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You should never go to Alaska as a young man because you’ll never be satisfied with any other place as long as you live.
John muir
It has been two years since moving to Alaska and welcoming our new home. It’s a place that never grows old or stale. I remember driving through town for the first time in awe of the magnificent views. I’ve probably taken that same route hundreds of times now and am still in awe every time I see it. Alaska will do that to you. Once you’ve been here, it stays in your heart forever and you will always have a longing to return. Maybe I am biased as an Alaskan now, but we have a pretty wonderful state. One of my goals as a blogger is to share this great place with the world, and so I’ve decided to share the 5 reasons moving to Alaska was the best decision for my family.
1. Less Taxes
If you are like most people, you are trying to get ahead in life. That can mean different things on varying levels for most people, but it will almost always take financial gain to make it happen. Our goal is to buy 30-40 acres, build a cabin from scratch, and raise our family as self sufficiently and remotely as possible.
There is a certain fantasy about homesteading that it doesn’t require much money. That can be true once you are established and have everything you will need for self sufficiency. Even if you do have everything, most places force residents to pay tremendously in the form of various taxes. There are sales tax on the equipment and food you buy, property tax on your land, and income tax on any of the profits you make.
Alaska is one of the few places in the United States without exuberant taxes which makes “off grid” living much more sustainable. It makes any kind of living much more sustainable. I had grown so used to taxes living in other states that I still am not used to not paying taxes since moving to Alaska.
When we arrived and bought our first vehicle, I had prepared to pay the extra $400 in taxes when we registered it through the state. I was able to pocket that money instead. I am able to stay consistent with my grocery budget because I don’t have to accommodate taxes when making my grocery list. We are able to keep a significant portion of the income we receive because there is no state income tax, which also makes filing our federal taxes at the beginning of the year much easier.
The big winner for us is that there are no property taxes for remote homes in most places in this state. If you want to live away from town, you can do so without the burden of having to pay just to keep your home.
Less taxes equals more money in your pocket. There is such a free feeling in knowing you will be able to keep much of your hard earned dollars.
2. Higher Wages
I know there is going to be a crowd screaming to me about the higher cost of living here to take away the higher earning potential. To ease their concerns, I can attest that there are ways around that, and depending on the location, it isn’t much higher than most average states elsewhere.
It’s true about remote locations. Tiny fishing villages, bush communities, and small towns have it rough on the price of goods. I am here to speak about Fairbanks because that is where I currently live. Even when we are off grid, we plan to make the trip to Fairbanks for our needs to save the extra expense.
We are from Georgia, listed as one of the ten poorest states in the United States. Believe me when I tell you that we struggled to afford to live there so much more than we ever have here. Moving to Alaska doubled my husband’s income and our cost of living is exactly the same. I have only increased certain items in our budget because we can now afford them, but our essentials are practically the same. In fact, there are many items cheaper here than back in Georgia, like milk and eggs.
Everyone likes to hype up the cost of living here, but I can’t imagine that they came from where the income level is much lower than the actual cost to live. Sure, it can be very expensive to live here if you want it to be. There are elaborately large homes on the ridge with views of the valley that can run $2500 a month. There are also apartments and homes in the valley that run $900 a month with views of the mountains. It is all about perspective. I would personally rather have views of mountains than valleys and pocket the $1600 every month.
Fairbanks can be surprisingly affordable. I remember being surprised the first time I walked into Walmart wondering where all the $30 watermelons and $10 tomatoes were because it was all identically priced to my hometown back in Georgia.
There is an endless supply of great jobs to choose from up here depending on your skills and interests. If you are a trade worker, you can do exceptionally well, especially in Summers. We’ve even met people who make so much during the Summer that they are able to take off all Winter and work seasonally. Your basic jobs like McDonald’s and Walmart have a slight pay increase compared to other places, but trades are significantly higher. The state and businesses often offer bonuses and relocation funds for high demand jobs like teachers, nurses, and specialty doctors. Our local Walmart optical center was shut down for several months last year because there was no eye doctor to work there.
On the same note of getting ahead in life, if you are looking for a place where you can make a great income , Alaska is the place to be.
3. Limitless Outdoor Recreation
It’s almost criminal to live in Alaska and not love the outdoors. You have to be desperate to want to be outside to get out when it is -40 degrees. If you google a list of outdoor recreation, Alaska will certainly have it all. Every season, from beginner to advanced, there is something for everyone.
In the winter there is snowshoeing, skiing, cross country skiing, hiking, sledding, snowboarding, dog mushing, snow machining, ice fishing, and aurora chasing. In the summers there is canoeing and kayaking, fishing, foraging, hiking, riding ATV’s, bicycle paths that lead everywhere you want to go, running, mountain biking, swimming, and gardening. Different seasons offer different opportunities in hunting,fishing, and trapping. If you were on the coast down south there are beach opportunities, though do not envision Florida beaches.
It was very important to us that our children be able to have endless opportunities for the outdoors. When choosing where to put down roots, this was something that was at the forefront of our decision. We had always had an eye on Alaska as an adventurous family. There is so much to experience and it is important to our family culture to adventure as much as possible. There are so many benefits to including kids, like bonding and learning together, and much more. If you need a nudge, you can find it in the 6 Inspiring Reasons to Adventure with Your Kids.
4. Gorgeous Landscape
The size of Alaska is vast. It is roughly 1/5 the size of the lower 48 states, and that makes it unique in offering a different landscape dependent on location. Anchorage looks much different than Fairbanks, which looks much different than Nome. Here in the interior are rolling hills and mountain views. There are endless lakes and large rivers running through the landscape. In the summers, wild roses and fire-weeds dominate the eyes. If you go further south, you will find fjords and rocky cliffs on the coast, gigantic mountains towering over towns, and plenty of beauty in between.
Many people are shocked to know that Alaska has areas of rain forest and swamps. The interior is full of swampy areas, like where we are currently living. It looks nothing like the swampland of the South because instead of cypress, it is abundant in black spruce and swamp birch.
One of our favorite places to see is the Castner Glacier cave about 2 hours South of Fairbanks. It is a sight to behold and should certainly be on your Alaskan bucket list if you ever plan to travel or move to this State. You can check out the ultimate guide to hiking to Castner Glacier here.
5. Culture and People
The beautiful part of the state of Alaska is that most people you meet will also have come from another state or country. It is a gigantic melting pot of culture. One thing we all have in common here is resiliency and the desire to help our neighbors.
Alaska can be brutal, so everyone knows to check in and look out for one another. You can’t break down on the side of the road without almost every car stopping to check in and make sure you don’t need help. I absolutely love the strong community base in this state.
From food to clothing, you can find hints of Alaska Native culture spread throughout. There are museums and exhibits to learn more, and annual festivals of celebration to become immersed in the culture.
Mining has always been and still currently is the lifeblood of Alaska’s economy. Most of the infrastructure we have today was originally built to service the mining industry. There are remnants of it’s past spread throughout in old sites and museums. In Fairbanks, there is a wonderful place called “Pioneer Park.” It is a small village that is like walking into the past with shops and exhibits to learn more. One of the oldest of cabins in Fairbanks sits on exhibit there.
Living in Alaska is the Best
No matter where you come from or where your interests lie, there is something for everyone in this beautiful state. Whether you are military and have received orders for one of our various military installations or are just dreaming of Alaska like we were, moving to Alaska can be beneficial. If you gain nothing else, you will have acquired an outstanding resilience to the cold and the winters back home will probably never bother you again.
Moving to Alaska was the best decision my family ever made for so many reasons. Living here has boosted our finances, allowing us to achieve our goals much sooner. That boost in finances means that we are able to afford higher quality food and medical care, which has improved our physical health. Living around such natural beauty and wildlife tends to put your mind at ease and in a meditative state, so our mental health has also improved. The friends and community that we have gained here are a cornerstone to our lives now.
We love Alaska, and think that you will too! What are you waiting for? This is a wonderful place you must visit at least once in your life. What interests you about Alaska? I would like to know and answer any questions you might have. Make sure to follow our adventures on Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok so you can stay in touch and know about what we have planned. We tend to capture beautiful Alaskan photography and we follow our unschooling, adventurous life in the woods of Alaska. You can reach me below!
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