Smart Movers Club

    Moving to Anchorage, AK

    Is Anchorage a good place to live?

    Watch Anchorage

    Anchorage ranks #2 of 3 Alaska cities with 25,000+ people on the Smart Movers livability score (50/100), which weighs home affordability, unemployment, education and population growth. Population fell 0.6% in the latest Census year.

    Median home value
    $375,900
    +3.3% vs prior year
    Median rent
    $1,453
    per month
    Household income
    $98,152
    median
    Unemployment
    4.6%
    lower is better

    Cost of living in Anchorage

    The median home value in Anchorage is $375,900 and median rent is $1,453 a month, against a median household income of $98,152. Homes cost about 3.8× a year of income (under 3× is considered affordable).

    Anchorage crime rate

    City-level FBI figures vary by agency; across Alaska the 2025 rate was 736 violent and 1,927 property crimes per 100,000 people — #3 highest of 50 states. The full report breaks down local trends.

    Moving to Anchorage, AK

    Anchorage has about 289,069 residents, 4.6% unemployment and 23% of adults with a bachelor's degree or higher.

    Compare Anchorage with

    Anchorage vs FairbanksAnchorage vs Juneau

    More: Where to move in Alaska · Best counties in Alaska

    Sources: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year estimates (2023, compared with 2022); FBI Crime Data Explorer.

    Home listings, local news, migration, schools, resources and the Smart Movers Grade & Verdict.

    See the full Smart Movers Club report