Thinking of a move!

[Chilkoot]

Originally Posted by rswoody

- How dense is Anchorage's population? (does it feel like a 'big city'?)

Tampa has a population density of about 2960 per sq mile. Anchorage is about 171. There's certainly a core downtown area but Anchorage is pretty spread out.

[beckya]

Originally Posted by rswoody

So, I've been around a few threads in this forum trying to figure out which place I should move to, and I'm trying to make it a permanent move. I've lived in Florida all my life and I hate it. It's always way to hot, way to much people here, and it feels completely like a tourist attraction. And the fact that it's completely filled with retirement homes, which is nothing bad ... but I need a younger crowd. The only thing that's kept me here is my family and the fact that it has good fishing.

I have a few questions though:

- How dense is Anchorage's population? (does it feel like a 'big city'?)
- How's the music scene?
- Is the night life more of a club scene or a bar scene? or is that non-existant?
- How expensive is the living? (low, avg, high)

My husband tells everyone that the cost of living in Anchorage is 3x what it is in the lower 48 and good luck finding a job that supports the basics of life.

[supernaut112]

Originally Posted by rswoody

I have a few questions though:

- How dense is Anchorage's population? (does it feel like a 'big city'?)
- How's the music scene?
- Is the night life more of a club scene or a bar scene? or is that non-existant?
- How expensive is the living? (low, avg, high)

Anchorage doesn't feel like a big city — it feels like a medium-sized city with a lot of big city amenities. I think that the population size is perfect! You get more of a "city" feeling when you go downtown. However, downtown doesn't leave you feeling claustrophobic or hemmed in. It's very very compact. Anchorage doesn't have the "sprawl" problems that a lot of cities have.

The music scene isn't so great. I come from Austin, though, so I'm spoiled. What's really weird about Anchorage is that occasionally really big artists will pass through ... like, 15-20+ years after their career peaked, e.g., Kenny Loggins, Carly Simon, etc. But you're not going to see many current bands. I used to date an indie artist, and he told me that touring in Alaska is just too cost-prohibitive. Not enough big cities/people to make it worthwhile.

Night life is more of a bar scene, IMHO. Far more laid back. To my mind, this is good. I like relaxing at a little pub with friends after work. A lot of restaurants double as bars where people hang out together.

Anchorage is pretty expensive relative to most cities. Comparing it to places I've lived, I'd say it's about on par with San Francisco and Central Austin, but far less expensive than Manhattan (NYC).

[soldn2slavery]

I used to live in Anchorage several years ago, so perhaps things have improved. You cannot entirely go by population density as an indicator of "crowdedness." When I lived there, commuting from Wasilla/EagleRiver to/Anchorage was a mess. Basically, there's one road into and out of Anchorage, so everyone has to use it. Again, perhaps they've added lanes and it's improved, but I remember the traffic being pretty awful. Going down the hill to the Eagle River bridge in the dark of winter was like falling into a black hole. People start tapping their brakes and you've got a backup a mile long.

Another thing you must consider is the length and darkness of the winter. There are a few months where you go to work in the dark and come home in the dark. Fall starts around Labor Day and there have been a number of times when there are still patches of snow on the ground in the middle of May (this year will probably be one of them -- congrats on breaking the record, btw). Summer is glorious, fast, and short. Anchorage (aka: Rain-chorage) gets it's fair share of cloudy, drizzly days in the summer. You fish in the rain. You hike in the rain. You kayak/canoe/boat in the rain. If you don't enjoy being outdoors enough to put up with the rain or cold, then you will go crazy. Winter is too long to lock yourself indoors and hope for nice weather in summer. Cabin Fever is real.

I don't want to discourage you from going to Anchorage. It's just that winter and weather have a huge impact on whether you will enjoy living there.

I loved living there. I had a blast. I still consider Anchorage "home."

[bongo]

Due to the awesome mountains on one side of the Anchorage bowl & the inlet on the other, there is an expansive feel to town. Maybe it's that seeing that Chugach range we know we are only a minutes from the wilderness!

[mizzile]

Originally Posted by rswoody

- How's the music scene?
- Is the night life more of a club scene or a bar scene? or is that non-existant?

Just the fact that you asked these questions makes me want to BEG you not to move here. We don't have a club scene to speak of and we sure don't need people who want one.