Where and where not to live near anchorage or surronding area (Kenai: to rent, home)

[alanaxabay]

We are moving to alaska in Feb. would really like some info on best places for kids. anchorage and the surronding area is where we are looking. But we are very open to a commute if its a better area for children. Also we are looking to rent to begin with so that needs to be taken into account. Any advice or help would be great!!!

[warptman]

How about asking in the anchorage thread?

[alanaxabay]

Oh forgot to add we would perfer a smaller town if we could find a nice place. We come form a small town.

[warptman]

Where are you "form?"

[warptman]

"Where and where not to live near anchorage or surronding area"

You can move to Eagle River, Wasilla, Palmer, Girdwood, Seward, Homer, Kenai, Soldatna, and so on.

[arctichomesteader]

Where not to live: Anchorage.

[BudinAk]

Originally Posted by alanaxabay

We are moving to alaska in Feb. would really like some info on best places for kids. anchorage and the surronding area is where we are looking. But we are very open to a commute if its a better area for children. Also we are looking to rent to begin with so that needs to be taken into account. Any advice or help would be great!!!

Please pardon the Alaska humor-motivated replies. (it's winter...it's dark...it's cold...we're bored...they/we need humor...sanity will return in the spring...)

Anyway...Wasilla-Palmer-Eagle River-Peters Creek-Birchwood. All communities north of Anchorage 10 to 45 miles. All somewhat less expensive than Anchorage (as far as home prices go) Commute Wasilla/Palmer to Anchorage: figure about an hour...one way...
Anchorage is/was getting kinda spendy, but if you absolutely MUST live there: avoid Mt. View, Fairview, and Spenard areas. (just IMO). I left Anchorage in '94 (after 17 years), so am not really up to speed on the recent trends there. I have friends who also left Anchorage in the last few years. (due mostly to the out-of-control escalating property taxes there, and $300K+ average home prices) (last I checked) (But those may have come down in last 6 months, or so...don't know...)
Hope this helps...

Bud

[InfectedMushroom]

I love reading warpts posts, always make me lol pretty good

[alanaxabay]

o.k. o.k. My typing is horrible. Can I use the excuse of being form wisconsin. My husband laughs at my typing too. How about this excuse. Mother of 5, feeder of 2 dogs and one cat that hates them and don't forget the 4 horses, one of which I really believe has it in for me, they will not be making the move with us, maybe later if we can find the right place. thanks for any info.

[JavaPhil]

Reasonably close bedroom communities to Anchorage: Chugiak, Eagle River, Peters Creek, Potter Creek. 30 minutes max, except when the highway bogs down for ER, Peters Creek and Chugiak. Palmer: 40 miles from town, and 1 hour on a good day, up to 3 hours if the snow has come down the night before and the road turns into the demolition derby. Wasilla: farther. 45 miles plus. It's fairly spread out.

Girdwood: 35 - 40 miles south (the others are north). Smaller commuting population. Pricy (resort town).

Away from Anchorage: Seward, 2 hours on a good day from Anchorage. Soldotna, Kenai: 3 hours, good day. Homer: 5 hours. By Alaska standards, these are good sized towns, about 5,000 people (maybe in tourist season - joking!).

If you want info on these towns, you'll have to narrow it down by the services you want and an approximate location of the jobs you're planning to have. Most of the questions are answered in other threads on the forum. It's a weekly (sometimes daily) question on the forum.