to be a lot of posts lately from people thinking that Alaska is going to fix their lives, and you're so right on when you say that their problems will only be magnified. I'm not saying the OP falls into that category so I do hope I've hurt no feelings here.

But--it has so damned little left to give to you people. Especially SE.

It's kind of sad seen all these people just "moving to Alaska" without much research, nor without having a good paying job lined-up ahead of time. I have posted several times already that just for utilities (heating fuel, and electricity), my wife and I are already paying $600.00 per month, and that by summer it should be around $750.00 to $800.00 if heating fuel reaches a point near $4.00 per gallon. I have also told that I am working on my second retirement, and so my wife, because of the high cost of living in Alaska (near Fairbanks). Will newcomers pay attention to what we are trying to tell them? I doubt it.

[jojo2172000]

Originally Posted by jojo2172000

I have been living TN sicne 1995 and came here form N.Y.C. I am tired of living here and want to relocate to AK with my husband and family. i would greatly appreciate information on the schools, crime rate jobs and housing. I really want to be able to have all my ducks in a row bofore I move my family thst far. Any and all help is appreciated.
Thanks
JOJO

I have visited before, in fact I just got back 2 weeks ago. I liked the town of Wasilla and have made acouple of firends up there. I liked the mountains and the way people seemed so laid back. believ it or not I experienced more hospitality there than here in the South. I went up there to visit but fell in love with it. My husband and I just want to be sure when we move we make the right choices. We are going to move from TN to where ever just haven't made a final decision.

[j1n]

Originally Posted by stiffnecked

Bugtussle America will only be magnified 10 times in Alaska. When your at the end of the road and out of gas things look really bleak......

I really like the word "Bugtussle"...classic!

[My2cats1]

jojo, Just curious....what made you first think about moving to Alaska?

[Marty Van Diest]

On paper, the crime rate seems pretty high, but I have never had a problem. Stay away from places where people are acting stupid, use your head and you will be fine.

The schools are OK. In any school, you get what you make of it.

I live between Palmer and Wasilla. I have lived in many other places in the state but never SE. I like the Valley the best.