Living in Anchorage

Anchorage sits at the base of the Chugach Mountains and the coast of Cook Inlet in Southcentral Alaska. It is large from a land mass standpoint (about the size of Delaware) but has a modern downtown core. The city has experienced moderate growth in recent years and currently has about 285,000 residents. The population is relatively young (median age 32.6) and ethnically diverse. The school system is strong and offers many unique charter and language immersion programs.

Anchorage and Alaska enjoy the lowest tax burdens of any city and state in the country and the Anchorage economy is strong and diverse. Significant contributors to the regional economic expansion include the energy sector, transportation (major port, railroad hub and world’s third busiest cargo airport), tourism, commercial fishing, the mineral and mining industry, two local military bases and a growing service sector.

Anchorage is the portal to other parts of Alaska, which features world-class outdoor recreation, hunting and fishing, and wilderness experiences. With Anchorage’s proximity to the mountains and water, we consider our recreational opportunities a major asset. In town, we have over 200 miles of trails of all different varieties. Half of these are groomed in the winter months and a major alpine ski resort is just south of town. Our northern maritime climate allows for warmer weather activities such as golf for a significant portion of the year.

For those less interested in outdoor recreation, there are plenty of indoor city activities. The arts community is robust with a city orchestra, choir, multiple museums, local theater groups and visiting artists and national productions. A large downtown performing arts center anchors these activities. Growth in the service sector has seen the addition of many local boutiques and virtually all the typical big box retail stores are located here. More shopping can be found at Nordstroms and other department stores.

To learn more about Anchorage, one can find a wealth of more detailed information on the web. A couple of recommended sites are www.muni.org and www.anchoragechamber.org.