As the largest city in the state, with a population of 300,000, Anchorage offers an incredible blend of city living and awesome Alaskan outdoor adventure! Shop downtown, then go hike Flattop Mountain in the Chugach Range, just 16 miles away. Moose and bear are common sights in town. Anchorage offers a wide array of shopping, dining, entertainment, recreation, and employment options. Ted Stevens International Airport provides connections around the world (try the seasonal over-the-pole flight to Frankfurt!), Lake Hood is the busiest seaplane base in the world, and Merrill Field provides small plane options for sightseeing, transport, and hunting and fishing expeditions. Anchorage is typically the official starting point for the Iditarod Race each winter. Anchorage is not a large city by many lower-48 standards, but as the main hub in Alaska, it definitely provides a touch of urban to the wilds of Alaska.
Homes
Market Snapshot – Check out the most current Market Summary Report – Anchorage
There is a wide diversity of homes in Anchorage, from small desirable remodeled homes on postage stamp lots just outside of downtown, to condos, to older fixer-upper opportunities, to hillside homes on several acres with stunning views. Homes tend to range from the 60’s up until today. There are several larger planned developments, as well as neighborhoods with a mix of styles. Living in Anchorage is convenient for those with employment in town, but the prices are far from the lowest in the state. In 2016 2,256 homes sold with an average sales price of $365,531, after 50 days on the market, at 99% of asking price.
Dining and Shopping
Anchorage is host to a wonderful variety of restaurants, from upper end dining to inexpensive lunch spots. A fairly wide variety of ethnic food is represented, especially Asian. There are increasingly more inventive and tasty takes on the same old American cuisine as well!
Local restaurant reviews:
Trip Advisor
Yelp
When it comes to shopping, Anchorage is the place where outlying communities come to stock up: From Old Navy to Best Buy, Costco to Furniture Galleries, malls such as 5th Avenue Mall, Sears Mall, Dimond Center, plenty of movie theaters, and more. Not to forget Bass Pro and Cabela’s!
Parks and Recreation
Anchorage is rich in parks and recreation, with even more options accessible to the north and south.
Check out Anchorage Parks.
Skiing options include Arctic Valley, Hilltop Ski Area, and – further south in the fun little town of Girdwood – Alyeska Ski Resort. Kincaid Park provides excellent groomed cross-country skiing trails as well as summer activities.
There are many fishing opportunities right in town, including world-famous Ship Creek for salmon fishing.