Info on Wrangell (Kodiak, Petersburg, Seldovia: real estate, violent crime, how much)

[JoeyJoeJoe]

Hello,
It looks like there are some very knowledgable Alaskans out there. I was looking for some information on the Wrangell area. If any of these questions have been already answered I apologize in advance.

I have lived in the Phoenix metropolitan area my entire adult life (30 years) and am looking for a big change. Tired of the heat, the eight months of 100 plus temps and into the 120's, ten months of 90 plus degrees and almost no rain. A few years ago we had a low, yes low, temp of 96. It gets old when you dread the eight month summer in mid January already. Tired of the sprawl, moved out here in 1978 when there was about 1 to 1.5 million people, now there are 3.5 million. And yes hate to say it, but tired of the illegal immigrants taking over everything, many areas you can't find somebody to speak English to. Tired of the pollution. Tired of the traffic. Tired of the crime. Tired of the ugly, ugly area I live in, flat desert with some scrub brush but mostly just miles and miles of homes and more homes (made a commitment to my wife and son to stay where we are until he finishes school) And just tired of big metropolitan area living in general. Sorry to sound so negative. I am really just negative on the place I live, not much else.

Okay, now that I got that off my chest, here are the questions I have:

1.) Is it possible to make a living in Wrangell? Any opportunities in real estate or actually anything?
2.) How is the crime there?
3.) Is the crime that is there more violent crime or property crime?
4.) I understand it rains a lot there. Does the rain come in long periods, or is it more or less in big, brief downfalls?
5.) How much snow does Wrangell get?
6.) How long does it stay on the ground (from what month to what month)?
7.) Are there many acre properties in the area?
8.) Are there many brown bears in the immediate area?
9.) Does it have the basics or more than the basics as far as stores?
10.) Approximately how many visitors does it receive each year?
11.) Any idea on the schools? Any private schools?
12.) Is it pretty isloated living away from any major metopolitan areas?
13.) What are the major employment fields?
14.) I read that Alaska's politics "start on the conservative end of the spectrum and head from there to I'll-pull-my-gun-out-to-show-you-how-right-wing-I am." Any comments on the accuracy of this?
15.) How does Wrangell compare in these ares as compared to Moose Pass, Petersburg, Kodiak, Sitka, Seldovia, or a place like Hope?

Thanks for any help on any of the above information. Any additional information on the Wrangell area also would be great.

[Rance]

Wrangell is located on an island. Not real close to any major metro areas. I lived there for a year and yes it can get a ton of snow. It gets about 80 inches of rain a year. Pretty place tho. This should answer most if not all of your questions...

Wrangell Alaska - Vacation, Tour, Travel, Adventure, Fishing, and Wildlife (http://www.wrangell.com/index.html - broken link)

[JoeyJoeJoe]

Rance,
What did you find were the good parts of living in Wrangell and the the bad parts? Why did you leave (If you don't mind my asking)?

[Rance]

I was fresh out of highschool. I went down and worked for YACC for a year. Spent about 7 months culling trees for the forest service on Wrangell Island, then another 5 months on Kuiu Island as a millwright, surveyor and stream cleaner for the forest service.
It was nothing but good in Wrangell, there was no bad. I left because I joined the military for the next 6 years and just never got back down that way.
As soon as the wife get's to come back to Ak, I am going to drag her kicking and screaming back down that way for a grand tour.

[JoeyJoeJoe]

Thanks for the info, Rance. "Nothing but good," wow, sounds like a nice place. Does anybody else out there who lives in Wrangell or knows about it have any info on any of the questions? Any info would be appreciated.
Thanks

[JavaPhil]

Only landed there on the milk run a few times. All I've ever seen is the terminal and the airport.

[JoeyJoeJoe]

Anybody out there know anything more about Wrangell?

[warptman]

It's on a island with trees on it...

[Rance]

I don't think we've had any members here that reside in Wrangell. You could be the first.

[warptman]

Why Wrangell? Move to one of the bigger cities on the Panhandle or near to one of the larger cities in Alaska for better jobs.