What You Need To Know

Anchorage officially called the Municipality of Anchorage, is a unified home rule municipality in the U.S. state of Alaska. It is Alaska’s most populous city and contains more than 40 percent of the state’s total population; among the 50 states, only New York has a higher percentage of residents who live in its most populous city.
Anchorage is located in the south-central portion of Alaska at the terminus of the Cook Inlet on a peninsula formed by the Knik Arm to the north and the Turnagain Arm to the south. Anchorage is a common refueling stop for many international passenger flights and is home to a major FedEx Hub which the company calls a “critical part” of its global network of services.

Anchorage has been named an All-America City four times, in 1956, 1965, 1984–85, and 2002, by the National Civic League. It has also been named by Kiplinger as the most tax-friendly city in the United States.

Population: 300,950 (2013)
Area: 1,969 mi²

Currency

Currency used in Anchorage is Dollar (USD).

Climate

Anchorage has a subarctic climate (the Köppen climate classification is Dsc) but with strong maritime influences that lead to a relatively moderate climate. Most of its precipitation falls in late summer. Average daytime summer temperatures range from approximately 55 to 78 °F (13 to 26 °C); average daytime winter temperatures are about 5 to 30 °F (−15.0 to −1.1 °C). Anchorage has a frost-free growing season that averages slightly over 101 days. According to local folklore, when a native plant called fireweed fully blooms then goes to seed, the first snowfall of winter is 6 weeks away.
Summers are typically mild, and it can rain frequently, although not abundantly. Average July low and high temperatures are 52 to 66 °F. he average annual precipitation at the airport is 16.63 inches (422 mm).

Language

According to the 2010 American Community Survey, approximately 82.3% of residents over the age of five spoke only English at home. Spanish was spoken by 3.8% of the population; speakers of other Indo-European languages made up 3.0% of the population; those who spoke Asian and Pacific Islander languages at home were 9.1%; and speakers of other languages made up 1.8%.

Safety

Anchorage is a very safe city for its size. The murder rate is very low. Still, in the major tourist areas such as downtown, you should keep close eye on your possessions as pickpockets exist everywhere.
Certain areas in the northeast of the city (Mountain View, north of the Glenn Highway and east of Merrill Field airport) and central (Fairview, 6th to 15th Avenue, east of Ingra) have higher crime than other spots.
Also, areas around the airport like Spenard are known for increased drug activity and prostitution. In earlier times, the downtown area around 4th Avenue was like that, but a concerted effort over the last eight years has mostly cleaned it up.
A constant problem is car break-ins at parking lots. Do not make leave any valuables visible.
The trails close to and around the university are unsafe when it is dark. During the colder months there are increased attacks on females going to and from the housing and library.
Also, stay a good distance away from the moose. Although they may appear harmless, they can and will protect their young ones from people, and can charge if they feel cornered or threatened. Never approach them, as they are best viewed from a distance.
Still, if you follow precautions like everywhere else, you will be safe.

Economy

Anchorage’s largest economic sectors include transportation, military, municipal, state and federal government, tourism, corporate headquarters (including regional headquarters for multinational corporations) and resource extraction. Large portions of the local economy depend on Anchorage’s geographical location and surrounding natural resources. Anchorage’s economy traditionally has seen steady growth, though not quite as rapid as many places in the lower 48 states. With the notable exception of a real estate-related crash in the mid-to-late 1980s, which saw the failure of numerous financial institutions, it does not experience as much pain during economic downturns.

Transportation

Anchorage has a bus system called People Mover, with a central hub in downtown Anchorage and satellite hubs at Dimond Center and Muldoon Mall. The People Mover provides carpool organization services. The public paratransit service known as AnchorRides  provides point-to-point accessible transportation services to seniors and those who experience disabilities.

The Alaska Railroad offers year-round freight service along the length of its rail system between Seward (the southern terminus of the system), Fairbanks (the northern terminus of the system), and Whittier (a deep water, ice-free port). Daily passenger service is available during summer (May 15 – September 15), but is reduced to one round-trip per week between Anchorage and Fairbanks during the winter.

The Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport, 6 miles (9.7 km) south of downtown Anchorage, is the airline hub for the state, served by many national and international airlines, including Seattle-based Alaska Airlines as well as many intrastate airlines and charter air services. The airport is the primary international air freight gateway in the nation.