Biggest Cities In Alaska - StaySafeDiary (2023)

FAQs

What are the 3 most popular cities in Alaska? ›

The state's three largest cities — Anchorage, Juneau, and Fairbanks — are the state's air service hubs and are ideal jumping off points for Alaska adventures.

Anchorage

Juneau

Fairbanks

Ketchikan

Sitka

Wasilla

Alaska is home to the four largest cities in the US by area. And the next largest city – Jacksonville, Florida – is less than half the square miles of Anchorage at 747 square miles.

The largest municipality by population in Alaska is Anchorage with 291,247 residents or approximately 39.7% of the state population. The smallest municipality by population is Kupreanof with 21 residents.

Alaska has high wages, good job opportunities, an abundance of nature and incredibly friendly people. However, Alaska also has long cold winters, a high cost of living and is very isolated.

The cost of living in Alaska is 29% higher than the national average. Housing is 18% higher than the national average, while utilities are 36% higher. When it comes to basic necessities such as food and clothing, groceries are around 30% higher than in the rest of the country, while clothing costs 30% higher.

Alaska is famous for its vast wilderness, amazing wildlife, and stunning landscapes. Alaska also is known for its unique geography and history, as well as the fact it is the largest State of the United States and is separated from the rest of the country.

'Can you drive to Alaska from the United States? ' is a common question among travel enthusiasts. As someone who has driven there and back, I can say that it's totally possible. In fact, people from all across the US except Hawaii can drive to this beautiful state through the Alaska Highway.

About Ketchikan (Tlingit: Kichx̱áan)

Ketchikan is known as Alaska's “first city” due to its location at the southern tip of the Inside Passage—it is the first city you reach as you cruise north, and for many visitors, their first introduction to the beauty and majesty of Alaska.

Where do the most people live in Alaska? ›

Nearly half of the state's residents live in Anchorage. Alaska has . 93 square miles for each person in the state; by comparison, New York has .

What is the smallest town in Alaska? Bettles, Alaska, holds the title of smallest town in our amazing state. With a population of 12 lovely residents, this town is definitely the tiniest. It sits in one of the most amazing places in Alaska, however.

Alaska Is Big!

You could fit New York into Alaska 12 times! One-fifth the size of the Lower 48, Alaska is bigger than Texas, California, and Montana combined! Alaska is also far-flung: 6.0 times wider (east to west) and 4.4 times taller (north to south) than New York.

Although the state has a higher cost of living, having no state income and sales taxes make it more appealing for people wishing to migrate. Moving to Alaska might make financial sense for many people due to the variety of opportunities and experiences the state offers.

Do you get paid to live in Alaska? While it's a common misconception that you can move there for free, you can get paid to live in Alaska. The Alaska Permanent Fund Dividend (PFD) takes the state's oil wealth and shares an annual portion with all permanent residents (both children and adults).

Minimum wage has been revised in Alaska, United States of America, with effect from 01 January 2023. The minimum wage for all except tipped workers has increased from $10.34 to $10.85 per hour. Note: This minimum wage increase might not reflect the inflationary trends.

How much do you get paid to live in Alaska, though? In the past, citizens have qualified for up to $1,600 for simply living in Alaska, and in 2022 the amount was $3,284. All you have to do to receive this grant is to remain in the state for an entire dividend year!

What is the average price of a house in Alaska? ›

$344,374. The average Alaska home value is $344,374, up 2.6% over the past year and goes to pending in around 5 days.

Scientists estimate that due to climate change, the village of Kivalina, in northwestern Alaska, will be underwater by the year 2025. In 2008, the Inupiat village sued 24 of the world's biggest fossil fuel companies for damages.

St. Matthew is a sliver of an island that sits in the Bering Sea nearly 200 miles from any human settlement. It's been described as the most remote place in Alaska.

Fish, oysters and crab are among its most popular catches, and thanks to strict sustainability regulations, Alaskan seafood is some of the freshest in the world. Throw in an array of game meats and dishes originally eaten for survival by the first Alaskan Natives, and you've got quite the diverse culinary scene.

Alaska contains half the nation's coal reserves, and its largest silver and zinc mines.

You do not need a passport to drive to Alaska, thanks to the relaxed immigration policies between Canada and the U.S. You only need to prove your U.S. citizenship when entering and leaving Canada.

U.S. citizens flying between another state and Alaska do not need a passport. However, those driving through Canada or traveling on a ferry or cruise ship with stops in Canada are required to carry one.

You can drive to Alaska from anywhere in the United States except Hawaii. From the majority of USA, you need to take the Alaska Highway from Dawson Creek in British Columbia except California, Oregon and Washington State where the Dease Lake Highway is a better route to Yukon.

What is the abandoned city in Alaska? ›

Portlock (Sugpiaq: Arrulaa'ik) is a ghost town in the U.S. state of Alaska, located on the southern edge of the Kenai Peninsula, around 16 miles (26 km) south of Seldovia.

Welcome To Whittier, Alaska, A Community Under One Roof This sleepy town on the west side of Prince William Sound is remote, and it's hit with brutal winter weather every year. Most of the residents live in a single 14-story building called Begich Towers.

The nearest points between mainland Alaska and Russia are the western tip of Cape Prince of Wales in Alaska and the Southern point of Cape Dezhnev in Russia — with a distance of roughly 55 miles (88.5 kilometers) between the two points.

1. Ketchikan. Ketchikan may not be the largest of cities in Alaska, but with 1,850 people per square mile, it was easily the most densely-populated in the state. This compact little city was not just filled with people, but young people to boot—24.11 percent of residents were between 18 and 34.

A reported 2,320 people were experiencing homelessness in Alaska in January 2022, and an estimated 15.4% of them were unsheltered, the 16th smallest share among the 50 states. The number of people experiencing homelessness in Alaska increased by 19.0% since 2020 and is up by 24.5% since 2010.

Alaska: 30,000

It is the only state in the country where all three species of North American bears live. Besides its thriving populations of grizzlies and black bears, it is also home to polar bears. Alaska is also home to Kodiak bears, which are a subspecies of brown bears endemic to the Kodiak Archipelago.

If the life of a night owl is unappealing for the people of Utqiagvik, they can always look toward the summer when the opposite occurrence, known as a midnight sun or polar day, causes 24 hours of daylight.

Alaska is the last great wilderness in the United States Civilization has only encroached on about 160,000 acres of its 365 million acres. This is less than 1/20th of 1 percent of the State, the rest is still untouched wilderness.

Alaska Is Big!

You could fit Florida into Alaska 10 times! One-fifth the size of the Lower 48, Alaska is bigger than Texas, California, and Montana combined! Alaska is also far-flung: 5.3 times wider (east to west) and 3.2 times taller (north to south) than Florida.

But in USA Today's estimates for 2022, Alaska ranks as the fourth-most expensive state, just behind New York, Washington DC, and Hawaii.

Is Alaska more populated than Texas? ›

Alaska is the largest U.S. state when it comes to land mass. Its area is greater than that of the combined areas of California, Texas, and Montana! At the same time, it has the fifth smallest population and the number one smallest population density in the country.

Alaska. The most dangerous state in the USA is Alaska, as it has the highest combined violent and property crime rate out of any state. Out of a population of 736,081, Alaska's crime rate was 32.14 per 1,000 people in 2022, making it the state with the highest crime rate.

Winter temperatures in Alaska range from 0°F / -18°C to -30°F / -35°C from November to March. Finally, while it can rain throughout Alaska's summer, May is often the driest month in Alaska, and September is typically the wettest.

The best places to visit in Alaska are Anchorage, Denali National Park, the Inside Passage, and the Kenai Fjords.

We are famous for the Iditarod, gold mining, sourdough, the Alaska Railroad, aviation, Alaska Native heritage, homesteading, world-class fishing and seafood, outdoor adventures, fresh air, and a slower, more self-sufficient way of life.”

Seward, Alaska is one of the most visited places in the state and one of the most charming seaside cities. Known as the gateway to Kenai Fjords National Park (and more!), it is located about 120 miles away from Anchorage by car and is situated on Resurrection Bay.

Portlock (Sugpiaq: Arrulaa'ik) is a ghost town in the U.S. state of Alaska, located on the southern edge of the Kenai Peninsula, around 16 miles (26 km) south of Seldovia. It is located in Port Chatham bay, from which an adjacent community takes its name.

St. Matthew Island is said to be the most remote place in Alaska. Marooned in the Bering Sea halfway to Siberia, it is well over 300 kilometers and a 24-hour ship ride from the nearest human settlements. It looks fittingly forbidding, the way it emerges from its drape of fog like the dark spread of a wing.

Few foods are so deeply connected to Alaska as seafood. Fresh salmon, flaky halibut, and monster king crab draw a lot of attention, and rightly so. Whether steamed, seared or as sushi, this is as fresh as it gets.

What is the best month to go to Alaska? ›

The best time to visit Alaska is between mid-June and mid-September. The warmer weather and long days make this a particularly pleasant time of year, with temperatures in the cool-but-comfortable range of 60 to 67°F.

The best time to visit Alaska is during the summer months. While our summer season is short, it is the driest, warmest time to visit. Starting mid May and ending mid September you are sure to see the best the State of Alaska has to offer...

The primary tourist season in Alaska is from May 15th to September 15th. Alaska's tourist attractions and summer excursions mostly do not open before May 15, and almost all are closed by September 15. The most popular time to visit is typically between mid-June and mid-August.

Aggravated assault is one of the most common types of crime in Alaska, with 4,222 incidents reported.