Eielson housing and misc ???'s (Fairbanks, Kenai: sale, apartments, rental)

[angieinwis]

My husband and I are thinking of relocating to Alaska for a job and we are NOT in the military. Is there any houses/apartments for rent really close to Eielson (within 1 mile or so)? Also must be a place that takes pets. What are the jobs like as well as the pay? Is it very expensive living there?

[Alaskan Mutt]

There is a small residential area near the gate to Eielson AFB. Not sure what is available. There is probably a better selection at North Pole 5 or 6 miles away. I suppose you could also contact realtors in North Pole, AK and see what they have to offer near Eielson. As to jobs, pretty much the only jobs at Eielson are all Government type jobs. You can go to Federal Government job listing websites to see what is available along with the pay. Off base jobs are scarce. Just like everywhere else there are a lot of people looking for work. As to the cost of living...It ain't cheap. It can get minus 60 or even colder in the winter time. It costs a lot to heat a house in that area. Food prices are substancially higher than the lower 48 states. Gas is currently around $3.50 a gallon.

Now...despite the high cost of living and the harsh weather conditions, if you find a decent paying job, it is not a bad place to call home. There is a lot to do even in the winter time. For sure, it does not have the big city feel. I think there is about a 100,00 people in the area including Fairbanks.

[Floyd_Davidson]

Originally Posted by angieinwis

My husband and I are thinking of relocating to Alaska for a job and we are NOT in the military. Is there any houses/apartments for rent really close to Eielson (within 1 mile or so)? Also must be a place that takes pets. What are the jobs like as well as the pay? Is it very expensive living there?

The area southeast of Eielson on the Richardson Highway is called Salcha. It's basically a 60 mile long stretch of highway with many side roads. There are something like 1200 people living there, some of whom are families that homesteaded there in the 1940's. It once was an agricultural area, and while some still exists it is mostly a bedroom community of people connected to Eielson.

On the Fairbanks side there is Moose Creek, stretching basically from the Eielson gate to maybe some 5-6 miles up the road. I don't remember exactly, but the only access requires driving at least a mile or so up the highway (to get off of base property). There are houses built right next to the fence around Eielson, but there is no gate that close. It is mostly military, ex-military, and civilians that work at Eielson. I don't know how many people live there now, but it is a "quaint" little community!

North Pole is 10-12 miles from the Eielson gate. The actual town has a relatively small population but the surrounding area is home to 10 or 20 thousand people??? Something like that. North Pole has a shopping center, restaurants, etc. (I can't be very specific because I haven't been there in 12 years, and I'm sure it has changed in many way.)

The stretch of Highway from North Pole to Fairbanks is filled with residential areas too. There is also Badger Road, which loops from North Pole around and comes back to the highway at 6 miles from Fairbanks. Badger Road also has many side roads and is a relatively densely populated area.

The Richardson Highway is a 4 lane divided highway from Eielson to Fairbanks, and a two lane road south of the Eielson gate. I can't vouch for what it is like now, but when I was driving it (for 20 years) the traffic on the two lane portion was fine during the week, and heavy from Friday afternoon until late Sunday evening. The section between North Pole and Eielson was nasty going towards Eielson in the morning and leaving it in the evening. Between North Pole and the 6 mile junction with Badger Road was a lot of traffic, but within reason. Between Badger Road and Fairbanks was no place to be during rush hour!

I can't tell you about jobs or pets. It certainly can be an expensive place to live (or not, if you don't mind not keeping up with the Jones). One point you do want to be well aware of though, is that is one of the coldest places in Alaska to live. The temperatures in the areas around North Pole and out in Salcha are typically 10 to 15 degrees colder than those reported for Fairbanks.

I mean... it warms up to -45F and snows!

[DrRuthie]

Angie--

I logged in to specifically respond to your post b/c I personally just moved to AK from the Southeast about 3 months ago and I am also a civilian at Eielson. I currently live in the Moose Creek area of North Pole. Look on Google maps for the road- Go Thatta Way. It takes me less than 5 minutes to get to the front gate. Be aware that living near Eielson you will be 10 miles from the town of North Pole (grocery store, Blockbuster, McDonald’s), and 25 from Fairbanks(Wal-mart, Fred Meyer, Movies, etc), so it makes for a rural feel. This is my first winter and getting back and forth to town is relatively easy, however we do not take frivolous trips due to price of gas, safety, etc. Gas here on base is around $3.50 right now so driving to town for the sake of getting out can start to add up. You can get gas on base as a civilian however the price is similar to NP which is always 20 cents higher than Fairbanks. You’ll probably start to “plan out” your trips once you get here. I go into town every other weekend for grocery trips and will combine shopping if I have a doctor’s appointment in Fairbanks.

If you do plan to live in Moose Creek, you’re allowed to have limited BX access (so you’re able to shop at the BX, but not commissary) b/c of a Base provision for civilians. This helps for small Wal-mart type items, but you will have to trek to Safeway in NP or Fred’s in Fairbanks for your groceries. They keep the roads pretty clear and it’s a 2 lane highway all the way to Fairbanks (recently completed this summer) but it still has its dangers…i.e. Moose, ice patches.

By the way, when you first get here you’ll be able to stay in the on base lodgings until you find your home. My hiring supervisor did not make this available to me in the beginning b/c he didn’t remember so I had to schlep from Fairbanks and paid the high summer hotel cost for a few days.

Having pets in Fairbanks is common for homeowners but not apartment/renters. In my opinion it is mainly due to fact that the winters are so cold and many animals will not even want to go out for bathroom breaks. If you do find an apartment that is not decrepit and nasty that allows pets, you will be very lucky. And if you are lucky, they will charge you big time for having one. I’m an animal lover and with this isolation do wish that I had a pet.

YES—prices are outrageous here, however you will get used to it. There are times when items are on sale and cheaper than lower 48 items, however on the most part cost of living is higher. Rent is higher than most other places. A 2 bedroom/1 bath small apartment runs about $900 or so in Moose Creek. Most will include heat and water. Normally you pay the electricity. If you find a 2 bedroom for more than $1200 and do not include heat….run! They’re charging too much.

If your husband is taking a job here he should be able to tell you the salary. In addition to his base pay, we get COLA which is currently 23%. So for a GS-12 at step 1, that’s $60k +
$13,500 = $73k…which is comparable to someone making about $60k in the lower 48, give or take a few $ depending on location and tastes in MY OPINION. Remember that for your first winter you’re spending money to winterize your vehicle, buying winter clothing/footwear, etc. It starts to add up, however if you’re in it for the long haul then those cost won’t reappear each year. Finding job for you shouldn’t be too difficult as the “recession” isn’t too prevalent up here by the way…but it depends on who you ask. They’re always looking for people to work NAF positions like at the Youth center.

Also remember that if you’re close to family, getting in/out of Fairbanks is expensive. The flights are not cheap and cost is similar to flying to England/France. My Christmas tickets back home are $1000 each. Don’t let this discourage you but you should take this into account also.

To wrap this up…it’s a personal choice dependent on your situation if you want to move up here or not. I LOVE IT! I’m not a hunter and not much of an outside person, but I’ve been able to experience so much in the little time I’ve been here. This was a once in a lifetime experience that many Americans wouldn’t even dream of. Hopefully you make the best decision for you!

Many blessings to you!

[Grannysroost]

Dr. Ruthie...wonderful post The things you talk of are not just the NP and Fairbanks, though I think some prices are probably higher up there. The trips to town for anyone a distance out are probably planned. I was close to Soldotna/Kenai, and would be amazed how the same vehicles could go in and out 10 times a day I can think of better things to do than to run to the store every hour or so I think most rents in AK are with heat paid as that is an issue most places as well. Once you understand what the excess costs are, it makes it much easier to budget...

Enjoy your stay in AK

[RayinAK]

I will add the following: if you find a 2-bedroom plus 1 bath apartment for around $900.00, more than likely it's not that great. The same size apartment (plus garage) in a house with two apartments usually costs around $1,200 or more. If the apartment doesn't have a garage for your car or truck, it means that you will have to plug it in the the electrical outlet outside, and GVEA electricity is very expensive these days.

Some of the UAF students who work with me live right outside the University in rental units. One of them pays $600.00 a month for one bedroom, and so each of the other students for a total of four. They all share electricity cost, one bathroom, living room, and kitchen.