6 Best Places to Retire in Alaska

2. Kusilvak Census Area (Wade Hampton before 2015)

Score: 14

Median house price: $104,800

Cost of living index: 106.9

Average commute time: 5.81

Crime rate: 85

Doctors per 100K: 0

This is an area that has changed its name recently, and it is now known as the Kusilvak Census Area. The name change comes following the 2015 massacre in a church from South Carolina, which triggered a lot of negative reactions against the Confederate symbols across the US. Since the census was named for Wade Hampton III, a Confederate leader during the Civil War, it was decided the name would be changed.

Over 7,400 people call this place home, but the number shouldn’t really surprise you by now given the fact that this is pretty much the norm around Alaska, with very few exceptions. The area spreads over 19,673 square miles.

The median house price in the Kusilvak Census Area is $104,800, while the cost of living index is 106.9, which isn’t too terrible compared to other areas. It will also take you under 6 minutes to get to your location since that’s the average commute time.

1. Aleutians East

Score: 15

Median house price: $120,700

Cost of living index: 109

Average commute time: 4.27

Crime rate: 83

Doctors per 100K: 0

At the top of our list is the Aleutians East Borough, which is a place that dates back to the late 1800s. Historically, however, according to archaeological evidence, since the last ice age, this was the place inhabited by the Unangan people. Known mostly for its crab and fish processing industry, Aleutians East Borough is home to a little over 3,100 people.

The borough is actually made out of a big portion of the Alaska Peninsula, namely nearly 64 percent, while the rest is made out of islands, including the Aleutian Islands, which gave it the name. The temperatures in the area aren’t all that high, and there are significant levels of precipitation and snowfall throughout the year.

Houses here cost $120,700 in average, while the cost of living index is calculated at 109. The average commute time is extremely low, so traffic isn’t something to worry about if you decide on this area. All in all, the Aleutians East Borough tops the list of the 6 best places to retire in Alaska.