Alaska-born residents bailing in record numbers (rentals, felons, home)

[Metlakatla]

https://www.adn.com/alaska-news/2023...%20of%20Dallas.

More than half of Alaskans born within the state have moved away, according to an analysis of U.S. Census Bureau data published by the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas.

A state’s ability to retain native-born residents is an indicator of its economic health and attractiveness, and Alaska ranked near the bottom of the analysis conducted by University of North Florida professor Madeline Zavodny and two experts at the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas.

[rntim]

My neighbor who was born and raised here and still lives on the property where he was born has raised this topic often. He is a commercial fisherman, has been here all his life and he always says half the folks he knew growing up here moved out because they no longer can afford living here. We have folks coming in my neck of the woods that are here a couple years and then move on. The cost of living and unavailable housing is a big problem.

[joe from dayton]

Hawaiians' are having the same problem. They are going to the mainland because they can't afford to live in their home state anymore.

[Hemlock140]

I have hired 3 different people that came here from Alaska. They gave up the Permanent Fund Dividend but you can't live on a few thousand a year, and the best paying non-professional jobs there are brutal, like commercial fishing, truck drivers and Welders in nasty cold weather. Here they started at entry level making about $60k in a comfortable office, then eventually hybrid with 3 days a week working from home.

[Arktikos]

I know of many people my age (baby boomers) who have moved away to enjoy warmer climates for their elder years, not because they couldn't afford to live here. However, it's undeniable that goods and services are (and always have been) relatively expensive in Alaska. The recent change locally that's made it unaffordable for many younger, working class people is the skyrocketing cost of housing.

[Metlakatla]

Originally Posted by Hemlock140

I have hired 3 different people that came here from Alaska. They gave up the Permanent Fund Dividend but you can't live on a few thousand a year, and the best paying non-professional jobs there are brutal, like commercial fishing, truck drivers and Welders in nasty cold weather. Here they started at entry level making about $60k in a comfortable office, then eventually hybrid with 3 days a week working from home.

The PFD was never meant to live on. I wish they'd get rid of the thing. Too many people with truckloads of kids have dragged up and managed to eke out a way of life doing a little growing, a little backyard breeding, and whatever grifting comes their way, and of course they pocket every dime of their childrens' PFDs and spend it on god knows what.

I've always wished that there were some provision for minors' PFDs — college funds or something, at least keep it for them until they're old enough to blow it on god knows what themselves.

[cjs123]

Met, back when I thought I might possibly be able to relocate to AK, on the occasions where I discussed it with people they'd say "Don't they pay you to live there?" I was amazed at people thinking you could just move on up and someone would handing you a check.

I could not live where I am from either (CA) but I'm fine here in AZ where I've been for over 33 years...but of course the cost of everything is going up here, too. Seems to be an issue I am hearing about more often in different states, or parts of different states.

[blisterpeanuts]

Why would the cost of housing in Alaska be going up so much? It would make sense if they were exploiting the ANWR oil fields, and bringing in all sorts of workers, but I thought that had been halted by executive order a couple of years ago.

[Arktikos]

Originally Posted by blisterpeanuts

Why would the cost of housing in Alaska be going up so much? It would make sense if they were exploiting the ANWR oil fields, and bringing in all sorts of workers, but I thought that had been halted by executive order a couple of years ago.

Good question. One possible reason in Juneau is that the pool of available rentals has decreased due to more landlords choosing short term rentals over long term.

Our population is stagnant, yet demand for both buying and renting has grown. One explanation for this numerical phenomenon is that there are fewer housing units with multiple children these days. More adults, less kids. We see that in school enrollment numbers.

Are Wall St. investors buying up housing here, as seen elsewhere in the country? I kinda doubt it, although they'd likely be a popular scapegoat.

[Metlakatla]

Originally Posted by cjs123

Met, back when I thought I might possibly be able to relocate to AK, on the occasions where I discussed it with people they'd say "Don't they pay you to live there?" I was amazed at people thinking you could just move on up and someone would handing you a check.

I could not live where I am from either (CA) but I'm fine here in AZ where I've been for over 33 years...but of course the cost of everything is going up here, too. Seems to be an issue I am hearing about more often in different states, or parts of different states.

You're not missing anything; IMO, "the check" has ruined the state. The electorate is led around by the nose by any politician who promises to preserve "the check" at all costs, which won't happen. And "the check" brought up a bad element. We probably saw more of that in my particular location after Canada started disallowing convicted felons to cross their borders, so instead, they'd hop on the ferry.

I don't think all young people are bailing because of the costs; stuff's expensive everywhere, and most of those leaving my particular part of the state are going to even more expensive locations such as Seattle.

My theory is that the offspring of those who moved up 10 or 20 years ago are now becoming adults, and they want to put some distance between themselves and their parents. There was an influx of a certain type of person during those years (seems like a lot of them had overly idealistic visions of what Alaska was), and it's perfectly understandable why their offspring would want to get away from them.

Edit: Probably should make it clear that I'm only half-serious here; but I have noticed that the children of newer residents tend not to stick around.