Real Estate Directory - Alaska

Population: 626,932
Capital city/population: Juneau (30,711)
Largest cities/population:

Anchorage - 260,283
Juneau - 30,711
Fairbanks - 30,224
Sitka - 8,835

Alaska is the largest state in the United States, covering 663,267 square miles, with 34,000 miles of tidal shoreline. Its capital city, Juneau, is accessible only by ship or air, as there are no roads leading in or out of the city.
Juneau’s temperatures range from an average low of 18ºF in January, to an average July temperature of 64ºF.

HOUSING

Alaska’s housing costs vary depending upon location. Juneau and Anchorage have some of Alaska’s most expensive housing costs, with the average home costing $240,000. Juneau also tops the state in rent costs for average-sized family homes and apartments.

Location	Average home sales price	Average monthly rent price, 3-bedroom home	Average rent price, 2-bedroom apartment
Juneau	$241,000	$1,490	$967
Anchorage Municipality	$241,000	$1,389	$845
Bethel	$205,000	NA	NA
Ketchikan	$212,000	$1,229	$864
Kodiak	$192,000	$1,289	$898
Kenai Peninsula Borough	$169,000	$950	$671
Mat-Su Borough	$179,000	$1,163	$720
Fairbanks North Star Borough	$172,000	$1,274	$811
Wrangell-Petersburg	NA	$856	$682
Sitka	NA	$1,325	$847
Valdez-Cordova	NA	$1,354	$866
Rest of state	$186,000	NA	NA

Source: Alaska Housing Finance Corp. and the Alaska Department of Labor and Workforce Development's Research and Analysis Section.
NA = Info not available.

BUSINESS & INDUSTRY

Alaska’s largest industries are oil production, tourism, and fishing. Petroleum comes mainly from fields around Prudhoe Bay on the northern coast. Alaska produces approximately 20% of the nation’s oil. The 800-mile Trans-Alaska pipeline from the North Slope to Valdez opened in 1977, allowing oil to dominate the state’s economy.

Over 1.5 million visitors arrive annually to tour the state and see the wildlife and scenery. The tourism industry is the state’s second largest employer, supporting a wide range of tourism and service-related jobs.

Fishermen harvest more than five billion pounds of seafood annually, with the catch going to canning and processing plants. This processing represents the state’s largest manufacturing enterprise. Other important industries are timber, mining, and agriculture. The state has no personal sales or income taxes, encouraging a pro-development atmosphere.

SCHOOL

Alaskan schools employ over 8,000 full- and part-time teachers. There are over 4,000 students in private schools, with teachers earning an average salary of $52,467. Anchorage schools serve almost 50,000 students who speak over 90 different languages. Almost half of these students are from ethnic minority groups, and the curriculum reflects this mix.

Students typically achieve test scores above national averages, and the school is supported by a strong scholarship system which awards millions annually.

HISTORY

Alaska has a rich history, dating back to the early 1700’s, when Vitas Bering sailed through the Bering Strait, and Captain James Cook was dispatched to find the Northwest Passage. In 1867, Alaska was purchased from Russia for $7,200,000, adding to the United States an area twice the size of Texas, with 34,000 miles of uncharted rivers to explore. Americans poured in during the 1880s, searching for gold in a rush that continued for over 20 years. Alaska achieved statehood on January 3, 1959. From 1959 to present, Alaska has had economic success with timber, oil, fishing, and tourism.

ATTRACTIONS

The tourism industry is among Alaska’s most important. With a wealth of natural beauty, Alaska is a popular destination for many vacationers. The state’s native culture can be experienced through festivals, museums, heritage centers, and artwork. Popular cruise destinations include the Inside Passage, Prince William Sound, the Gulf of Alaska, and the Bering Sea. The state is served by two railroads, which provide additional routes for sightseers. Camping, dogsledding, camping, rafting, and glacier viewing are other ways to tour the state.