Many scientists tell us that North America was first settled by Polynesian-Asian groups crossing the former Bering Land Bridge, or following its coast in boats, so it is no surprise that it is one of the longest-occupied areas in the nation. 

 Alaska was first colonized by Russia in the 18th century, though the Spanish Empire gained a few footholds as well, though neither set of colonies was particularly successful or profitable. The US purchased the land from Russia in 1867, and it wasn’t until the gold rush in the early 20th century that serious numbers of colonists settled in ‘the last frontier’. Alaska only became a state in 1959. 

According to the 2020 census, just over 733,000 people live in Alaska, up from barely 710,000 in 2010. As of 2019, there were just under 320,000 individual housing units in the state of Alabama, and nearly 65% of them were owner-occupied. There were 1,420 building permits issued in 2020, and with the population rising steadily it is a great time to buy or rent a condo in Alaska. 

One thing to consider when looking at Alaska real estate is the education and income of the population.Roughly 93% of Alaska residents over the age of 25 have high school diplomas, and around 30% have a Bachelor’s degree or higher. The median household income was $77,790 as of 2020. 

Most of the populated parts of Southern Alaska enjoy a mid-latitude oceanic climate. The main factor that makes the climate unique, though, is how far north the state is. In summer, the sun barely ever leaves the sky. 

 Starting in April, the sun sets at 10 pm, and on June 21 the city of Anchorage gets its famous 19 hour day (and 5 hour night). Most of the Alaska real estate for sale is in the mildest climate zones, where average daytime highs in the summer can reach 80 degrees and the winters are mildest.

Anchorage is the state’s largest city, so it is a natural place to start if you are buying a house in Alaska. The Anchorage Metropolitan Area claims just under 400,000 people, more than half the population of the state. Still, there is plenty of elbow room. The city of Anchorage is larger than the entire state of Rhode Island.

Living in Anchorage, you’ll have access to cultural institutions like the Alaska Center for the Performing Arts, The Anchorage Concert Association and the Anchorage Folk Festival. You’ll be able to golf, or even go dogsledding. The Alaska Zoo and the Alaska Botanical Garden are both worth seeing as well. 

Fairbanks is the 2nd largest city in the state and a prime spot for real estate in Alaska. As of 2020 there were just over 32,000 residents, but the metropolitan area boasts more than 95,000. 

Residents of Fairbanks have access to the Museum of the North. You could take a guided tour of the Running Reindeer Ranch or explore the paddlewheel boat and other exhibits at Pioneer Park. Fairbanks also houses the Aurora Ice Museum, the world’s largest year-round ice environment.

The City and Borough of Juneau is the state’s capital. It is a very large city by area (larger than the state of Delaware), but claims only 32,255 residents. Juneau is a good place to buy real estate in Alaska because it is so uncrowded, and because of its warmer, southerly location. 

Juneau residents and visitors can attend a range of folk, music and cultural festivals, enjoy figure skating and hockey at the Treadwell ice rink, attend Alaska’s largest professional theater, or visit the downtown’s art district.  

Here are just a few of the best reasons to buy real estate in Alaska:

Alaska will pay you to live there. Really. All full-time permanent residents gain shares of the Permanent Fund Dividend Program, which pays out a variable amount, typically between $800 and $1100 per year.   

Real estate is affordable. Both the big cities and the rural countryside offer surprisingly low land prices. The median home price in Anchorage, for example, is less than $300, and that’s the highest

The state’s natural beauty is stunning. Snowy Mountains, the Aleutian Islands, Denali State Park… you can even see the Aurora Borealis on a regular basis. Alaska also offers some of the best hunting and fishing in the world.

Alaska charges no sales tax or income tax. The state of Alaska has the lowest taxes in the US. You’ll still pay property taxes and a few other fees, but by and large you’ll be living tax free. 

Alaska is many things, all at once. It can be a rollicking adventure if you really want to live ’out on the frontier.’ You won’t be battling polar bears, but you might struggle to keep grizzlies out of your garbage, which can be just as terrifying. But it can also be a civilized, tailored place of skyscrapers and condos. Alaska offers art, culture, wide open nature, summers with 20 hours of sun and winters as cold as any you’re likely to see in America. If Alaska real estate is anything, it is diverse.

The market for real estate in Alaska is diverse as well. A mobile home in the back of beyond might come free with the land, while a shining condo overlooking downtown Anchorage could easily be in the high six figures. The question is where and how you want to live.