Best places to live in Alaska (2026)

All 3 ranked places in Alaska, by all-round score.

Ranked by an all-round score: the average of all 14 quality scores (housing costs, taxes, jobs, healthcare, education, family life, safety, natural disasters, climate and more), weighted equally. Places missing from the FBI crime table are left out, since their safety is unknown. Scores are out of 100.

1. 1Anchorage, AKMid-size city · 3-bed $417k · higher crime47
2. 2Juneau, AKSmall city · 3-bed $490k · higher crime46
3. 3Fairbanks, AKSmall city · 3-bed $365k · higher crime37

Cheapest places to live in Alaska

Ranked by the typical value of a 3-bedroom home (Zillow), lowest first.

1. 1Fairbanks, AKSmall city · rent $2,330/mo · cost of living 103$365k
2. 2Anchorage, AKMid-size city · rent $2,270/mo · cost of living 105$417k
3. 3Juneau, AKSmall city · rent $2,370/mo · cost of living 102$490k

Safest places to live in Alaska

Ranked by violent crimes per resident in FBI 2019 data, lowest first. Places missing from the FBI table are left out.

1. 1Fairbanks, AKSmall city · violent crime 2.1× the US rate784 per 100k
2. 2Juneau, AKSmall city · violent crime 2.4× the US rate909 per 100k
3. 3Anchorage, AKMid-size city · violent crime 3.3× the US rate1245 per 100k

Safest places from natural disasters in Alaska

Ranked by our natural disaster score: FEMA's expected deaths, injuries and home damage from 18 hazards, plus federally declared disasters in the county since 2000.

1. 1Juneau, AK2 declared disasters since 2000 · mainly earthquakes, flooding97
2. 2Anchorage, AK2 declared disasters since 2000 · mainly earthquakes50
3. 3Fairbanks, AK5 declared disasters since 2000 · mainly earthquakes, cold waves47

Best places to live for families in Alaska

Ranked by a family score: the average of our Kids & family, Safety, Education and Affordable housing scores. Places missing from the FBI crime table are left out.

1. 1Fairbanks, AKSmall city · kids below average · safety below average · 3-bed $365k38
2. 2Anchorage, AKMid-size city · kids poor · safety poor · 3-bed $417k29
3. 3Juneau, AKSmall city · kids poor · safety below average · 3-bed $490k27

Best places to live · Cheapest places to live · Safest places to live · Safest places from natural disasters · Best places to live for families

Data: US Census, Zillow, HUD, BEA, FBI 2019, FEMA, NOAA, NASA, CMS, NCES and others. How scores work.