Physician looking at Alaska vs Wyoming (Anchorage, Juneau and: crime, utilities, living in)

[OneDawg]

Not only is Casper on my never return to list - I hear they finally cleaned up the scrap metal yards along the interstate.
Of those two towns, I'd rely on https://www.healthgrades.com for my hospital choices. When I compared two very familiar towns to where I live now - I'll stay put with my 6% income tax and $20 plates.

https://www.healthgrades.com/hospita...ory/wy-wyoming
https://www.healthgrades.com/hospita...tory/ak-alaska
https://www.healthgrades.com/hospita...ory/mt-montana

[nicolecl]

We moved to Eagle River, AK with kids and absolutely love it here. It is beautiful and there are several great trails near here (e.g. Mount Baldy, Eagle River Nature Center). Several physicians live around us~ some initially came here with the military but decided to stay. There is certainly a strong demand for medical professionals here. We've found that AK is one of those places that there are really no words to describe- just breathtaking. The downside we noticed most is the time it takes to travel to friends/family in the lower 48 and limited products or places that deliver to AK without huge shipping fees.

[OneDawg]

ANC-SEA connects to the rest of the country. It's not that big of a deal even when we had three children with us. Yes costs are higher just like it was in Hawaii. Look where you are....

[pittsflyer]

It is also a highly captive market up here, if you are an aircraft owner make sure you have your IA otherwise be prepared to wait a long time to get your annuals done and its going to COST, alot of Alaskan pilots just do their own work and dont do the sign offs, thats just Alaska. The flight to Seattle is LONG and expensive, it creates complications with our family out of state because it is easily a day of travel each way and if they cant get off work dont have the vacation time money for tickets or what ever then you just dont get to see them unless you fly down south all the time.

You really have to take at least 2 weeks and for alot of people thats their entire annual leave. Now that I am not making real money we likely wont be here to much longer, the first good offer out of state I am taking so long as there is a full relocation package. Alaska very quickly becomes not a fun place to be if your not making ALOT of money.

Also it is extremely unclear what is keeping the demand for medical proped up, with the new governor its very likely medicare is getting the ax as its a significant state expendeture. Outside of that the oil companies have already let most of the oil and gas workers go (mostly on the contractor side). So I am not exactly sure who is going to be paying for all this over priced medical care. Just something to think about.

[wamer27]

I’m from MN, lived in Anchorage for a year. In big picture, you lose your family when up there. My parents came up twice, but every holiday wasn’t with family or friends. One thing I noticed was all my friends up there went to college in lower 48 and all came back after. It was a fun year, but couldn’t wait to leave, rather visit then live. I visited Whitefish, MT this August along with Idaho, I’d take MT over AK everyday. Much easier to be apart of rest 0f country in MT then AK.

[OneDawg]

Originally Posted by wamer27

I’m from MN, lived in Anchorage for a year. In big picture, you lose your family when up there. My parents came up twice, but every holiday wasn’t with family or friends. One thing I noticed was all my friends up there went to college in lower 48 and all came back after. It was a fun year, but couldn’t wait to leave, rather visit then live. I visited Whitefish, MT this August along with Idaho, I’d take MT over AK everyday. Much easier to be apart of rest 0f country in MT then AK.

When I lived near Kalispell, MT we'd see a lot of AK plates in the fall & winter. They'd stay until April and be gone until fall again.

[AlaskaErik]

Originally Posted by OneDawg

When I lived near Kalispell, MT we'd see a lot of AK plates in the fall & winter. They'd stay until April and be gone until fall again.

I can't imagine why Alaskans would want to winter where it's even colder. I prefer wintering in Arizona.

[OneDawg]

Originally Posted by AlaskaErik

I can't imagine why Alaskans would want to winter where it's even colder. I prefer wintering in Arizona.

I didn't write/say that. Some were visiting relatives or friends. But no way in Hades is the weather colder than in AK..Lots of Alaskans wintered in AZ, but also in HI and Mexico.

[AlaskaErik]

Originally Posted by OneDawg

I didn't write/say that. Some were visiting relatives or friends. But no way in Hades is the weather colder than in AK..Lots of Alaskans wintered in AZ, but also in HI and Mexico.

Montana is much colder than Southcentral Alaska in the winter. Same with ND and MN.

[Arktikos]

Originally Posted by AlaskaErik

Montana is much colder than Southcentral Alaska in the winter. Same with ND and MN.

Not necessarily. Anchorage's average low in winter is lower than Bozeman's or Minneapolis', and Bozeman is at 4,000 ft. Fargo is colder, however. Probably International Falls, MN too.