Why do people leave Alaska? (Anchorage: crime, high school, pros and cons)

[It is 57 below zero]

Because some people don't like the cost of living and the fact that some cities there have no roads. Alaska is expensive, but try California. Their cost of living is nothing like you've seen before. You can get priced out without a decent job.

If anyone has an issue with the weather being cold, that's like asking "why do people leave Florida or Arizona?" Yet most people prefer heat over cold, which is odd to me.

As for the schools...depends on location. Most of the schools operate for around 175 or so days a year. If in a rural town, most likely it'll just be one school with all grades K through 12 in one building. (the state mandated minimum is 10 students). Also, the rural schools tend to travel via airplane a lot during extracurricular activities. Anchorage schools aren't so bad.

Alaska doesn't seem to have many colleges. Anchorage has a couple of universities,there's one in Fairbanks, and the UAF also operates a campus in Nome and Bethel. Palmer, an Anchorage suburb, has a community college, and Barrow also has a community college. Several colleges also in the southeastern region, around Juneau and Sitka. There is no law school or medical school in Alaska.



The state also has a lot of people move out of it after high school graduation because the state doesn't have many education options.

[Jan Alaska]

Originally Posted by It is 57 below zero

Because some people don't like the cost of living and the fact that some cities there have no roads. Alaska is expensive, but try California. Their cost of living is nothing like you've seen before. You can get priced out without a decent job.

Luckily with a country the size of the United States there are more choices other than Alaska or California. Places where the cost of living is reasonable and amazingly natural beauty still exists.

[pittsflyer]

Real estate costs in anchorage are some of the highest in the nation

[mizzile]

Originally Posted by pittsflyer

Real estate costs in anchorage are some of the highest in the nation

Plus, it's a seller's market and it's a good time to get out.

[pittsflyer]

I have been watching the MLS and the sellers market is slipping, I am seeing more and more price reductions because most people know what is going on and are not going to buy until the real good deals start showing up, not lowering a 400k house by 10 grand, try 200 grand. The sellers now are going to have to find a sucker becuase the hand writing is on the wall of what is happening.

The lay offs are not "en mass" but the lay offs that are happening are the better higher paid jobs which were the people buying these over priced homes.

Originally Posted by mizzile

Plus, it's a seller's market and it's a good time to get out.

[AADAD]

Originally Posted by pittsflyer

Real estate costs in anchorage are some of the highest in the nation

I would disagree. You can surely pay less in property taxes but the costs of acquisition for a family home are far less. Here in California they f--- you anyway they possibly can, income tax, sales tax, car registration it's almost like to say good morning you have to pony over a $20 bill. In addition to that virtually everyone who works at the state level is not a native english speaker so they can't filter your sentences correctly which leads to errors which you again pay for. So when you consider the cost of real estate (a 3 bedroom 2 bath condo will go for $250k in Anchorage Eagle River consider all the other costs which you DON'T pay in Alaska.

CWTFL

[ThatguyinAK]

The only reason I would move is the weather and the availability to get out of the State for traveling. I hate leaving in the summer because there is so much to do here then and I'm always trying to squeeze in my summer stuff into three-four months. After about 20 years, I have a love/hate relationship with this place.

[pittsflyer]

Unfortunatly the Californians that sold their super expensive homes are spreading out and running up costs for everyone else in places like boezman and other nice locals. I have been looking and costs are running up just about everywhere nice other than maybe hurricane ally or the plains. Most of the mountain states are public lands so that makes it even harder.

Originally Posted by Jan Alaska

Luckily with a country the size of the United States there are more choices other than Alaska or California. Places where the cost of living is reasonable and amazingly natural beauty still exists.

[It is 57 below zero]

Originally Posted by Rance

There are still about 100,000 people I wish would leave and never come back! And about 50 people I wish would come and never leave!

There are about 15 million people I wish would move into Alaska and stay as regular residents, so I can put up big cities there.

[HannahTravels]

Originally Posted by It is 57 below zero

There are about 15 million people I wish would move into Alaska and stay as regular residents, so I can put up big cities there.

That's real interesting and all, but I think most of the people who actually live here are pretty against that happening.