Safety in Anchorage (Craig, Sand Point: best neighborhood, crime rate, house)

[Zaffaris]

I am considering a job that will relocate me to Anchorage, Alaska. I have done some research, and so far I love what I have been finding. However, I am a single woman who will be moving alone. To that end, safety is important to me. The figures on Anchorage’s crime rate are very good in comparison to other places that I am considering; however, you can’t always get the real picture from statistics. So, for you locals, how is the crime rate in Anchorage? Do you feel that it’s a relatively safe place for a woman on her own?

[JavaPhil]

Vandalism seems a little more prevalent here, but it is probably reported more heavily as our paper is more geared towards a small town, vice a big city.

[Raven and Bear]

Everyday life in Anchorage, i.e., hiking, biking, winter sports, shopping, driving to work and home, etc. is relatively safe unless you plan to join a gang, engage in road rage, or become homeless. I'm kidding, but we do have all of those and more in Anchorage, and like many places, there are break-ins and small crimes, D.V., and other larger crimes to keep APD busy.

Beyond that, sense of safety and the crime rate really depends on where you live in Anchorage. Some people rush to dis all of Mountain View and Fairview, or anything with the word "view" in it, but of course generalizing an entire group or people, or place, etc. is GENERALLY pretty useless. That being said, some parts of Anchorage are prettier, more economically advantaged, and have lower crime rates than others, but you can go two blocks over in many "nice" neighborhoods and have an entire street of not-so-nice looking structures, with twenty junked vehicles outside of each disgusting run-down house and loud music blasting day and night. On our street, we have mostly nice homes with one eyesore filled with idiots who play pool all night long, party heavily and try to stare you down when you drive down your own street. Even in the best neighborhood, always lock your doors and follow safe practices. Other than that, if you're very very rich, buy in someplace like Botanical Gardens subdivision, or anywhere on the hillside (just watch out for bears up there) or Ocean View, or any of the newer cookie-cutter developments like out at Sand Point. If you're a person of more normal income, Rogers Park is nice, City View is quaint and very family-oriented, many areas of downtown have tree-lined streets and nice older homes, the lagoon area is very nice, as are some newer subdivisions way out east. Baxter near Campbell Airstrip Road is good too. There are too many places to list. If you are able to visit and stay with friends or short-term rental, and really drive around town, that would help you get a real sense of what feels safe. Nothing beats seeing it for yourself. Just make sure to drive around the ENTIRE neighborhood, including surrounding streets, before signing on the dotted line. If you are using Craig's List, the Anchorage Daily News or a local realtor in your search, use the google map and really study the streets and neighborhoods. GENERALLY (and here I go doing it myself), the areas I would avoid as a newcomer are Spenard, mid-town around Arctic and Tudor, SOME parts of Mountain View (but there is work underway to gentrify parts of it), etc. Government Hill is like an island oasis compared to a lot of Anchorage, has pretty views and is quiet. Turnagain going east, out towards Earthquake Park is also nice. I'm sure many will write and give you other ideas of nice places to look; there are many here in Anchorage and the crime rate seems relatively low to me, with a general feeling that this is an okay place for you to be as single woman.

[pw72]

Anchorage, being the largest metro in Alaska has its share of crime. I don't think it is really any worse than other metros of its size. Alcoholism and drug abuse may be slightly higher in Anchorage, but if you are not involved with that, then I would think you would have little to worry about.

[Alaskan_Adventurer]

I have lived in Anchorage for 8 years and been here visiting for the last 20 years. No acts of violence against me or anyone I know in all that time, including females. Like others have stated, if you use common sense and simply stay out of trouble, you should be fine.

[Metlakatla]

Keep clear of a certain lifestyle and you'll be fine in Anchorage.

[mountain_time_Blues]

This is on the APD's website. Shows crime by area in Anchorage.

Density Maps

[green_mariner]

Originally Posted by Zaffaris

I am considering a job that will relocate me to Anchorage, Alaska. I have done some research, and so far I love what I have been finding. However, I am a single woman who will be moving alone. To that end, safety is important to me. The figures on Anchorage’s crime rate are very good in comparison to other places that I am considering; however, you can’t always get the real picture from statistics. So, for you locals, how is the crime rate in Anchorage? Do you feel that it’s a relatively safe place for a woman on her own?

Coming from an Atlanta perspective, Anchorage feels like DisneyLand to me. I have never been to Alaska, but I have looked up crime statistics and I have compared Anchorage's crime index to the crime indices of other cities that I have lived in and for it's population. Just exercise common sense. Actually, Anchorage is less dangerous statistically than Savannah,GA(which is almost half it's size and has had more murders and a higher crime index. Index of 654.5 and 23 murders in 2005 (population 131,000) versus Anchorage: crime index of 423.5 and 16 murders in 2005.(population of 260,000). Don't get me wrong, every place has it's crime but Anchorage doesn't look to bad when you size it up to other places. Savannah is a lovely city, but it is realistically more dangerous.

[roanoker 4]

I know a few single gals who are fascinated with Alaskan men. They think of moving up there since the ratio of males to females is great. I think its a better idea for a single gal to visit Alaska first and decide for herself if this is the right place to live. Its not like the 49 states at all!!

[Tressa]

today's newspaper reported 3 sexual assualt in one days time, all three appears to have included alcohol. Depending on what part of Anchorage you choose and your life style as far as drinking and getting into strangers cars will dictate your danger level I think. I have many friends who are single and have no fear of living in Anchorage.