Is the safest city in alaska even really safe? (Anchorage: sex offenders, violent crime)

[yurijock]

Hello, I'm from the lower 48 and I made a post on here before about moving to AK. I've done a lot of research after posting here and it seems like the Palmer/Wasilla area is the safest, least crime ridden town. Is that true? I just want to know how safe I am if I decide to go for a walk by myself (regarding humans. Obviously I need to be prepared in case of a bear).

I live in central florida, which has a crap ton of crime. Every day there are killings and shootings of some kind, so I'm kind of desensitized and I don't mind being by myself doing things (during the day, anyways).

I'm a young girl btw. I just want to know if there's a good history of sexual assault or anything I need to be aware of, I've tried looking on that Raiders site (a site I found while looking at the crime statistics offered by the Anchorage police I believe?) but it's different to hear it from someone living there. Because if someone were to look at sex offenders in my area they would be alarmed while I would tell them it's fine (which if you look it up on the map, and if each sex offender equals a red dot on the map, where I live it is absolutely completely red for miles around me with few areas of non-red. Gross people come to FL I guess.) and I still feel comfortable enough to ride my bike.

However, I feel comfortable because I live in a very large suburban area. Only about 60k people here compared to Anchorage's 300k, but even on the outskirts of my city lies another city, and another, and another..all ranging from 50-700k people so I don't feel too alone and in immediate danger.

I want to move to Palmer/Wasilla pretty badly, it's so beautiful there and it seems quieter. But to my knowledge, there are less people there too so it makes me think there may be a higher chance of crime? (If I was a criminal I would go to the least populated area that was stretched out more rather than a big city, but maybe that's just me?)

[Metlakatla]

There are weird people everywhere. Get a walking partner if you're going to be in secluded areas.

[Arktikos]

Much safer than Florida.

I'm also attracted to Palmer, not so much with Wasilla. Of course, you'll have to check them out yourself.

[Frostnip]

Palmer and Wasilla aren't a single community, and where are you getting this about it being the "safest" city in Alaska? Wasilla has a meth problem, for one thing.

Look, I love living in Alaska, and I think people in general overstate a lot of dangers. But if safety is one's paramount concern...this is not the state for safety in general. Many of the dangers (environmental, human, and otherwise) can be majorly mitigated by making good choices, but sometimes one just gets unlucky - wrong place, wrong time, or some other unforeseen circumstance or minor lapse in vigilance. Part of living here, IMO, involves accepting a degree of risk and living life to the fullest anyway. Alaska is full of strange people and epic environs, and you can't really enjoy either if you encase yourself in bubble wrap.

[AKStafford]

I lived in Wasilla for 20 years. The wife has been here her whole life. The only crime we've ever experienced was years ago she left her purse on the front seat of her car while at work. Some bonehead chucked a brick through the window and stole it. We found in a dumpster next door with all the cash (like $14) gone. That's it. We take basic precautions. We lock our doors and don't leave stuff lying around as a temptation.
Is there crime? Sure. Is there drugs? Sure. But I don't hang around druggie people so I don't have to deal with it.
Wasilla isn't really a walking type of town. Palmer is and I think it's more of what you'd be looking for.
Have you ever visited?

[Metlakatla]

There's a real difference between what a big guy has "has to deal with" and what a 19-year old girl may experience. Otherwise, what Frostnip says.

[Frostnip]

Originally Posted by Metlakatla

There's a real difference between what a big guy has "has to deal with" and what a 19-year old girl may experience. Otherwise, what Frostnip says.

Yeah. And even in the most Mad Max part of the US you're more likely to not be a victim of violent crime, than to be a victim of violent crime, so I'm not sure "I've never had a serious problem" anecdotes can really be extrapolated on.

[Rance]

Don't we really only have 2 cities? So which is the safe one?

[Frostnip]

Originally Posted by Rance

Don't we really only have 2 cities? So which is the safe one?

It's the same one where the government pays you to live there, while all your food and housing needs are met by living off the land

[GnomadAK]

The crime in the valley really isn't random attacks on strangers, it's more property crime, but these days there seems to be a helluva lot of it out there.

As for walking in downtown Anchorage, that's dodgy.

As for where to walk, well, there isn't much walking to be done in Wasilla or Palmer proper. There are plenty of trails around but not many streets.