Which City Would You Recommend (Valdez, Metlakatla: 2014, crime, homes)

[June1218]

Hello!

I am looking into a move to either Alaska or Maine and I am currently in research mode. I love the cold, absolutely love snow, and enjoy rain. My major decision factors will be natural disasters and safety/crime levels. I prefer small towns and I don't mind being in the middle of nowhere I live in Colorado now and honestly I hate it; bipolar weather, mud and desert like terrain, a lot of rude people.

I am a young female, I don't plan to move for a few years, my initial goal is to get to the state and work in town, my overall goal is to have a small homestead outside of town.

1) Is Alaska dog friendly? Are there a lot of restrictions on owning dogs or the number of dogs you can have?
2) Can you get around on 4 wheelers etc or do you need a truck/suv?
3) Is there cities/areas that do not have or are less likely to have avalanches? Earthquakes? Volcanoes?
4) Are there storms like hurricanes/tsunamis?
5) What kind of criminal activities happen? Is it a safe state in general?

Thank you for any advice you're able to share with me.

[riceme]

Okay well if you hate "bipolar" weather stay out of the interior. If you hate the mud, Alaska is just... where in Alaska is it not muddy from April to October?? Isn't that why god made Xtra Tuffs? I don't know, maybe there is some magical land where it's nice & dry, but I haven't been there. Granted, it's a huge state and I haven't seen all that much of it.

Regarding natural disasters, you may just want to eliminate Alaska while you're ahead. Earthquakes, volcanoes, disastrous wildfires, epic and unpredictable weather and yes, avalanches.

Did I miss anything?

I don't mean to be Negative Nancy, but according to your criteria I think Maine is going to be a better choice for you.

[Metlakatla]

All of your questions have several different answers depending on location -- Alaska's huge. For some reason, Valdez comes to mind for you -- but that will depend on what you do for work. The economy probably won't be so great during the next few years.

[June1218]

Thank you. I don't mind dealing with any of these disasters, I'm curious how often they happen. For instance, in Florida you can pretty much count on at least one hurricane a year. I've read there are a lot of avalanches in Alaska, but is there a city that perhaps sees less avalanches or none at all? That's sort of what I am trying to understand from Alaska, do they see all these natural disasters regularly or is it more rare, or depends on the city, etc. Thank you again.

[Braje]

According to Recent Earthquakes we had more than 25 earthquakes yesterday 1/10 and by 6:13pm AK time over 25 earthquakes today 1/11.

[Metlakatla]

Avalanches are much more likely to happen in the back country than in any of Alaska's towns or cities.

[akpls]

Originally Posted by Metlakatla

Avalanches are much more likely to happen in the back country than in any of Alaska's towns or cities.

Valdez gets its share. This one made the news: Valdez hunkers down after massive avalanches - The Valdez Star

[AKStafford]

How about coming for a visit first?

[Metlakatla]

Originally Posted by akpls

Valdez gets its share. This one made the news: Valdez hunkers down after massive avalanches - The Valdez Star

I guess i was thinking about actual homes and businesses being destroyed by avalanches or lives being taken. Probably a bad choice for the OP, though, since that could happen there.

[Music_Man]

I think Cicely would be a good choice, by looking at her requirements.