Anchorage, Alaska

Anchorage Dgheyay Kaq' (Tanaina)
Consolidated city-borough
Municipality of Anchorage
Anchorage Skyline with USSAnchoragedeparting Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center Downtown Anchorage Alaska Native Heritage Center Chugach State Park Anchorage Museum Port of Alaska
Flag Seal
Nicknames: "The City of Lights and Flowers", "Los Anchorage" [1] [2]
Motto: Big Wild Life
Interactive map of Anchorage
Anchorage Show map of Anchorage Anchorage Show map of Alaska Anchorage Show map of North America
Coordinates:61°13′00″N149°53′37″W / 61.21667°N 149.89361°W /61.21667; -149.89361
Country	United States
State	Alaska
Borough	Anchorage
Settled	1914
Incorporated	November 23, 1920(city) January 1, 1964(borough) September 15, 1975 (unified municipality)
Named for	Theanchorageat the mouth ofShip Creek
Government
• Body	Anchorage Assembly
•Mayor	Suzanne LaFrance
•Alaska Senate	Senators Matt Claman(D) Forrest Dunbar(D) Cathy Giessel(R) Elvi Gray-Jackson(D) James Kaufman(R) Kelly Merrick(R) Löki Tobin(D) Bill Wielechowski(D)
•Alaska House	Representatives Jamie Allard(R) Jennie Armstrong(D) Julie Coulombe(R) Zack Fields(D) Alyse Galvin(I) Andrew Gray(D) Cliff Groh(D) Craig Johnson(R) Andy Josephson(D) Tom McKay(R) Donna Mears(D) Genevieve Mina(D) Dan Saddler(R) Calvin Schrage(I) Laddie Shaw(R) Stanley Wright(R)
Area [3]
•Consolidated city-borough	1,946.69 sq mi (5,041.89 km2)
• Land	1,706.89 sq mi (4,420.81 km2)
• Water	239.80 sq mi (621.08 km2)
• Urban	78.8 sq mi (204 km2)
Elevation	102 ft (31 m)
Population ( 2020) [5]
•Consolidated city-borough	291,247
• Estimate (2023) [6]	286,075
• Rank	1stin Alaska 74thin the United States
• Density	170.6/sq mi (65.88/km2)
•Urban	249,252 (US: 164th)[4]
• Urban density	2,718.4/sq mi (1,049.6/km2)
•Metro	398,807 (US:137th)
Demonyms	Anchoragite Anchoriginal (informal)
GDP [7] [8]
•Consolidated city-borough	$27.809 billion (2022)
• Metro	$31.569 billion (2022)
Time zone	UTC-9(AKST)
• Summer (DST)	UTC-8(AKDT)
ZIP code	99501–99524, 99529–99530, 99599
Area code	907
Geocode	1398242
FIPS code	02-03000
Climate	Dfc
Website	muni.org

Anchorage(Tanaina:Dgheyay Kaq'; Dgheyaytnu), officially theMunicipality of Anchorage, is themost populous cityin theU.S. stateofAlaska. With a population of 291,247 at the2020 census,^[5][9]it contains nearly 40 percent of the state's population. TheAnchorage metropolitan area, which includes Anchorage and the neighboringMatanuska-Susitna Borough, had a population of 398,328 in 2020,^[10]accounting for more than half the state's population. At 1,706 sq mi (4,420 km²) of land area, the city is thefourth-largest by areain the U.S.^[11]

Anchorage is inSouthcentral Alaska, at the terminus of theCook Inlet, on a peninsula formed by theKnik Armto the north and theTurnagain Armto the south.^[12]First settled as atent citynear the mouth ofShip Creekin 1915 when construction on theAlaska Railroadbegan, Anchorage was incorporated as a city in November 1920.^[13][14]In September 1975, the City of Anchorage merged with the Greater Anchorage Area Borough, creating the Municipality of Anchorage.^[15]The municipal city limits span 1,961.1 sq mi (5,079.2 km²), encompassing theurban core, ajoint military base,^[16]severaloutlying communities, and almost all ofChugach State Park.^[17]Because of this, less than 10 percent of the Municipality (or Muni) is populated, with the highest concentration of people in the 100 square-mile area that makes up thecity proper, on a promontory at the headwaters of the inlet, commonly called Anchorage, the City of Anchorage, or the Anchorage Bowl.^[18]

Due to its location, almostequidistantfromNew York City,Tokyo, andMurmansk, Russia(straight over theNorth Pole), Anchorage lies within 10 hours by air of nearly 90 percent of the global north.^[19][20]For this reason,Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airportis a common refueling stop for international cargo flights and home to a majorFedExhub, which the company calls a "critical part" of its global network of services.^[21][22]

Anchorage has won theAll-America City Awardfour times: in 1956, 1965, 1984–85, and 2002, from theNational Civic League.^[23]Kiplingerhas named it the United States' most tax-friendly city.^[24]

Archaeological evidence discovered atBeluga Pointjust south of Anchorage proper, along the Turnagain Arm, suggests that habitation of the Cook Inlet began 5,000 years ago by a group ofAlutiiqpeople who arrived bykayak. As this population moved on, they were followed by a second wave of Alutiiq occupation beginning roughly 4,000 years ago, followed by a third wave around 2,000 years ago. Around 500 AD theChugach Alutiiqwere displaced by the arrival of Dena'inaAthabaskans, who entered through the mountain passes. TheDena'inahad no fixed settlements, migrating throughout the area with the seasonal changes, fishing along coastal streams and rivers in the summer, hunting moose, mountain goats, and Dall sheep in early fall, and picking berries in late fall. They tended to winter near trading junctions along common travel routes, where they traded with other Dena'ina andAhtnatribes from nearby areas.^[25]

Captain James Cookwas among the first European explorers to map the Alaskan coastline, and many of the geographical features (mountains, islands, rivers, waterways, etc.) still bear the names he gave them. Cook was searching for the fabledNorthwest Passage, a route that would provide a shorter means of reaching the Pacific from Europe than the difficultNortheast Passagearound the north of Asia, or south around South America. On May 15, 1778, after enduring weeks of hard weather, Cook turned into an inlet between two landmarks he called Cape Douglas andMount St. Augustine. He anchored his ship,HMSResolution, at a place he called "Anchor Point" (later named "Anchorage" as anotherAnchor Pointexisted to the south nearHomer, Alaska), near a creek he dubbed "Ship Creek" nestled between two largearms(waterways). Cook spent ten days exploring the inlet named after him. He first sentWilliam Blighto scout the north arm, where he met with theDena'ina Nativesof theEklutnaarea, who told him the name of theKnik Armand that it was not the Northwest Passage, but rather an outlet for two rivers (theKnikandMatanuska Rivers). Cook then sailed south to scout the other arm, and in a bad mood after running theResolutionaground on a sandbar on his way back out of the shallow waters, called it "River Turnagain", having found no sign of the passage there either.^[26]

In the 19th century, Russian presence in South-Central Alaska was well-established. The Russians placed trading posts along Cook Inlet, such as theShelikhov-Golikov Company's post atNitehon the Palmer Flats (between the Knik and Matanuska Rivers), which in turn created small agricultural communities inNinilchik,Seldovia, andEklutna. The Russians also introduced diseases such assmallpoxthat had devastating effects on the local Native population, which plummeted by half just 10 years after the first census.^[25]

In 1867, U.S. Secretary of StateWilliam H. Sewardbrokered a deal topurchase Alaskafrom Imperial Russia for $7.2 million, or about two cents an acre ($129.1 million in 2023 dollars).^[27]His political rivals lampooned the deal as "Seward's folly", "Seward's icebox" and "Walrussia". In 1888, gold was discovered alongTurnagain Armjust south of modern-day Anchorage, leading to a new influx of prospectors, and small towns such as Spenard, Hope, Rainbow, Bird, Indian, andGirdwoodbegan to spring up.

Alaska became anorganized incorporated United States territoryin 1912. Anchorage, unlike every other large town in Alaska south of theBrooks Range, was neither a fishing nor mining camp. The area surrounding Anchorage lacks significant economic metal ores. A number ofDena'inasettlements existed along Knik Arm for years. By 1911 the families of J. D. "Bud" Whitney and Jim St. Clair lived at the mouth ofShip Creekand were joined there by a young forest ranger, Jack Brown, and his bride, Nellie, in 1912.^[28]

The city grew from its happenstance choice as a site for railroad construction to begin in 1914. The waters near Ship Creek were deep enough for barges and small ships to dock, and under the direction ofFrederick Mears, it became a railroad-construction port for theAlaska Engineering Commission. The area near the mouth ofShip Creek, where the railroad headquarters was, quickly became atent city. Anchorage formed at a time when proponents ofProhibitionwere gaining traction, and as part of an effort to stem the flow of the alcohol trade, at the direction of PresidentWoodrow Wilsonand with the symmetry of the US Army, a town site was mapped out on higher ground to the south of the tent city, with the condition that a person's land could be repossessed if caught breaking the alcohol laws.^[25]Anchorage has been noted in the years since for its order and rigidity compared with other Alaska town sites.^[14]In 1915, territorial governorJohn Franklin Alexander Strongencouraged residents to change the city's name to one that had "more significance and local associations".^[29]In the summer of that year, residents held a vote to change the city's name; a plurality favored the name "Alaska City",^[29]but the territorial government ultimately declined to change the city's name.^[29]Anchorage was incorporated on November 23, 1920.^[14]

Construction of theAlaska Railroadcontinued until its completion in 1923. The city's economy in the 1920s and 1930s centered on the railroad. Colonel Otto F. Ohlson, theSwedish-born general manager of the railroad for nearly two decades, became a symbol of residents' contempt due to the firm control he maintained over the railroad's affairs, which by extension became control over economic and other aspects of life in Alaska.

Between the 1930s and the 1950s, the city experienced massive growth asair transportationand the military became increasingly important. Aviation operations in Anchorage commenced along the firebreak south of town (today'sDelaney Park Strip), which residents also used as agolf course. An increase in air traffic led to clearing of a site directly east of town site boundaries starting in 1929; this becameMerrill Field, which served as Anchorage's primary airport during the 1930s and 1940s, untilAnchorage International Airportsuperseded it in 1951. Merrill Field still sees a significant amount ofgeneral aviationtraffic.

Elmendorf Air Force Baseand the United States Army'sFort Richardsonwere constructed in the 1940s, and served as the city's primary economic engine until the 1968Prudhoe Bay discoveryshifted the thrust of the economy toward the oil industry.

TheGood Friday earthquakeof March 27, 1964, hit Anchorage hard at a magnitude of 9.2, killing 115 people and causing $116 million in damages ($750 million in 2023 dollars).^{[27][30][31][32]}The earth-shaking event lasted nearly five minutes; most structures that failed remained intact for the first few minutes then failed with repeated flexing.^[31][32]It was theworld's fourth-largest earthquake in recorded history.^[31][32]BroadcasterGenie Chancehas been credited with holding Anchorage together, as she immediately rushed to the Anchorage Public Safety Building and stayed on the KENI airwaves for almost 24 continuous hours.^[33]Chance, effectively designated as the public safety officer by the city's police chief,^[34]was instrumental in Anchorage's relief and recovery efforts as she coordinated response efforts, connected urgent needs with available resources, disseminated information of available shelters and food sources, and passed messages among loved ones over the air, reuniting families.^[33]Because the city and surrounding suburban area was built on top ground consisting of glacial silt, the prolonged shaking from the earthquake caused soil liquefaction, leading to massive cracks in roadways and collapse of large swaths of land. One of Anchorage's most affected residential areas, the Turnagain neighborhood, saw dozens of homes originally at 250 to 300 feet above sea level sink to sea level. Rebuilding and recovery dominated the remainder of the 1960s.

In 1968,ARCOdiscovered oil inPrudhoe Bayon theAlaska North Slope, and the resultingoil boomspurred further growth in Anchorage. In 1975, the City of Anchorage and the Greater Anchorage Area Borough (which includesEagle River,Girdwood, Glen Alps, and several other communities) merged into the geographically larger Municipality of Anchorage^[14]The city continued to grow in the 1980s, and capital projects and an aggressive beautification campaign took place.

Several attempts have been made to move Alaska's state capital fromJuneauto Anchorage, or to a site closer to Anchorage. The motivation is straightforward: the "railbelt" between Anchorage and Fairbanks contains most of Alaska's population. Robert Atwood, owner of theAnchorage Timesand a tireless booster for the city, championed the move. Alaskans rejected attempts to move the capital in 1960 and 1962, but in 1974, as Alaska's center of population moved away from Southeast Alaska and to the railbelt, voters approved it. Communities such as Fairbanks and much of rural Alaska opposed moving the capital to Anchorage for fear of concentrating more power in the state's largest city. As a result, in 1976, voters approved a plan to build a new capital city nearWillow, about 70 mi (110 km) north of Anchorage. In the 1978 election, opponents to the move reacted by campaigning to defeat a nearly $1 billion bond issue to fund construction of the new capitol building and related facilities ($4 billion in 2023 dollars).^[27]. Later attempts to move the capital or the legislature toWasilla, north of Anchorage, also failed.^[35]Anchorage has over twice as many state employees as Juneau, and is to a considerable extent the center of Alaska's state and federal government activity.^{[citation needed]}

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Anchorage is inSouthcentral Alaska. At61 degrees north, it lies slightly farther north thanOslo,Stockholm,HelsinkiandSaint Petersburg, but not as far north asReykjavíkorMurmansk. It is northeast of theAlaska Peninsula,Kodiak Island, andCook Inlet, due north of theKenai Peninsula, northwest ofPrince William Soundand theAlaska Panhandle, and nearly due south ofDenali.

The city is on a strip of coastal lowland and extends up the lower alpine slopes of theChugach Mountains. Point Campbell, the westernmost point of Anchorage on the mainland, juts out intoCook Inletnear its northern end, at which point it splits into twoarms. To the south is Turnagain Arm, a fjord that has some of the world's highest tides. Knik Arm, another tidal inlet, lies to the west and north. TheChugach Mountainson the east form a boundary to development, but not to the city limits, which encompass part of the wild alpine territory ofChugach State Park.

The city's sea coast consists mostly of treacherousmudflats. Newcomers and tourists are warned not to walk in this area because of extreme tidal changes and the very fine glacialsilt. Unwary victims have walked onto the solid seeming silt revealed when the tide is out and have become stuck in the mud. The two recorded instances of this occurred in 1961 and 1988.^[36]

According to theUnited States Census Bureau, the municipality has an area of 1,961.1 square miles (5,079.2 km²); 1,697.2 square miles (4,395.8 km²) of which is land and 263.9 square miles (683.4 km²) of it is water. The total area is 13.5% water.

Boroughs and census areas next to the Municipality of Anchorage areMatanuska-Susitna Boroughto the north,Kenai Peninsula Boroughto the south andChugach Census Areato the east. TheChugach National Forest, a nationalprotected area, extends into the southern part of the municipality, nearGirdwoodandPortage.

A diverse wildlife population exists within urban Anchorage and the surrounding area. Approximately 250black bearsand 60grizzly bearslive in the area. Bears are regularly sighted within the city.Mooseare also a common sight; in the Anchorage Bowl, there is a summer population of approximately 250 moose, increasing to as many as 1,000 during the winter. They are a hazard to drivers, with over 100 moose killed by cars each year. Two people were stomped to death, in 1993 and 1995, in Anchorage.^[37]Cross-country skiersanddog mushersusing city trails have been charged by moose on numerous occasions; theAlaska Department of Fish and Gamehas to kill some individual aggressive moose in the city every year.Dall sheepare often viewed quite close to the road at Windy Point.^[38]Approximately thirtynorthern timber wolvesreside in the Anchorage area. In 2007, several dogs were killed by timber wolves while on walks with their owners.^[39][40]There are alsobeaverdams in local creeks and lakes, and sightings offoxesand kits in parking lots close to wooded areas in the spring are common. Along theSeward Highwayheaded toward Kenai, there are common sightings ofbeluga whalesin the Turnagain Arm.Lynxesare occasionally sighted in Anchorage as well. Within the Municipality there are also a number of streams that hostsalmonruns. Fishing for salmon at Ship Creek next to downtown is popular in the summer.

Anchorage
Climate chart (explanation)
J F M A M J J A S O N D 0.7 23 11 0.7 27 14 0.6 34 19 0.5 44 29 0.7 56 40 1 63 48 1.8 65 52 3.3 64 50 3 55 42 2 40 29 1.2 28 17 1.1 25 13 █Average max. and min. temperatures in °F █Precipitation totals in inches Source:[41]
Metric conversion J F M A M J J A S O N D 19 −5 −12 18 −3 −10 15 1 −7 12 7 −2 18 13 4 25 17 9 46 18 11 83 18 10 76 13 6 52 4 −2 29 −2 −8 28 −4 −11 █Average max. and min. temperatures in °C █Precipitation totals in mm

Anchorage has asubarctic climate(Köppen climate classification:Dfcon the borderline ofDfb) but with strong maritime influences that lead to a relatively moderate climate,^[42]in contrast to the much more continentalFairbanks. 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-freegrowing seasonthat averages slightly over 101 days. According to local folklore, when a native plant calledfireweedgoes to seed after a full bloom, the first snowfall of winter is 6 weeks away.^[43]

Average January low and high temperatures atTed Stevens Anchorage International Airport(ANC) are 11 to 23 °F (−12 to −5 °C) with an average winter snowfall of 75.5 in (192 cm).^[44]The 2011–2012 winter had 134.5 in (341.6 cm), which made it the^[45]snowiest winter on record, topping^[45][46]the 1954–1955 winter with 132.8 in (337.3 cm). The coldest temperature ever recorded at the original weather station atMerrill Field on the East end of 5th Avenuewas −38 °F (−38.9 °C) on February 3, 1947.^{[nb 1]}

Summers are mild (although cool compared to thecontiguous USand eveninterior Alaska), and it can rain frequently, although not abundantly. Average July low and high temperatures are 52 to 66 °F (11 to 19 °C) and the highest reading ever recorded was 90 °F (32.2 °C) on July 4, 2019.^[47]The average annual precipitation at the airport is 16.63 in (422 mm).^[44]Anchorage'slatitudecauses summer days to be very long and winter daylight hours to be very short. The city is often cloudy during the winter, which further decreases the amount of sunlight experienced by residents.^[48]

The coldest daily maximum recorded in Anchorage was −19 °F (−28 °C) in January 1989, while the coldest daily maximum on average between 1991 and 2020 was 1 °F (−17 °C).^[44]Warm summer nights do not occur even with the bayside location and extensive daylight; the mildest night on record was 63 °F (17 °C)^[when?]. The mean temperature is 59 °F (15 °C).^[44]

Due to its proximity to activevolcanoes, ash hazards are a significant, though infrequent, occurrence. The most recent notable volcanic activity centered on the multiple eruptions ofMount Redoubtduring March–April 2009, resulting in a 25,000 ft (7,600 m) high ash cloud as well as ash accumulation throughout the Cook Inlet region. Previously, the most active recent event was an August 1992 eruption ofMount Spurr, which is 78 mi (126 km) west of the city.^[49]The eruption deposited about 3 mm (0.1 in) of volcanic ash on the city. The clean-up of ash resulted in excessive demands for water and caused major problems for the Anchorage Water and Wastewater Utility.

The average temperature of the sea ranges from 35.8 °F (2.1 °C) in February to 53.1 °F (11.7 °C) in August.^[50]

Climate data for Anchorage
Month	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec	Year
Average sea temperature °F (°C)	36.9 (2.8)	35.8 (2.1)	36.1 (2.3)	37.5 (3.0)	42.4 (5.8)	47.7 (8.8)	52.4 (11.3)	53.1 (11.7)	51.6 (10.9)	47.5 (8.6)	43.0 (6.1)	39.6 (4.2)	43.6 (6.5)
Mean daily daylight hours	7.0	9.0	12.0	15.0	18.0	19.0	18.0	16.0	13.0	10.0	7.0	6.0	12.5
Source: Weather Atlas[54]

Historical population

Census	Pop.	Note	%±
1920	1,856		—
1930	2,277		22.7%
1940	3,495		53.5%
1950	11,254		222.0%
1960	44,397		294.5%
1970	48,081		8.3%
1980	174,431		262.8%
1990	226,338		29.8%
2000	260,283		15.0%
2010	291,826		12.1%
2020	291,247		−0.2%
2023 (est.)	286,075	[55]	−1.8%
U.S. Decennial Census[56][57]

Anchorage first appeared on the 1920 U.S. Census.^[58]It incorporated that same year and in 1975 it was consolidated with its borough.

At the 2020 census, Anchorage had 291,247 people.^[9]Racial makeup was 63.8% White (57.1% were non-Hispanic or Latino), 10.0% Asian, 9.1% American Indian or Alaska Native, 6.0% African American, and 8.4% from two or more races; 9.4% of the people were Hispanic or Latino. The age distribution was 6.9% of the population under the age of 5; 24.0% under 18; 64.3% aged 18–64; and 11.7% aged 65 and up. Males were 50.9% of the people; females, 49.1%. Veterans were 9.3%, and 10.9% of the people were born outside the United States. There were 119,276 housing units and 106,567 households; the average household size was 2.69 persons. In 17.8% of households, a language other than English was spoken at home. In 95.9% of households there was a computer; 90.0% of households hadbroadbandInternetconnections. 93.9% of the population had ahigh school diplomaor higher with 36.1% having aBachelor's degreeor higher. 8.4% of the population under the age of 65 had adisabilitywith 11.1% of the same age group having nohealth insurance. 68.5% of the population were in the civilian labor force. The median household income was $84,928 and the per capita income from May 2019–April 2020 was $41,415. The poverty rate was 9.5%.

Anchorage municipality, Alaska – Racial and ethnic composition
Note: the US Census treats Hispanic/Latino as an ethnic category. This table excludes Latinos from the racial categories and assigns them to a separate category. Hispanics/Latinos may be of any race.

Race / Ethnicity(NH = Non-Hispanic)	Pop 2000[59]	Pop 2010[60]	Pop 2020[61]	% 2000	% 2010	% 2020
Whitealone (NH)	181,982	182,814	158,232	69.92%	62.64%	54.33%
Black or African Americanalone (NH)	14,667	15,308	13,777	5.64%	5.25%	4.73%
Native AmericanorAlaska Nativealone (NH)	18,326	22,047	22,480	7.04%	7.55%	7.72%
Asianalone (NH)	14,208	23,208	27,281	5.46%	7.95%	9.37%
Pacific Islanderalone (NH)	2,335	5,776	9,844	0.90%	1.98%	3.38%
Some Other Racealone (NH)	583	562	1,922	0.22%	0.19%	0.66%
Mixed Race or Multi-Racial(NH)	13,383	20,050	31,273	5.14%	6.87%	10.74%
Hispanic or Latino(any race)	14,799	22,061	26,438	5.69%	7.56%	9.08%
Total	260,283	291,826	291,247	100.00%	100.00%	100.00%

According to the 2010 census, Anchorage had a population of 291,826 and its racial and ethnic composition was as follows:^[62][63][64]

• White: 66.0% (62.6%non-Hispanic)
• Two or more races: 8.1%
• Asian: 8.1% (3.3%Filipino, 1.2%Korean, 1.1%Hmong, 0.41%Chinese, 0.35%Thai)
• American IndianandAlaska Natives: 7.9% (1.4%Iñupiat, 1.1%Yup'ik, 0.8%Aleut)
• Black or African American: 5.6%
• Other race: 2.3%
• Native Hawaiians and Other Pacific Islanders: 2.0% (1.4%Samoan)
• Hispanic or Latino(of any race): 7.6% (4.4%Mexican, 1.2%Puerto Rican, 0.71%Dominican)

Racial composition	2010[65]	1990[66]	1970[66]	1950[66]
White	66.0%	80.7%	87.2%	97.2%
—Non-Hispanic	62.6%	78.7%	n/a	n/a
Black or African American	5.6%	6.4%	5.9%	n/a
Native American orAlaska Native	7.9%	6.4%	1.8%	1.2%
Hispanic or Latino(of any race)	7.6%	4.1%	2.4%[67]	n/a
Asian	8.1%	4.8%	1.0%	n/a

According to the 2010 census, the largest national ancestry groups were as follows: 17.3%German, 10.8%Irish, 9.1%English, 6.9%Scandinavian(3.6%Norwegian, 2.2%Swedish, 0.6%Danish) and 5.6%French/French Canadianancestry.^[68][69]

According to the 2010 American Community Survey, approximately 82.3% of residents over the age of five spoke only English at home.Spanishwas spoken by 3.8% of the population; speakers of otherIndo-European languagesmade up 3.0% of the population; those who spokeAsianandPacific Islander languagesat home were 9.1%; and speakers of other languages made up 1.8%.^[70]

In 2010, there were 291,826 people, 107,332 households and 70,544 families residing in the municipality. The population density was 171.2 per square mile (66.1/km²). There were 113,032 housing units at an average density of 59.1 per square mile (22.8/km²). There were 107,332 households, out of which 33.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 48.4% were married couples living together, 11.7% had a female householder with no husband present, 5.6% had a male householder with no wife present, and 34.3% were non-families. 24.9% of all households were made up of individuals, and 4.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.64 and the average family size was 3.19. The age distribution was 26.0% under 18, 11.2% from 18 to 24, 29.0% from 25 to 44, 26.6% from 45 to 64, and 7.2% who were 65 or older. The median age was 32.9 years. 50.8% of the population was male and 49.2% were female.^[71]

The median income for a household in the municipality was $73,004, and the median income for a family was $85,829. The per capita income for the municipality was $34,678. About 5.1% of families and 7.9% of the population were below the poverty line.^[72][73]Of the city's population over the age of 25, 33.7% held a bachelor's degree or higher, and 92.1% had a high school diploma or equivalent.^[68]

In 2010, 83.7% (220,304) of Anchorage residents aged five and older spoke only English at home, while 4.5% (11,769) spoke Spanish, 2.5% (6,654)Tagalog, 1.6% (4,108)various Pacific Island languages, 1.4% (3,636)various Native American/Alaska Native languages, 1.1% (2,994)Korean, 0.6% (1,646) German, 0.6% (1,502)Hmong, 0.5% (1,307) Russian, and Japanese was spoken as amain languageby 0.5% (1,185) of the population over the age of five. In total, 16.3% (43,010) of Anchorage's population aged five and older spoke amother languageother than English.^[74]

As of September 7, 2006^[update], 94 languages were spoken by students in theAnchorage School District.^[75]

Anchorage's largest economic sectors include transportation, military, municipal, state and federal government, tourism, corporate headquarters (including regional headquarters formultinational corporations) and resource extraction. Large portions of the local economy depend on Anchorage's geographical location and surroundingnatural resources. Anchorage's economy traditionally has seen steady growth, though not quite as rapid as many places in thelower 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.^{[citation needed]}

TheTed Stevens Anchorage International Airport(TSAIA) is the world's fourth busiest airport for cargo traffic, surpassed only byMemphis,Hong Kong, andShanghai Pudong. This traffic is strongly linked to Anchorage's location alonggreat circleroutes between Asia and the lower 48. In addition, the airport has an abundant supply of jet fuel from in-state refineries inNorth PoleandKenai. Thisjet fuelis transported to thePort of Anchorage, then by rail or pipeline to the airport.

ThePort of Anchoragereceives 95 percent of all goods destined for Alaska. Ships from Totem Ocean Trailer Express and Horizon Lines arrive twice weekly from thePort of TacomainWashington. Along with handling these activities, the port is a storage facility for jet fuel from Alaskan refineries, which is used at both TSAIA andJoint Base Elmendorf-Richardson(JBER).

The existing port was substantially built in the late 1950s and is reaching the end of its useful life. Beginning in 2017, the Port of Anchorage is undertaking an extensive 7-year Anchorage Port Modernization Project^[76]to upgrade its aging infrastructure, support larger deeper draft vessels, and future proof the port seismically and environmentally for another 75 years.

The United States military has two large installations,Elmendorf Air Force BaseandFort Richardson, which originally stemmed from the branching off of theU.S. Air Forcefrom theU.S. Armyfollowing World War II. In a cost-cutting effort initiated by the2005 BRAC proceedings, the bases were combined. JBER was created, which also incorporatedKulis Air National Guard Basenear TSAIA. The combination of these three bases employ approximately 8,500 civilian and military personnel. These individuals along with their families comprise approximately ten percent of the local population. During theCold War, Elmendorf became an important base due to its proximity to theSoviet Union, particularly as acommand centerfor numerous forward air stations established throughout the western reaches of Alaska (most of which have since closed).

WhileJuneauis the official state capital of Alaska, more state employees reside in the Anchorage area. Approximately 6,800 state employees work in Anchorage compared to about 3,800 in Juneau. The State of Alaska purchased theBank of AmericaCenter (which it renamed theRobert B. Atwood Building) to house most of its offices, after several decades of leasing space in the McKay Building (now theMcKinley Tower) and later the Frontier Building.

The resource sector, mainly petroleum, is arguably Anchorage's most visible industry, with many high-rise buildings bearing the logos of large multinationals such asHilcorpandConocoPhillips. While field operations are centered on theAlaska North Slopeand south of Anchorage aroundCook Inlet, the majority of offices and administration are found in Anchorage. The headquarters building ofConocoPhillips Alaska, a subsidiary ofConocoPhillips, is in downtown Anchorage.^[77]It is alsothe tallest building in Alaska. Many companies who provide oilfield support services are likewise headquartered outside of Anchorage but maintain a substantial presence in the city, most notablyArctic Slope Regional CorporationandCH2M Hill.

Four small airlines,Alaska Central Express,^[78]Era Aviation,^[79]Hageland Aviation Services,^[80]andPenAir, are headquartered in Anchorage.^[81]Alaska Airlines(at one point headquartered in Anchorage, but now headquartered in theSeattlearea), has major offices and facilities at TSAIA, including the offices of the Alaska Airlines Foundation.^[82]Prior to their respective dissolutions, airlinesMarkAir,Reeve Aleutian AirwaysandWien Air Alaskawere also headquartered in Anchorage.^[83][84][85]The Reeve Building, at the corner of West Sixth Avenue and D Street, was spared the wrecking ball when the city block it sits on was cleared to make way for theAnchorage 5th Avenue Mall, and was incorporated into the mall's structure. In 2013,Forbesnamed Anchorage among its list of Best Places for Business and Careers.^[86]

FiveAlaska Native regional corporationsare based in Anchorage:The Aleut Corporation,Bristol Bay Native Corporation,Calista Corporation,Chugach Alaska Corporation, andCook Inlet Region, Inc.

Anchorage does not levy asales tax. However, it charges a 12% bed tax on hotel stays and an 8% tax oncar rentals.^[87]Since about 2000, in response to strong revenue and occupancy rates, major hotel developers from the Lower 48 have been building new hotels along C Street from International Airport Road to just north of Tudor Road, with two more to open in 2017, making this half-mile stretch of C Street a new "hotel row".^[88]From Anchorage people can easily head south to popular fishing locations on theKenai Peninsulaor north to locations such asDenali National ParkandFairbanks.

Located next to Town Square Park in downtown Anchorage, theAlaska Center for the Performing Artsis a three-part complex that hosts numerousperforming artsevents each year. The facility can accommodate more than 3,000 people. In 2000, nearly 245,000 people visited 678 public performances. It is home to eight resident performing arts companies and has featured mega-musicals performed by visiting companies. The center also hosts the International Ice Carving Competition as part of theFur Rendezvous festivalin February.

TheAnchorage Concert Associationbrings 20 to 30 events to the community each year, including Broadway shows likeDisney'sThe Lion King,Les Misérables,Mamma Mia!,The Phantom of The Opera,West Side Story, and others. The Anchorage Chamber Music Festival draws international guest artists and faculty to perform a summer concert series, and teach a Chamber Intensive program for young musicians. TheSitka Summer Music Festivalpresents an "Autumn Classics" festival of chamber music for two weeks each September on the campus ofAlaska Pacific University. Orchestras include theAnchorage Symphony Orchestraand theAnchorage Youth Symphony.

Annually in January, the Anchorage Folk Festival takes place at theUniversity of Alaska Anchorage, featuring concerts, dances, and workshops with featured guest artists and over 130 performances by volunteer singers, dancers, musicians, and storytellers.

• Alaska Native Heritage Center^[89]
• Alaska Museum of Natural History^[90]
• Alaska Aviation Heritage Museum
• Anchorage Museum at Rasmuson Center^[91]
• Oscar Anderson House Museum^[92]
• Wells Fargo Alaska Heritage Library & Museum^[93]

The city of Anchorage provides three municipal facilities large enough to hold major events such as concerts, trade shows and conventions. Downtown facilities include theAlaska Center for the Performing Arts,William A. Egan Civic & Convention Centerand the recently completedDena'ina Civic and Convention Center, which will be connected viaskybridgeto form the Anchorage Civic & Convention District. TheSullivan Arenahosts sporting events as well as concerts and annual trade shows.

Sports teams in Anchorage

Team	Sport	League	Began	Folded	Venue (capacity)	Championships
Anchorage Bucs	Baseball	Alaska Baseball League	1981		Mulcahy Stadium(3500)	0
Anchorage Glacier Pilots	Baseball	Alaska Baseball League	1969		Mulcahy Stadium (3500)	5 (1969, 1971, 1986, 1991, 2001)
Chugiak-Eagle River Chinooks	Baseball	Alaska Baseball League	Relocated fromFairbanksin 2010		Loretta French Park (600)	1 (2007)
Alaska Aces	Hockey	ECHL	1989	2017	Sullivan Arena(6,290 (seated), 6,490 (with standing room))	3 (2006, 2011, 2014)
Anchorage Wolverines	Hockey	North American Hockey League	2021		Ben Boeke Ice Arena	0
Anchorage Northern Knights	Basketball	Continental Basketball Association	1977	1982	West Anchorage High School Gymnasium	1 (1980)

National attention focuses on Anchorage on the first Saturday of each March, when theIditarod Trail Sled Dog Racekicks off with its ceremonial start downtown on Fourth Avenue. Anchorage is also home to the Fur Rendezvous Open World Championship Sled Dog Races, a three-day dog sled sprint event consisting of three timed races of 25.5 mi (41.0 km) each. Held each February, the event is part of the annual Fur Rendezvous, a winter sports carnival.

Anchorage is home to three teams in theAlaska Baseball League: theAnchorage BucsandAnchorage Glacier Pilots, which both play atMulcahy Stadium, and theChugiak-Eagle River Chinooksbased at Lee Jordan Field in Chugiak.^[94]

Anchorage has no professional sports teams. The most recent to call the city home was theAlaska Acesof theECHL. The Aces were very successful during their time in Anchorage, claiming three league titles, four conference championships, and eight division championship during their 29-year history (1989–2017). The Aces affiliated with variousNational Hockey Leagueteams, including theCalgary Flames,Minnesota Wild, andVancouver Canucks. After the 2016–17 season, the team ceased operations and was sold to a group inPortland, Maine, where it became theMaine Marinersin the 2018–19 season. In 2021, theNAHLapproved the addition of an expansion team in Anchorage.^[95]The expansion team, named theAnchorage Wolverines, began competing in the Midwest Division for the 2021–22 season.

The University of Alaska Anchorage Seawolves are a member of theNational Collegiate Athletic Association. UAA hasDivision Iteams ingymnasticsand hockey, as well as several otherDivision IIteams. UAA sponsors the annualGreat Alaska Shootout, an annualNCAADivision I basketball tournament featuring colleges and universities from across the United States along with the UAA team.

Anchorage is the finish line for theSadler's Ultra Challengewheelchair race.

The city hosts fourrugbyclubs: the Bird Creek Barbarians RFC, the Anchorage Thunderbirds,^[96]the Mat Valley Maulers RFC, and the Spenard Green Dragons.^[97]The season runs from April through September.

TheAnchorage Northern Knightsgained national attention when they joined the eight-teamEastern Basketball Associationin 1977, a league whose nearest competitor was 5,000 mi (8,000 km) from Anchorage. The Knights captured the 1979–80 league championship, and featured several players who would play in the NBA, most notablyBrad Davis, a future player and broadcaster for theDallas Mavericks. They competed in the renamedContinental Basketball Associationfor five seasons until the economic recession ended their run in 1982.

The city was the U.S. candidate for hosting the 1992 and 1994Winter Olympics, but lost toAlbertville, France, andLillehammer,Norway, respectively. Anchorage is a premier cross-country skiing city, in terms of density of groomed trails within the urban core. There are 105 mi (169 km) of maintained ski trails in the city, some of which reach downtown. The same trail system also provides access toChugach State Park, a 495,000-acre (200,000 ha) high alpine park.^[98]TheTour of Anchorageis an annual 50-kilometer ski race within the city^[99]and was the Host for the 2009 and 2010 US Senior National Cross Country Ski Championship.^[100]

Anchorage is also home to Alaska's firstWFTDAflat track women's roller derby league, theRage City Rollergirls.^[101]

TheAnchorage Football Stadiumis also a noteworthy sports venue.

The1989 World Junior Ice Hockey Championshipswas played in Anchorage.

• Alaska Native Heritage Center^[102]
• TheAlaska Botanical Gardenhas over 900 species of hardy perennials and 150 native plant species^[103]
• Alaska Zoo^[104]
• Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center^[105]
• Anchorage Coastal Wildlife Refuge
• Delaney Park Strip
• Kincaid Park
• Point Woronzof Park
• Flattop Mountain Recreation Area
• Westchester Lagoon/Margaret Eagan Sullivan Park

Many of Anchorage's parklands are interconnected withgreen beltsthat follow the lakes and streams that form the natural watershed, creating water/parkland (blue/green) interfaces in the pluvial flood zones, which helps minimize the risk of floods damaging homes and businesses.^[106]

• Arctic Valley Ski Area^[107]
• Alyeska Resort^[108]
• Hilltop Ski Area^[109]
• Kincaid Park^[110]
• Tony Knowles Coastal Trail

• Moose's Tooth Pub & Pizzeria, a pub and pizzeria ranked 3rd best in the United States^[111]
• Anchorage Museum

Municipality of Anchorage election results from statewide races

Year	Office	Results
2010	Senator	Murkowski42–32%
	House	Young65–34%
	Governor	Parnell57–41%
2012	President	Romney53–43%
	House	Young61–32%
2014	Senator	Begich48–47%
	House	Young47–46%
	Governor	Walker49–45%
2016	President	Trump47–42%
	Senator	Murkowski45–25%
	House	Young48–40%
2018	House	Galvin51–49%
	Governor	Begich48–48%
2020	President	Biden49–47%
	Senator	Sullivan50–47%
	House	Galvin51–49%

Anchorage is governed by an elected mayor and 11-memberassembly, with the assistance of acity manager. These positions are nonpartisan (as are all municipal elected offices in Alaska): no candidates officially run under any party banner. All 11 members are elected from districts known as sections. Five of the sections elect two members from designated seats, while the remaining section elects one member. Before the1980 United States Census, the single-member section was the one centered around the northern Anchorage communities ofChugiakandEagle River. Since then, the area encompassingDowntown Anchorageand surrounding neighborhoods has served as the city's single-member section. The mayor (along with members of the school board) is elected in a citywide vote. In practice, major candidates' party affiliation and political ideology are usually well known and highlighted by local media for the purpose of framing debate. The city's mayor isSuzanne LaFrance. Along with seven sister cities in the SCI program^{[clarification needed]}, Anchorage has a cultural exchange program withMontenegro.

In the 2017 municipal election, Christopher Constant and Felix Rivera became the first openly gay candidates elected to Anchorage public office.^[112][113]

Anchorage generally leans towardRepublicancandidates in both state and presidential elections. But since the establishment of the municipality in 1975, there have been twoDemocraticmayors (Tony KnowlesandMark Begich), each of whom was elected to two consecutive terms and later to statewide office.Downtown,Girdwood, and much of both the west and east parts of town trend Democratic. Areas closest to the military bases, includingEagle River, and south Anchorage are the municipality's most Republican areas. Midtown is relatively moderate. In2020,Joe Bidenbecame the first Democrat to win Anchorage sinceLyndon Johnsonin1964.

United States presidential election results for Anchorage, Alaska ^[114]

Year	Republican		Democratic		Third party(ies)
	No.	%	No.	%	No.	%
2020	68,169	46.97%	70,933	48.87%	6,031	4.16%
2016	61,066	46.97%	53,953	41.50%	14,999	11.54%
2012	66,430	53.06%	54,026	43.15%	4,745	3.79%
2008	76,959	56.91%	55,221	40.84%	3,040	2.25%
2004	76,807	59.93%	47,676	37.20%	3,681	2.87%
2000	67,959	57.15%	34,726	29.20%	16,235	13.65%
1996	51,627	52.79%	32,638	33.37%	13,538	13.84%
1992	45,253	41.38%	32,889	30.07%	31,227	28.55%
1988	50,508	61.16%	29,412	35.62%	2,659	3.22%
1984	60,987	68.70%	25,158	28.34%	2,627	2.96%
1980	38,956	59.10%	15,186	23.04%	11,774	17.86%
1976	31,884	61.46%	17,136	33.03%	2,857	5.51%
1972	23,918	63.31%	10,859	28.74%	3,003	7.95%
1968	13,833	45.10%	13,005	42.40%	3,831	12.49%
1964	9,051	40.07%	13,537	59.93%	0	0.00%
1960	11,119	53.71%	9,581	46.29%	0	0.00%

Voting trends show that Downtown Anchorage votes Democratic in large margins, whileSpenard, Turnagain/Inlet View, and University/Airport Heights are relatively moderate and swing in elections. The remaining Anchorage areas have traditionally trended Republican.^[115]In 2018, Anchorage began conducting municipal elections by mail (as directed by the assembly in 2015) and had the highest voter turnout in the city's history.^[116]

Anchorage-Eagle River sends 16 representatives (as of 2018^[update], nine Republicans and seven Democrats) to the 40-memberAlaska House of Representativesand eight senators (five Republicans and three Democrats) to the 20-member Senate. When seats from the neighboringMat-Su Boroughare added, more than half the Alaska state legislature comes from theAnchorage metropolitan area. This is often used as an argument for moving the state capital fromJuneauto the Anchorage area.

With a reported strength of 383 sworn officers, theAnchorage Police Departmentis the largest police department in the state, serving an area of159 square mileswith a population of 300,950.^[117]Until 2016,Alaska State Troopersprovided policing for the southern regions of Anchorage along Turnagain Arm. After their withdrawal,Girdwoodcontracted with the neighboring city ofWhittierfor its policing,^[118]and the following year APD provided contract policing to other Turnagain Arm communities.^[119]The Fire & EMS Operations Division of theAnchorage Fire Department(AFD) includes thirteen fire stations with over 300 personnel covering three rotating 24-hour shifts. Additionally, there are volunteer fire departments inGirdwoodandChugiakand fire departments onElmendorf Air Force BaseandFort Richardson, as well as the Airport Police and Fire Department.^[120]

Anchorage crime rate (2010), compared

	Violent crimes[nb 2] per 100,000 pop.	Property crimes[nb 3] per 100,000 pop.
Anchorage[121]	837.7	3,518.0
Alaska[122]	638.8	2,852.5
U.S. cities, pop. 100,000–249,999[123]	519.6	3,846.8
U.S. cities, pop. 250,000–499,999[123]	757.7	4,216.6
U.S. total[122]	403.6	2,941.9
Source: FBI Uniform Crime Reports

In 2010, Anchorage reported 837.7violent crimesper 100,000 population and 3,518.0 property crimes per 100,000 population (see table). Anchorage'scrime rate, both for violent and property crimes, is higher than for Alaska as a whole or for the U.S. as a whole. When compared with U.S. cities of similar size, Anchorage has a slightly higher rate of violent crime and a slightly lower rate ofproperty crime. Anchorage, and Alaska in general, have very high rates of sexual assault in comparison with the rest of the country, with Anchorage's annual rate of forcible rapes over three times as high as for the U.S. as a whole. In 2010, the rate of rape for Anchorage was 90.9 per 100,000 population,^[121]while the U.S. rate was 27.5 per 100,000 population.^[122]Alaska Nativesare victimized at a much higher rate than their representation in the population.^[124]

The Anchorage Community Survey, a public survey conducted in 2004–05 by the Justice Center atUniversity of Alaska Anchorage, found that overall, Anchorage residents are fairly satisfied with the performance of the Anchorage Police Department.^[125]Most survey respondents perceived the justice system to be "somewhat effective" or "very effective" at apprehending and prosecuting criminal suspects, bringing about just outcomes, and reducing crime.^[126]

Public education in all of Anchorage municipality, includingEagle River,Chugiak,Fort RichardsonandElmendorf Air Force Base, is managed by theAnchorage School District,^[127]the 87th largest district in the United States, with nearly 50,000 students attending 98 schools.^[128]There are also a number of choices in private education, including both religious and non-denominational schools.

Anchorage has fourhigher-educationfacilities that offer bachelor's or master's degrees: theUniversity of Alaska Anchorage,^[129]Alaska Pacific University,Charter College,^[130]and the Anchorage campus ofTexas-basedWayland Baptist University. TheUniversity of Alaska Fairbanksalso has a small Center for Distance Education downtown. Other continuing education facilities in Anchorage include the Grainger Leadership Institute, Nine Star Enterprises, CLE International, Nana Worksafe, and PackBear DBA Barr & Co.

Ninety percent of Anchorage's adults have high-school diplomas, 65 percent have attended one to three years of college, and 17 percent hold advanceddegrees.^{[citation needed]}

Anchorage has the most ethnically diverse schools in the United States, including the three most diverse high schools, the three most diverse middle schools, and the 19 most diverse elementary schools. Even the least diverse schools in Anchorage rank in the top 1% nationally.^[131]

TheChugach School Districtoperates neighborhood schools inValdez–Cordova Census Area, Alaska, as well as the supplementary Voyage to Excellence Residential School in Anchorage; its board office is in Anchorage.^[132]TheAleutian Region School District, which operates schools in areas of theAleutian Islands, has its district administrative offices in Anchorage.^[133]

Anchorage's leading newspaper is theAnchorage Daily News,^[134]a citywide daily newspaper. Other newspapers include theAlaska Star,^[135]serving primarilyChugiakandEagle River, theAnchorage Press,^[136]a free weekly covering mainly cultural topics, andThe Northern Light,^[137]the student newspaper of theUniversity of Alaska Anchorage. Anchorage's major network television affiliates areKTUU2 (NBC),KTBY4 (Fox),KAUU5 (CBS/MyNetworkTV),KAKM7 (PBS),KTVA11 (Rewind TV),KYUR13 (ABC/CW), andKDMD33 (Ion/Telemundo/MeTV). Anchorage is one hour behind thePacific Time Zone, and receives the same network feed as the West Coast. Weekdayprimetimeruns from 7 to 10 pm. Effectively, programs are viewed at the same local hour as those in theCentral Time Zone. The city's only cable television provider isGeneral Communication, Inc.(GCI). However,Dish NetworkandDirecTVoffer satellite television service in Anchorage and the surrounding area using East Coast feeds.

There are many radio stations in Anchorage; seeList of radio stations in Alaskafor more information.

Providence Alaska Medical Centeron Providence Drive in Anchorage is the largest hospital in Alaska and is part ofProvidence Health & Servicesin Alaska,Washington,Oregon, and California. It features the state's most comprehensive range of services. Providence Health System has a history of serving Alaska, beginning when theSisters of ProvidenceofMontrealfirst brought health care toNomein 1902. As the territory grew during the following decades, so did efforts to provide care. Hospitals were opened inFairbanksin 1910 and Anchorage in 1937.

Alaska Regional Hospital on DeBarr Road opened in 1958 as Anchorage Presbyterian Hospital, downtown at 825 L Street. This predecessor to Alaska Regional was a joint venture between local physicians and thePresbyterian Church. In 1976 the hospital moved to its present location on DeBarr Road, and is now a 254-bed licensed and accredited facility. Alaska Regional has expanded services and in 1994, Alaska Regional joined withHCA, one of the nation's largest healthcare providers.

Alaska Native Medical Centeron Tudor Road provides medical care and therapeutic health care toAlaska natives—229 tribes—at the Anchorage site and at 15 satellite facilities throughout the state. ANMC specialists also travel to clinics in thebushto provide care. The 150-bed hospital is also a teaching center for theUniversity of Washington's regional medical education program. ANMC houses an office of theCenters for Disease Control and Prevention. TheAlaska Native Tribal Health Consortiumand Southcentral Foundation jointly own and manage ANMC.

Electric power in the Anchorage area is provided by Chugach Electric Association, a nonprofit, member-owned cooperative founded in 1948. From 1932 to 2020, the Municipality of Anchorage operated its own electric utility, Municipal Light & Power (ML&P). Historically, ML&P served the older, more urbanized regions of the city, while Chugach served newer areas of town, suburbs, and rural areas. Chugach acquired ML&P in 2020, with the sale finalized in October.^[138]Post-acquisition, the Chugach cooperative had over 92,000 members.^[139]

Most homes have natural gas-fueled heat.ENSTAR Natural Gas Companyis the sole provider for Anchorage, servicing some 90-percent of the city's population.

The Municipality of Anchorage owns and operates the Anchorage Water and Wastewater Utility, serving some 55,000 customer accounts with water fromEklutna Lake, which is mainly meltwater fromEklutna Glacier. Anchorage Municipal Solid Waste Services and Anchorage Refuse conduct trash removal in the city depending on location.

• AK-1passing through downtown Anchorage
• AK-3branching off from AK-1 inGateway, 35 miles northeast of Anchorage city

Alaskans do not use numerical route designations in everyday discourse, preferring the named designations—in this case the Seward Highway (for AK-1 south of the city), the Glenn Highway (for AK-1 northeast of the city), and the Parks Highway (for AK-3).

On and off since the 1960s, theAlaska Department of Transportation & Public Facilities, in coordination with theFederal Highway Administrationand the Municipality of Anchorage (or the lineal predecessors of those entities), have been exploring the concept of a roadway connecting the endpoints of the Seward and Glenn highways. The project is called "Highway to Highway", and the most recent concept for this project is that of a "trenched" freeway through the heart of Anchorage.

Highway to Highway was included in the 2005 Long Range Transportation Plan, and would cost at least $575 million ($862 million in 2023 dollars).^[27]– by far the largest urban infrastructure project in Alaska's history.

Anchorage has abus systemcalled People Mover,^[140]with a hub downtown and satellite hubs atDimond Centerand Muldoon Mall. ThePeople Moverprovides carpool organization services. The publicparatransitservice known as AnchorRides^[141]provides point-to-point accessible transportation services to seniors and those who experience disabilities.

TheAlaska Railroadoffers year-round freight service along the length of its rail system betweenSeward(the southern terminus of the system),Fairbanks(the northern terminus of the system), andWhittier(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.^{[142][143][144]}Passenger terminals exist atTalkeetna,Denali National Park,Fairbanks, and several other locations. These communities are also served by bus line from Anchorage. The Ship Creek Shuttle connects downtown with the Ship Creek area, including stops at theAlaska Railroad depot.

Anchorage also is conducting a feasibility study on acommuter railandlight railsystem.^[145][146]For the commuter rail system, Anchorage would use existing Alaska Railroad tracks to provide service toWhittier,Palmer,Seward,Wasilla, andEagle River.

TheTed Stevens Anchorage International Airport, 6 mi (9.7 km) south ofdowntown Anchorage, is the airline hub for the state, served by many national and international airlines, including Seattle-basedAlaska Airlinesas well as many intrastate airlines and charter air services. The airport is the primary international air freight gateway in the nation. By weight, five percent of the value of all United States international air cargo moved through Anchorage in 2008.^[147]During theCOVID-19 pandemic, it was briefly the busiest airport in the United States due to sustained volume of cargo flights through Alaska while passenger travel sharply decreased in other American airports.^[148]Next to Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport isLake Hood Seaplane Base, the largest Seaplane Base in the world.Merrill Field, ageneral aviationairport on the edge of downtown, was the 87th-busiest airport in the nation in 2010.^[149]There are also ten smaller private (mostly Department of Transportation) general aviation airports within the city limits.^[150]

• List of airports in the Municipality of Anchorage

Anchorage has sevensister cities.^[151]

• Chitose, Japan
• Darwin, Australia
• Harbin, China
• Incheon, South Korea
• Magadan, Russia
• Tromsø, Norway
• Whitby, United Kingdom

• Anchorage Fire Department
• "Anchorage" by singerMichelle Shocked.
• List of aerospace museums
• List of tallest buildings in Anchorage
• National Register of Historic Places listings in Anchorage, Alaska

• Preston Jones.City For Empire: An Anchorage History, 1914–1941(University of Alaska Press, 2010) 214 pages^{[ISBN missing]}

• Official website
• AnchorageArchivedSeptember 30, 2018, at theWayback Machineat the Community Database Online from theAlaska Division of Community and Regional Affairs
• Maps from theAlaska Department of Labor and Workforce Development:2010, municipality,2010, municipality plus Anchorage/Chugiak/Eagle River insets
• Geographic data related toAnchorage, AlaskaatOpenStreetMap
• Anchorage, AlaskaatCurlie