Black in Anchorage (Eagle: crime rate, homes, employment)

[ErikaKazan]

Rance is like our VISA card ... everywhere you want to be!

Rock on Rance!

[AirRN]

The Alaskan Marine Highway can take you AND your car.

[Bjorn_Ironside32]

Originally Posted by lllisa

I believe I will have to deal with people wherever I live. In Chicago I have encountered many nosey, gossipy, petty, superficial, judgmental, ignorant people. I usually ignore them but if I could avoid them that would be even better!

I am concerned that Anchorage may be full of red-neck racist undereducated hicks that fear or are jealous of "outsiders"?

I don't want the "locals" in my face, grinning--I am a quiet, shy, loner and I prefer to not be bothered.

My definition of bothered consist of communicating with a person for malicious negative reasons.

Where is the best place for me to live where I won't be bothered?

I don't want to be stalked or the gossiped about. I just want to live in peace--I want to feel safe--I want to avoid crime--I want to avoid conflict--I am not seeking any friends--I just want to go home and to work with NO conflict.

I can avoid crime--I don't drink alcohol, do drugs, hang at bars or do anything that would welcome crime. I am low maintenance and do all I can to avoid people. I just want to make sure I move to an area where I can live my life I want to without drama.

Sweety, not to start anything but you're living in a world where PEACE is RARE, you're living in a country full of ignorant,malicious people, and that includes Alaska as well.

Anchorage is the largest city in alaska, areas with big population contains CRIME and 'ignorant' people.

You might as well move to towns with small population if you want to avoid crime and other stuff.

[Violet-light]

This is pretty much the perfect place for you if you just want to work and go home! I guarantee this is something you could do with gusto and not be bothered. There's no sense whatsoever (in general, at least) that one has to be a part of anything or participate in anything that one would rather not. If that's what you prefer, people will almost certainly let you be.

Regarding crime, be aware that as a woman Anchorage is a relatively dangerous place in terms of sexual assualt rates - 2.6 times the national average the last time I checked. (check out staralaska.com for more comprehensive/ind-depth info). I believe that property crime is generally lower than average, and violent crime is at or near average. I'll add that gang-related violence has become and increasing problem even in the relatively short time (five years) that I've lived here, although the city is trying to work on containing/lessening this.

In terms of racism, I would agree with most of the other posters that the majority of bigotry in Anchorage seems to be directed at those of Alaskan Native heritage. This does not mean that general racism or that directed (or, at least, felt) towards African Americans is absent, however: I've come across one too many disturbing anti-African American scrawls here or there to say otherwise.

Generally speaking, however, people here are tolerant (or at least quiet) about their views because a majority of Anchoragites are transplants from somewhere else. There's no attitude towards a particular ethnic group that "you don't belong here" or anything of that nature.

Regarding sexism, that's tough for me to judge but I can say there's a large class of successful professional women here (and a number of women in political office) and this is accepted without issue.

Best of luck to you in your decision!

[brit3218]

Originally Posted by lllisa

I want to avoid all beggars, bums, homeless people and crime. I don't want any drama with racist people either. I'm a loner and just want to go to work and live at home in peace with no drama. I feel Alaska would be the perfect place for an educated loner like myself. I was thinking about packing up my jeep buying a dog and settling down in Anchorage. I am a tad concerned about the high cost of living--but I like that the town is not over populated. I'm quiet and shy don't have much to say. If people want to be RED that's fine with me. I just want to be left alone.

I recommend also looking at Fargo, North Dakota. I'm a single 20 year old college student. I'm also an African American female. I'm from Memphis, TN but I go to school in Indiana. I've been researching Fargo for a while and it's definately a winner! It's a beautiful city with friendly people and low crime. You can definately avoid the drama. So I highlly recommend Fargo, ND as well as Alaska!

[Rialta]

Originally Posted by lllisa

I want to avoid all beggars, bums, homeless people and crime. I don't want any drama with racist people either. I'm a loner and just want to go to work and live at home in peace with no drama. I feel Alaska would be the perfect place for an educated loner like myself. I was thinking about packing up my jeep buying a dog and settling down in Anchorage. I am a tad concerned about the high cost of living--but I like that the town is not over populated. I'm quiet and shy don't have much to say. If people want to be RED that's fine with me. I just want to be left alone.

Well, then, Anchorage would be just the place for you, isolated.

[Wherewillitland]

"What you're looking for ain't a place, sweetheart, and Alaska is full of those who think that the north is somehow magically going to fix their lives.

In response to that comment
I feel like the place someone is in can incline them to have an easier and better life and maybe conflict and human contact wont seem like such a problem as much. It might be a chore to get there but it will be an exciting adventure in which you don't need to around people too much unnecessarily.
Maybe the way you feel will change once you move from Chicago.

I sort of feel like you do but its because I live in NYC and go on crowded subways everyday and i dont live in a house but a stuffy apartment near the south bronx... Once I get out of here im sure human contact will feel better.

You can drive to Chicago to Anchorage and go through beautiful British Columbia!
--
Sarah Palin said she had a better experience as a woman in Alaska than the rest of America so it seems to be better to be a woman there in some ways.
--
If not Alaska, North Dakota, or New Mexico can be a good place. very quiet and isolated over there.

[Jonotastic]

I disagree that small towns are less ignorant. From my experience they are the more ignorant, not always on purpose though, but because they meet fewer people from other states and countries. Anchorage isn't exactly a quiet town, it isn't big, but it's not isolated etc. You may want to look into Eagle River, which is a short commute North from Anchorage.

[AKNana]

I have to agree with Metlakatla. You sound like you have had some bad experiences, maybe it would be helpful to talk with a trained counselor to help you feel less threatened. As far as your desire to live in relative isolation, yet have access to Costco, I think you might like Fairbanks. It is only a fraction of the size of Anchorage, and you can get out of town and into wilderness in 10 minutes. It's a bit cold though

[Whyte Byrd]

Here's another side of it from someone who after 45 years moved away from Anchorage all the way to the lower 48 four years ago. I left because the crime has gotten so bad there and it's getting worse--a lot of gang and gang-wanna-be activity. You will see a lot of homeless people but they don't usually bother anyone. After the gangs, it's the teens who seem to bring the most trouble. There's little for them to do so a lot of them are in trouble, things like rolling homeless people, robbing homes, etc. Anchorage is also a dust bowl. Every time I return for a visit I get bronchitis or something respiratory. The bus service up there is lousy and there's not a lot to do unless you're the outdoorsy type, then it's camping, skiing, hiking, snowmachining, etc. There's not much to do but go to restaurants, movies and bars. There's little to no cultural things, believe it or not. There's a high rate of alcoholism, drug abuse, child abuse, rape and domestic violence there. If you plan on having kids, it's no longer a great place to raise them. And it's so far from everything, you're so isolated due to distance and the high cost of transportation. I'd seriously consider visiting for a few months before leaping in. Alaska is a beautiful state but living there is another story, I'm sorry to say. I did my time, now I'm out.

One last thought. I was once told by someone who was disappointed with Alaska--Anchorage in particular--that they found the quality of living lower up there. My husband and I were a little offended by that and didn't know what to think of it til we lived in Washington state for a time. Then we finally understood what they meant.