Why does Alaska as a whole, have a very low population? (Anchorage: crime rates, buy)

[RomaniGypsy]

I wonder if you're looking for more than the "well, DUH" answer. So... I'll do my best to answer intelligently, though you must admit, the runaway reason why Alaska is sparsely populated is because IT GETS REALLY FREAKING COLD UP THERE!!!!

Originally Posted by It is 57 below zero

Why does the state have so few people, as large as it is, but not one big city?

I imagine that it is because anyone who wants to move to Alaska is likely an oilfield worker or an independently-minded human being. Neither type of person is particularly inclined to live in a city. My wife and I have thought about moving to Alaska and we sure as heck wouldn't move to Anchorage or Fairbanks. If we want city problems, we can get them in the mainland without having to deal with the Alaskan winter. (Some of y'all may say "but Anchorage isn't so bad because it's on the coast" - yeah, but it's also many thousands of miles away from our families and everyone else we know. If we're going to cut ourselves off like that, we're not going to do it just to live in someone else's big city.)

Originally Posted by It is 57 below zero

How would you feel about having additional major cities built in Alaska? It's an idea I've thought about for the longest. Would that make it more likely for people to live there?

What's the point? If Anchorage isn't enough to attract people, how would any other "big cities" catch on? You don't just build a big city. You start with a town and then it gradually morphs into a big city when more and more people move in.

Originally Posted by It is 57 below zero

And why do half the people that move there, don't last longer than two years or so before they disappear?

Winter.

Isolation.

Cost of living.

Ain't many people who want to live somewhere where it can easily drop to 60 degrees below zero, where milk costs $7 per gallon, and where your nearest neighbor is miles away. (But there are some. Hence why Alaska's population is not zero.)

[AKStafford]

Originally Posted by Haolejohn

Contrary to popular belief many of the native villages don't want roads.

I grew up in a logging camp about 7 miles from Hoonah on Chigagof Island. Hoonah had an airstrip and ferry dock for getting to Juneau for shopping, doctors, etc... Also on the island was the village of Tenakee Springs. They had a ferry dock but the dock wasn't equipped to handle vehicles. And no airstrip, so float planes only.
Over the years of building logging roads, the road system extended out to within a mile of Tenakee Springs. The logging company offered to punch the road through for free as a courtesy and the people of Tenakee freaked out. No way, no how did they want a road into their town. They did not want it easy for outsiders to get to their little haven.
Cordova has also fought to prevent a road from the Richardson Highway being extended to reach them.

[Haolejohn]

Originally Posted by It is 57 below zero

The Federal Reserve does not create money often enough, and this is why most state governments and major businesses in the nation falls short on money, leading to other problems. There shouldn't be anything wrong with the Federal Reserve giving states extra money as long as it's used for important and business related things, and on a side note, it could result in more jobs and fewer layoffs. Speaking of states losing money, the state where I live has been in a severe budget crisis since last year.

Riiiiiiiiiggggghhhhhhhtttt.

Have you ever been here? I'd like for you to come visit and start in Wasilla and head Northwest 300 miles to my previous village with about 200 people. In that journey, you will change your mind. Come in the summer and just bring your hiking boots.

[Haolejohn]

Originally Posted by AKStafford

I grew up in a logging camp about 7 miles from Hoonah on Chigagof Island. Hoonah had an airstrip and ferry dock for getting to Juneau for shopping, doctors, etc... Also on the island was the village of Tenakee Springs. They had a ferry dock but the dock wasn't equipped to handle vehicles. And no airstrip, so float planes only.
Over the years of building logging roads, the road system extended out to within a mile of Tenakee Springs. The logging company offered to punch the road through for free as a courtesy and the people of Tenakee freaked out. No way, no how did they want a road into their town. They did not want it easy for outsiders to get to their little haven.
Cordova has also fought to prevent a road from the Richardson Highway being extended to reach them.

Yep. I taught AK history last year and one day the topic of accessibility was brought up. We discussed the pros and cons of a road. If it could be built. Overwhelming choice was no road, though the kids did understand the pros of a road. They didn't want outsiders coming in. Polluting and killing all the moose.

[Music_Man]

Look up King Cove and their fight with the federal government to build a road! That is one reason why more roads don't get built.

[AKStafford]

Originally Posted by Music_Man

Look up King Cove and their fight with the federal government to build a road! That is one reason why more roads don't get built.

A perfect example...

[HannahTravels]

Originally Posted by It is 57 below zero

Yes, EXACTLY. These are major problems in Alaska that have been ongoing for a while, but no one has taken any action to remedy those things.

Uhmmm, you've obviously never been to Alaska. Or if you have, you've never spent any real time here. There are hundreds of programs in place to remedy each of these problems that you've listed. Solving some of these issues, like alcoholism, isn't going to happen overnight and countless agencies pour money into this, and all of the other prominent issues we face as Alaskans.

I'm not sure why someone who seems to have endless problems with our state would even be interested in it in the first place. There are many intelligent, truthful answers to your post that explain why your fantasy of an Alaskan metropolis isn't feasable…and frankly, probably 90% of us enjoy Alaska just the way it is.

[It is 57 below zero]

Originally Posted by RomaniGypsy

What's the point? If Anchorage isn't enough to attract people, how would any other "big cities" catch on? You don't just build a big city. You start with a town and then it gradually morphs into a big city when more and more people move in.

I completely forgot about this part and didn't mention this sooner... Alaska's interior does have one major attraction I can think of that could bring attention to people there if it got more recognition: there's a place near Fairbanks that's almost entirely based on Christmas (which could expand further south).

Would it be attractive to people if they could live in, or visit a place where they can celebrate Christmas 12 months of the year, and have a city with Christmas structural designs?

It's also named after the North Pole, and some people have said Santa lived in the North Pole so that's probably why the place is based on Christmas. It could be a place that attracts small children to visit from time to time if they want to see Santa Claus. Just a thought.

[RayinAK]

Originally Posted by It is 57 below zero

I completely forgot about this part and didn't mention this sooner... Alaska's interior does have one major attraction I can think of that could bring attention to people there if it got more recognition: there's a place near Fairbanks that's almost entirely based on Christmas (which could expand further south).

Would it be attractive to people if they could live in, or visit a place where they can celebrate Christmas 12 months of the year, and have a city with Christmas structural designs?

It's also named after the North Pole, and some people have said Santa lived in the North Pole so that's probably why the place is based on Christmas. It could be a place that attracts small children to visit from time to time if they want to see Santa Claus. Just a thought.

The problem in Alaska (in reference to North Pole) is that there is nothing there. The only things North Pole has that resembles Christmas are the candy-cane light poles, and Santa's House, the latter being a shop for tourists to buy all kinds of things made in China, maybe some chocolate fudge, and during Christmas you can sit on Santa's lap and have a picture taken. There is nothing in North Pole, the streets are unkept, and the houses do not reflect Christmas.

Now, if somebody with lots of money could buy the entire place and turn it into a Christmas-looking place, then North Pole would be a Christmas town.

[Frostnip]

Originally Posted by It is 57 below zero

I completely forgot about this part and didn't mention this sooner... Alaska's interior does have one major attraction I can think of that could bring attention to people there if it got more recognition: there's a place near Fairbanks that's almost entirely based on Christmas (which could expand further south).

Would it be attractive to people if they could live in, or visit a place where they can celebrate Christmas 12 months of the year, and have a city with Christmas structural designs?

It's also named after the North Pole, and some people have said Santa lived in the North Pole so that's probably why the place is based on Christmas. It could be a place that attracts small children to visit from time to time if they want to see Santa Claus. Just a thought.

Do you travel at all? Like, by moving your body to geographically distant locations, not through the magic of google?