Discover Anchorage, AK: Scores, Rankings, and Comparisons

Chugach State Park

Paxson Woelber on Unsplash

Flattop Mountain

Hari Nandakumar on Unsplash

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Anchorage is centrist with a conservative slant and has a Democratic representative in Congress

296,112

Anchorage Population7

54,666

Median Income6

10.3

Unemployment Rate17

Taxes

96
- City income tax
  
  0.0 % (for median earners)
- City income tax
  
  0.0 % (for high earners)
- State income tax16
  
  0.0 % (for median earners)
- State income tax16
  
  0.0 % (for high earners)
- City sales tax
  
  0.0 %
- State sales tax20
  
  0.0 %
- Property tax21
  
  1.2 %
- Vehicle tax21
  
  0.0 %
Travel Connectivity

85
- Airports
  
  3
- Train stations
  
  0
Air Quality

71
- Unhealthy air quality
  
  0 days per year
- Unhealthy air quality for sensitive groups13
  
  3 days per year
- High PM2.5 pollution13
  
  111 days per year
- High ozone
  
  0 days per year
Education

61
- Public schools rated 8+4
  
  25
- Public schools rated 8+ (%)4
  
  25.0 %
- High schools in top 25%14
  
  3
- High schools in top 25% (%)14
  
  15.0 %
- Top rated public high school14
  
  South Anchorage High School
- Top rated public high school (national rank)14
  
  2,103
Outdoor Activities

58
- Beaches9
  
  1
- Parks15
  
  99
- Ski resorts
  
  6
Diversity

52
- White or Middle Eastern7
  
  58.5 %
- Black7
  
  5.3 %
- Asian7
  
  9.6 %
- Hispanic7
  
  9.1 %
Economy

51
- Income6
  
  $41,250
- Income (full-time)6
  
  $54,666
- Income ($100,000 or more)6
  
  16.8 %
- Income ($25,000 and less)6
  
  12.2 %
- Income growth (1-year)6
  
  3.9 %
- Income growth (10-year)6
  
  10.5 %
- Employment rate17
  
  89.7 %
- Employment rate (full-time)6
  
  48.7 %
- Employment rate growth (1-year)17
  
  -1.7 %
- Employment rate growth (10-year)17
  
  5.0 %
- Population growth (1-year)7
  
  -0.7 %
- Population growth (10-year)7
  
  4.2 %
Home Pricing

38
- Median home value5
  
  $327,128
- Median home value (sq ft)12
  
  $433
- Median rent price12
  
  $1,700
Local Transportation

38
- Walkability score10
  
  28
- Bikeability score10
  
  52
- Transit score10
  
  21
- Commute via public transit17
  
  1.6 %
- Commute via walking17
  
  3.1 %
- Commutes via driving solo17
  
  76.3 %
- Commute time (avg)17
  
  18.7 minutes
Climate

28
- Sunny days3
  
  43 days
- Rainy days11
  
  115 days
- Hot days11
  
  15 days
- Cold days11
  
  192 days
- Average humidity11
  
  69 %
- Average wind speed11
  
  7 mph
- Annual snowfall11
  
  73 inches
- Temperature in January11
  
  17 °F
- Temperature in July11
  
  59 °F
- Wildfire risk23
  
  None
- Hurricane risk23
  
  None
- Tornado risk23
  
  None
- Earthquake risk23
  
  High
- Flood risk23
  
  None
Attractions

26
- Restaurants8
  
  33.8 per 100,000 residents
- Bars8
  
  75.1 per 100,000 households
- Performing arts centers8
  
  63.8 per 100,000 households
- Museums8
  
  2.8 per 100,000 households
- Music venues18
  
  9
- Historical sites
  
  0
- Golf courses19
  
  6
- Wineries
  
  0
- Casinos22
  
  2
Healthcare

19
- Hospitals (<50 miles)2
  
  7
- Hospital rating (avg)2
  
  3.25 / 5
- 5-star hospitals
  
  0
- 5-star hospitals (%)
  
  0 %
- 5-star hospital (nearest)
  
  1,374.4 miles from city center
Internet Connectivity

13
- Access to 25+ mbps wired broadband24
  
  79.8 %
- Access to 100+ mbps broadband24
  
  76.0 %
- Average download speed24
  
  28 mpbs
- Households with broadband25
  
  88.7 %
Safety

12
- Property crimes1
  
  4,859.3 per 100,000 residents
- Violent crimes1
  
  1,291.4 per 100,000 residents

Anchorage's aged 45- to 54-years old saw the steapest decline since 2010, falling by 16%, whereas the average population in that segment only declined by 4%

Age

33.2

Median Age7

4.2

Population Growth Since 20107

Proportion of Population by Age Group vs. United States average7

Anchorage residents are mostly white; however, the city is becoming more diverse as the white community has shrunk by 10.2% since 2010, while the Asian community, 2nd largest in the city, has grown by 36.3%

Race

Alaska Population, White7

61.1

United States population, White7

Population Distribution by Race/Ethnicity7

Anchorage is very cold with heavy snowfall. The temperature drops to 32°F or below 192 days per year with an average temperature of 17°F in January and 73 inches of annual snowfall

Weather

Chance of Rain11

Chance of Sunshine3

Average Temperature40

The average home value in Anchorage increased by 20% since 2010 which is 23% lower than the national average and 7% higher than the state average

Rent

1,700

Monthly Average12

Renters41

Average Home Value5

Anchorage is a very low tax location with no state or local income tax, no sales tax, and property tax near the national average.

Other

1.18

Property Tax21

0.0

Sales Tax20

0.0

Vehicle Tax21

Effective Income Tax Rate at Various Income Levels (Married, Filing Jointly)42

Anchorage has a very low employment rate of 90% which is 4% lower than the national average. The largest employers are Bristol Bay Native and Chugach Alaska

Income

12.2

<$25,0006

16.8

$100,000+6

Distribution by Industry17

Anchorage is strongly conservative, similar to Alaska's overall leaning, but juxtaposed against Juneau, Alaska's most liberal city. Since oil was discovered in Alaska's North Slope in 1968, the state has never voted for a Democratic presidential candidate.

2016 Presidential Election Results44

Representatives

Mayor28	Ethan Berkowitz Democratic
House of Representative28	Don Young Republican

The nearest 5-star hospital, Olympic Medical Center, is 1374.4 miles from the center of Anchorage, the nearest Veterans Affairs medical center, Alaska VA Health Care System, is 3.6 miles away, and the nearest top-rated hospital for cancer care, Seattle Cancer Care Alliance/University of Washington Medical Center, is 1431.6 miles away

Medicare-Rated Hospitals (<50 Miles)2

Is Marijuana Legal?

Medical29	Yes
Decriminalized29	Yes

In Alaska, 57.2% of adults live in a household with at least one gun, which is a marginal decrease from 2000 when 60.1% of adults lived in households with guns

Gun Laws

Universal Background Checks30

Permit to Purchase Law30

Property Crimes and Violent Crimes per 100,000 Residents

#100	2020 Best Cities to Retire by U.S. News & World Report31
#70	2019 Best Cities to Live by U.S. News & World Report32
#80	2019 Best Cities for Healthcare by healthgrades33

1	2018 Offenses Known to Law Enforcement \| FBI
2	Medicare-certified hospitals \| Medicare.gov
3	Sunshine - Average Percent of Possible
4	School Rankings & Reviews for Public and Private Schools \| Great Schools
5	Zillow Housing Data
6	2018 Earnings in the Past 12 Months \| ACS 5-Year Estimates Data Profiles \| United States Census
7	2018 Demographic And Housing Estimates \| ACS 5-Year Estimates Data Profiles \| United States Census
8	2017 County Business Patterns \| United States Census
9	Beaches \| Yelp
10	2020 City & Neighborhood Scores \| Walk Score
11	Comparative Climatic Data \| National Centers for Environmental Information
12	United States Home Prices & Home Values
13	AirData \| United States Environmental Protection Agency
14	Best High Schools in the US \| U.S. News & World Report's
15	Parks \| Yelp
16	State Individual Income Tax Rates and Brackets for 2020 \| Tax Foundation
17	2018 Economic Characteristics \| ACS 5-Year Estimates Data Profiles \| United States Census
18	Music Venues \| Yelp
19	Golf Courses \| Yelp
20	2020 State and Local Sales Tax Rates \| Tax Foundation
21	2020 Property and Vehicle Taxes by State \| WalletHub
22	Casinos \| Yelp
23	Natural Center for Disaster Preparedness \| Columbia University
24	Internet Service Providers: Availability & Coverage \| Broadband Now
25	2018 Social Characteristics \| ACS 5-Year Estimates Data Profiles \| United States Census
26	Largest Cities of U.S. States \| Wikipedia
27	Zippia, The Career Expert
28	Who represents me \| Ballotpedia
29	State Policy \| Marijuana Policy Project
30	State-Level Estimates of Household Firearm Ownership \| The RAND Corporation
31	2020 Best Cities to Retire \| U.S. News & World Report
32	2019 Best Cities to Live \| U.S. News & World Report
33	National Health Index
34	Permanent Fund Dividend Division \| Alaska Department of Revenue
35	Summer Solstice Festival \| Visit Anchorage Alaska
36	From Hmong to Sinhalese, over 100 languages are represented in Anchorage schools \| Anchorage Daily News
37	2010 Demographic And Housing Estimates \| ACS 5-Year Estimates Data Profiles \| United States Census
38	Elevations and Distances \| U.S. Geological Survey Publications Repository
39	Normal Precipitation, Inches
40	Normal Daily Minimum Temperature, °F
41	2018 Selected Housing Characteristics \| ACS 5-Year Estimates Data Profiles \| United States Census
42	Federal Income Tax Calculator \| smartasset
43	Where Democrats And Republicans Live In Your City \| fivethirtyeight
44	Alaska Division of Elections

Anchorage, AK

City Score

Taxes

Travel Connectivity

Air Quality

Education

Outdoor Activities

Diversity

Economy

Home Pricing

Local Transportation

Climate

Attractions

Healthcare

Internet Connectivity

Safety

Population

Age