Places › Alaska › Juneau

Living in Juneau, AK

Small city in Alaska

Juneau is a small city in Alaska, home to about 32,000 people, with 32,000 living within 31 mi. Day to day, there is some transit, though many people drive. Life moves at a slow, calm pace, and homes are mostly apartments.

Is Juneau a good place to live? Pros and cons

👍 Pros

  • Mild summers: highs around 61°F
  • Low taxes: no state income tax, 0.93% property tax
  • Low natural disaster risk: 2 federally declared disasters since 2000
  • Great outdoors: hills or mountains nearby

👎 Cons

  • Cloudier than most places
  • Fewer family amenities than most places
  • Quieter on culture: few museums and attractions nearby
  • Smaller job market: about 32,000 people live within 31 mi

Whether it's a good place for you depends on what you value. Take the quiz to see how Juneau ranks against your own priorities.

Key facts

Population
32,000
32,000 within 31 mi
Winter / summer highs
32°F / 61°F
Average daily highs · 88″ snow a year
3-bedroom home
$490k
Typical value (Zillow)
3-bedroom rent
$2,370/mo
Incl. utilities (HUD)
Cost of living
102
US average = 100 (BEA)
Taxes
No income tax
State income tax per resident · 0.93% property tax
Safety
2.4× US
Violent crime vs US (FBI 2019)
Natural disasters
2 since 2000
Declared in the county · mainly earthquakes, flooding
Top-rated hospitals
1
4–5★ within 31 mi (CMS)
Adults with a degree
41%
No research university within 31 mi
Nearest major airport
ANC
570 mi away

Living in Juneau: common questions

What is the cost of living in Juneau?

A typical 3-bedroom home is worth about $490k, and a 3-bedroom rents for about $2,370 a month including utilities. Overall living costs are close to the US average (index 102, where the US is 100).

What are taxes like in Juneau?

Alaska has no state income tax, and homeowners here pay about 0.93% of their home's value in property tax each year.

Is Juneau safe?

Violent crime is well above the national rate (2.4× in FBI 2019 data).

What is the weather like in Juneau?

Juneau has long, snowy winters: winter days average around 32°F and summer days around 61°F, with roughly 88″ of snow a year.

Does Juneau get natural disasters?

Natural disaster risk is low, mainly from earthquakes and flooding: 2 federally declared disasters have hit the county since 2000, and FEMA expects about 0.24 deaths or injuries per 100,000 residents a year.

What is the nearest major airport to Juneau?

The nearest major airport is ANC, about 570 mi away.

How Juneau scores

Each bar compares Juneau with the other 1143 places in Best Life Fit Me. A dot shows where it sits between two ends, such as major metro and small town; neither end is better. Coloured bars run from poor (red) to excellent (green).

🏙️City size Small town Major metroSmall town
🏘️Urban or quiet Suburban Dense & urbanQuiet / rural
🚶Getting around Some transit Walk & transitCar essential
🌲Culture or nature Nature on the doorstep Culture & nightlifeNature on the doorstep
🌡️Climate Long, snowy winters Warm all yearLong, snowy winters
💰Cost of living Average cost Very expensiveVery affordable
⏱️Pace Slow & calm Very fast-pacedSlow & calm
🤝Community Friendly community AnonymousTight-knit community
🏡Housing Mostly apartments ApartmentsHouses with yards
🏷️Affordable housing Average
💸Low taxes Excellent
💼Job market Poor
🏥Healthcare Good
🎓Education Below average
🧸Kids & family Poor
🐕Dog-friendly Below average
⛰️Outdoors Excellent
🎭Culture Poor
🛡️Safety Higher crime
🌪️Few natural disasters Excellent
☀️Sunny Poor
🌤️Mild summers Excellent
✈️Airport Below average

Places like Juneau

These places have the most similar overall profile across all 23 aspects.

See all the best places to live in Alaska.

Is Juneau right for you?

Answer 27 quick questions and see how it ranks against your priorities.

Take the free quiz →

Sources: US Census ACS 2019–2023, Census State Tax Collections FY2025, Zillow 3-bedroom ZHVI, HUD Fair Market Rents, BEA Regional Price Parities 2024, FBI 2019, FEMA National Risk Index v1.20, OpenFEMA disaster declarations, NOAA Normals 1991–2020, NASA POWER, CMS, NCES IPEDS 2023, IMLS, OpenStreetMap. How scores work.