Living in Anchorage, Alaska, is a great joy.  There is so much to see and do in and around Alaska's largest city with 42 percent of the state's population. Much like any other similarly-sized city in the U.S.  The difference is that within a short driving distance of Anchorage are mountains, inlets, rivers, and glaciers that other cities in America do not have a similar access to.

Anchorage was laid out by city planners in 1914, originally as a railroad construction port for the Alaska Railroad, which was built between 1915 and 1923.Anchorage is located on Cook Inlet which has the second-highest tidal range in the country.  Thanks to long daylight hours, the nearby Matanuska Valley raises giant vegetables, such as cabbages the size of basketballs.

Anchorage has long been plagued with may a misconception about its being cold and dark.  The truth is, Anchorage is far south of the Arctic Circle.  Protected by the Chugach Mountains and warmed by Japanese currents of the Pacific Ocean, the climate is actually quite mild year-round.

There are four basic ways to get to Alaska. The Alcan Highway is the road that comes up through Canada and into Alaska. There is also a state owned ferry system called the Alaskan Marine Highway. Cruise ships are another means by which visitors arrive in Alaska. Lastly, flying to Alaska is around 3.5 hours from Seattle to Anchorage.

Anchorage is the hub of communication, transportation, health care, finance, and trade industries for the state. The city is the air crossroads for transporting goods and services on east-west routes between Russia, the Pacific Rim countries and the United States. The two military bases located in Anchorage are Elmendorf Air Force Base and Fort Richardson, an army base located at the northeast of town. There is also Kulis Air National Guard Base with its acclaimed Search and Rescue Unit.

In Anchorage there are a total of 228 city maintained parks that are a total of 14,454 acres. In addition, there are 100 miles of paved bike trails and 133 kilometers of ski trails all maintained by the Municipality of Anchorage. Hilltop ski area is a small ski slope that is located in Anchorage. There are also golf courses that are public and privately owned as well as a course provided for military.

Housing Cost

Estimated median house/condo value in 2005: $230,600

Demographics

Estimated population in July 2005: 275,043.  Anchorage covers 1.955 square miles about the size of the state of Delaware. Elevation is 377.3 feet above sea level.

Climate

Anchorage, AK climate is cool during summer when temperatures tend to be in the 50's and extremely cold during winter when temperatures tend to be in the 10's.

The warmest month of the year is July with an average maximum temperature of 65.30 degrees Fahrenheit, while the coldest month of the year is January with an average minimum temperature of 9.30 degrees Fahrenheit.

Temperature variations between night and day tend to be fairly limited during summer with a difference that can reach 14 degrees Fahrenheit, and fairly limited during winter with an average difference of 14 degrees Fahrenheit.

The annual average precipitation at Anchorage is 16.08 Inches. Rainfall in is fairly evenly distributed throughout the year. The wettest month of the year is August with an average rainfall of 2.93 Inches.

Information provided by idcide.com and city data.com