Anchorage, Juneau, or Fairbanks? (Juneau and, Houston: neighborhoods, living in, cost of)

[Qazulight]

I got an email from the USAJOBS website. My application has been forwarded. I guess the FAA is not too concerned about the fiscal cliff.

I turned down a job last spring for Fairbanks. Looking back, that was a bad choice. The two places that my application has been forwarded for were for Juneau and Anchorage. The Fairbanks job would have been pretty cool. I suspect the Anchorage and Juneau jobs will be as well. However, I suspect that the Juneau job will have less days away from home.

(I rate cool as flying off to a remote base, then moving around the bush fixing stuff. Uncool is showing up at the same office everyday.)

Anyway, after following this forum for a year or so, it seems that the folks in Fairbanks are happier over all. Looking at climate charts you wouldn't think it. But that is my totally unscientific impression.

I have traveled all over the world. Lived on the East Coast in New York and D.C., my car still starts missing and running bad when I cross the Mississippi River heading east.

I lived in Seattle for a few months one winter. I liked it. It was 1981, and I don't think I ever met a native of Seattle, but I found everyone there to be a great deal more friendly than Houston or Mobile Al.

I lived a couple of years in Hong Kong. It stressed me out. I think if I were to leave the country again and I had my own choice, it would be to go to Africa. That certainly was not what I thought I would say when I first started traveling. This the reason for the post. The idea and the reality of a place are seldom the same. As well as visiting and living or rarely the same. I started this whole search in an effort to move to a cooler place with mountains and with a more challenging job. (This particular job lets me pick up on some years of U.S. Government service.)

The questions will probably be moot, I believe I will take the position offered, but I am curious. Which do you guys think is better?

Anchorage, it seems like a big city to me, (Currently living in a town of 25,000.) and it seems to be a wet cold.

Fairbanks, it seems big, but not so big you can't leave, and it gets really cold, but the summers rock and the cold is really dry.

Juneau, it seems like the right size, but the endless rain may be depressing. On the other hand I really like being on the water.

Like I said, I am moving for the job. The one I have is more financially rewarding, but it bores me to tears. So, the job is thing, the cooler summers are just a bonus.

Thoughts welcome.

Cheers
Qazulight

[AKStafford]

I've lived in southeast, south central and the interior... Juneau is beautiful when it's not raining... Which isn't very often. Anchorage is the big city, but in just an hour or so you can be in Alaska. Fairbanks is the land of extremes.
I live in the MatSu Valley an hour north of Anchorage. About 40% of the 70,000 residents commute into Anchorage for work. Fortunately I don't have to commute... This is my first choice of places to live in Alaska. Second would be Juneau, and Fairbanks would be 3rd.

[muttonhead]

I haven't been to Juneau but prefer Fairbanks over Anchorage (I live in Anchorage).

[RayinAK]

While Anchorage much a city, Fairbanks is much like a town spread out into neighborhoods. Anchorage has a well organized and large city center with big buildings and cervices, while Fairbanks' center is tiny by comparison, and the cervices are limited to a few city blocks.

If you want rural, then Fairbanks. If you want city and all the things found in such, then Anchorage. Juneau is much like small city, but isolated from the rest of Alaska. The highest cost of living is in Fairbanks, then Juneau, and Anchorage the lowest.

[FrancesJoyce]

Have you thought about living in Sitka? I've been there 4 times and really like it. If I could find a job there I'd relocate. Currently live and work in upstate New York--
Fran

[RayinAK]

I apologize for writing "cervices" above. It should have been "services."

[chickmunk81]

Originally Posted by AKStafford

I've lived in southeast, south central and the interior... Juneau is beautiful when it's not raining... Which isn't very often. Anchorage is the big city, but in just an hour or so you can be in Alaska. Fairbanks is the land of extremes.
I live in the MatSu Valley an hour north of Anchorage. About 40% of the 70,000 residents commute into Anchorage for work. Fortunately I don't have to commute... This is my first choice of places to live in Alaska. Second would be Juneau, and Fairbanks would be 3rd.

I am sorry for the stupid question. What do you meand you can be in Alaska in just an hour?

[mitgreb]

Alaska is full up no vacancy!

[gobrien]

Originally Posted by chickmunk81

I am sorry for the stupid question. What do you meand you can be in Alaska in just an hour?

It means Anchorage is very close to various outdoor places that are more typically "Alaskan" in nature.

[chickmunk81]

Originally Posted by gobrien

It means Anchorage is very close to various outdoor places that are more typically "Alaskan" in nature.

Gotcha.