When the time for retirement comes you take into consideration moving to a new place, starting a new adventure, trying out new things, so we’re going to take a look at the 6 best places to retire in Alaska.
Why Alaska, you may ask, considering that it’s so far away from one may consider the best option for retirement – sunny, great climate, little to no snow, ocean view and warm, sandy beaches. While the climate in Alaska may not fall exactly in these lines, there are many great things about this state. On top of the wonderful views offered by the mountainous ranges in the area, there are plenty of breathtaking lakes and, of course, the chance to see the Aurora Borealis.
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Alaska is the largest state in the United States when it comes to area, but it’s the third least populous. That means the population density is quite low, so low in fact that it is at the end of the list among all states. Alaska has over 738,000 residents, spread over 663,268 square miles, making for a population density of 1.26 people per square mile.
The state has an interesting location, bordering Canada on the east side, the Gulf of Alaska and the Pacific Ocean on the south side, the Arctic Ocean, the Bering Sea, Bering Strait and the Chukchi Sea in the west. All in all, Alaska’s coastline is longer than all other US states combined. The state has several regions, although they aren’t separated by any kind of borders, each including several areas of their own. Anchorage, its largest city, for instance, is in the South Central region, while capital Juneau is in the Southeast area.
In Alaska, the median home price is $258,100, while the cost of living index is calculated at 135.10, with groceries being quite expensive, mostly due to the efforts to transport them to the region. The crime rate in Alaska is calculated at 53 out of 100, with 1 being the lowest, so things are so and so when it comes to people’s safety. When it comes to healthcare, however, Alaska has 235 physicians for each 100,000 people, a little bit under the 261 averaged across the United States. Before we move forward, however, perhaps you’d like to read up on the 11 best places to retire in California.
For today’s list we took a look into all of Alaska’s boroughs, checking out data regarding the median home price, the average commute time, the cost of living index, crime rates and number of doctors per 100,000 citizens, getting data from Sperling’s Best Places, which unites info from a series of governmental sources, including the Bureau of Labor and the Census Bureau. We ranked the counties and handed out points for each category, then added them up for our final scores. Without further ado here are the 6 best places to retire in Alaska.
6. Haines Borough
Score: 6
Median house price: $172,900
Cost of living index: 118.7
Average commute time: 12.93
Crime rate: 44
Doctors per 100K: 199
Haines Borough is situated in the southeast area of the state, bordering British Columbia on one of its sides. When it comes to size, the borough has a total area of 2,726 square miles, which is more than enough for its 2,500 residents. If you’re wondering about transportation, you should know that Haines is on the Alaska Marine Highway, many choosing the ferry over the Alaska Highway, especially during the winter months. Alternatively, you can take the plane from Juneau if you find it more appealing. As it is the case with most Alaskan areas, you can enjoy some great views from here, the mountains rising high above. The crystal waters are also beautiful to watch, sail or fish if you so desire, and even swim, although you’ll have to take into consideration just how chilly the weather is.
There’s also the possibility of going out for hikes, rafting on the Chilkat River, kayaking on the Chilkoot Lake and more, but these are summer activities for the most part. If you like bald eagles, you should know they often descend over the borough in November in search of salmon, so that’s a show you don’t want to miss. There’s even a festival to accommodate those coming to visit during this time of year.
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5. North Slope Borough
Score: 7
Median house price: $150,800
Cost of living index: 114.2
Average commute time: 9.29
Crime rate: 79
Doctors per 100K: 32
Located in the northernmost area of Alaska, the North Slope Borough is also home to Barrow, the American city that’s the farthest north. As you can expect, the weather here is freezing cold, especially with the Arctic Ocean as its neighbor.
The borough covers close to 94,800 square miles, and it is home to over 9,600 people, making for a rather low population density. The area is beautiful, covered with mountains, lakes, and rivers, not to mention the breathtaking ocean coastline, which may make it all seem a little bit better on those freezing days.
The median home price in the area is a cool $150,800, while the cost of living index sits at 114.2, a little over the national average. When commuting, however, it will take you on average a little over 9 minutes to get to your destination.
4. Skagway
Score: 9
Median house price: $306,700
Cost of living index: 144
Average commute time: 4.29
Crime rate: 44
Doctors per 100K: 0
With a population that barely hits the 1,000 mark, Skagway is the smallest borough in Alaska, spreading over some 464 square miles. While this may not seem much, Skagway is actually a popular tourist location, which means that during the summer months the population increases dramatically. That’s mostly because it is a popular stop for many cruise ships, so people come and go quite often. The area is full of history, especially as it was populated since prehistoric times by the Tlingit people who set home in the area.
Skagway is located in a glaciated valley in the Taiya Inlet, which is the north end of the Lynn Canal. The views offered by the area will take your breath away, especially the mountain peaks in the distance. The climate here is unusual for a place so far up north, settling on summers with a cool Mediterranean climate, while precipitations are quite low thanks to the coastal mountains.
The average house price is over $300,000, which is quite expensive. Thankfully, there are some homes you’ll find for well below this price. The cost of living index is 144, most likely driven up by the fact that this is a location quite popular with tourists and price hiking in such areas is not unusual.
3. Yukon
Score: 11
Median house price: $106,200
Cost of living index: 105.9
Average commute time: 7.95
Crime rate: 81
Doctors per 100K: 18
Yukon-Koyukuk Census Area occupies a rather large portion of Alaska, namely 147,805 square miles, but it is home to only a little over 5,500 people, according to the 2010 census. The population density in the area is the lowest in the entire United States.
Yukon area is mostly home to a lot of nature. Wildlife refuges, national parks, wildernesses and so on can be found here. For instance, the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge is partly situated in Yukon, while the White Mountains National Recreation Area is included in its entirety.
Houses here cost in average a bit over $106,000, while the cost of living index is 105.9. The average commute time is close to 8 minutes, so you don’t have to worry about traffic too much.
2. Kusilvak Census Area (Wade Hampton before 2015)
Score: 14
Median house price: $104,800
Cost of living index: 106.9
Average commute time: 5.81
Crime rate: 85
Doctors per 100K: 0
This is an area that has changed its name recently, and it is now known as the Kusilvak Census Area. The name change comes following the 2015 massacre in a church from South Carolina, which triggered a lot of negative reactions against the Confederate symbols across the US. Since the census was named for Wade Hampton III, a Confederate leader during the Civil War, it was decided the name would be changed.
Over 7,400 people call this place home, but the number shouldn’t really surprise you by now given the fact that this is pretty much the norm around Alaska, with very few exceptions. The area spreads over 19,673 square miles.
The median house price in the Kusilvak Census Area is $104,800, while the cost of living index is 106.9, which isn’t too terrible compared to other areas. It will also take you under 6 minutes to get to your location since that’s the average commute time.
1. Aleutians East
Score: 15
Median house price: $120,700
Cost of living index: 109
Average commute time: 4.27
Crime rate: 83
Doctors per 100K: 0
At the top of our list is the Aleutians East Borough, which is a place that dates back to the late 1800s. Historically, however, according to archaeological evidence, since the last ice age, this was the place inhabited by the Unangan people. Known mostly for its crab and fish processing industry, Aleutians East Borough is home to a little over 3,100 people.
The borough is actually made out of a big portion of the Alaska Peninsula, namely nearly 64 percent, while the rest is made out of islands, including the Aleutian Islands, which gave it the name. The temperatures in the area aren’t all that high, and there are significant levels of precipitation and snowfall throughout the year.
Houses here cost $120,700 in average, while the cost of living index is calculated at 109. The average commute time is extremely low, so traffic isn’t something to worry about if you decide on this area. All in all, the Aleutians East Borough tops the list of the 6 best places to retire in Alaska.
