DC to Alaska Moving Guide
Updated June 18, 2025

Planning a 3,490 mile interstate move from DC to Alaska? This moving guide will help you compare living in DC vs Alaska across 7 important categories. Compare the pros & cons (like traffic jams vs less traffic), food & health (like Half-smoke vs Salmon), real estate & housing (victorian and colonial vs log cabins and modern), weather & wardrobe, cost of living & taxes (it's more expensive in DC), politics & religion, and education.
Key Takeaways:
- Say goodbye to Half-smoke and Mumbo sauce with wings, but get your taste buds ready for Salmon & Reindeer sausage
- Alaska housing costs are 43% less expensive than they are in DC
- Rent in Alaska is 27.40% more affordable than in DC
- Our top recommended DC to Alaska movers is Bookstore Movers
DC to Alaska Moving Guide
Pros and Cons of Moving from DC to Alaska
- Traffic jams
- High cost of living
- Hot, humid summers
- Limited wildlife
- City noise
- Less traffic
- Cheaper housing
- Cooler summers
- Abundant wildlife
- Quiet, serene
- Fewer dining options
- Fewer historical sites
- Limited museums
- Car reliance
- Harsh winters
- Diverse cuisine
- Rich history
- Great museums
- Public transportation
- Mild winters
Pros of moving from DC to Alaska
- Say goodbye to traffic jams and hello to less traffic
- Look forward to moving away from the high cost of living and moving to Alaska with cheaper housing
- Swap the hot, humid summers of DC for cooler summers in Alaska
- Get ready for abundant wildlife in Alaska
Cons of moving from DC to Alaska
- Unfortunately, you'll be moving away from diverse cuisine in DC to live with fewer dining options in Alaska
- You'll lose out on the pro of rich history and have to settle for the con of fewer historical sites
- Time to bid farewell to great museums and get used to limited museums in Alaska
- Swap public transportation for car reliance
DC vs. Alaska: Comparing the Local Foodie Scene
Comparison | DC | Alaska |
---|---|---|
Most iconic local food item | Half-smoke | Salmon |
Most popular meat dish | Mumbo sauce with wings | Reindeer sausage |
Most popular street food item | Food Trucks offerings | King crab legs |
Most popular vegan food | Plant-based burgers | Seaweed salads |
Top 3 iconic restaurants that summarize the state |
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Fitness/Health Conscientiousness | šŖšŖšŖšŖšŖšŖšŖšŖšŖšŖ | šŖšŖšŖšŖšŖšŖšŖšŖšŖšŖ |
Abundance of Food Trucks | šššššššššš | šššššššššš |
Foodie Scene | š“š“š“š“š“š“š“š“š“š“ | š“š“š“š“š“š“š“š“š“š“ |
Vegan Friendly | š±š±š±š±š±š±š±š±š±š± | š±š±š±š±š±š±š±š±š±š± |
If you're moving from DC to Alaska, you will be trading the iconic Half-smoke of DC for the equally delicious Salmon of Alaska. And while the locals in DC rave about their flavorful Mumbo sauce with wings and sumptuous Food Trucks offerings, Alaska residents know they have tasty Reindeer sausage and King crab legs to savor. While the vegan transplants might be saying goodbye to the Plant-based burgers they've grown to love, they can get ready for the Seaweed salads of Alaska. In the days before your move, make sure you get one final trip to iconic DC eateries like Rosa's Thai Cafe, Zaytinya, and Le Diplomate. After the boxes are unpacked in Alaska, don't wait too long before making your way to Alaska's acclaimed eateries like Simon's Seafort's, The Salmon Bake, and Snow City Cafe.
When comparing lifestyles, Alaska shows less emphasis on fitness and health consciousness than DC. Food truck fans will discover a less desirable selection in Alaska compared to what you are used to in DC. Also, the overall foodie scene is less bustling in Alaska.
Real Estate & Lifestyle Differences between DC and Alaska
Comparison | DC | Alaska |
---|---|---|
Typical Architecture Style | Victorian and Colonial | Log cabins and modern |
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Bikeability | š²š²š²š²š²š²š²š²š²š² | š²š²š²š²š²š²š²š²š²š² |
Urban Lifestyle | šļøšļøšļøšļøšļøšļøšļøšļøšļøšļø | šļøšļøšļøšļøšļøšļøšļøšļøšļøšļø |
Most popular items mentioned in real estate listing | Proximity to Metro, historic details | Natural scenery, space |
- The Victorian and Colonial architecture that DC is known for will be replaced with the log cabins and modern architecture typical of Alaska.
- Compared to DC's real estate listings that commonly reference proximity to metro and historic details, Alaska real estate listings often highlight features like natural scenery and space.
- You can keep your walking shoes packed away; Alaska is less walkable than DC.
- You might want to think twice before moving your bike; Alaska is less bike-friendly than DC.
- Alaska has less of an urban feel than DC.
- Alaska housing costs are 43% less expensive than they are in DC, with a median home price of $354,563 compared to DCās $619,320.
- Not enough data to generate a comparison.
- Rent in Alaska is 27.40% more affordable than in DC.
Your Move, Your Forecast: Key Weather Differences between DC and Alaska
Comparison | DC | Alaska |
---|---|---|
Days of Sunshine per Year | āļøāļøāļøāļøāļø | āļøāļøāļøāļøāļø |
Avg. Annual Humidity | š¦š¦š¦š¦š¦š¦š¦š¦š¦š¦ | š¦š¦š¦š¦š¦š¦š¦š¦š¦š¦ |
Avg. UV Index | š¶ļøš¶ļøš¶ļøš¶ļøš¶ļøš¶ļøš¶ļøš¶ļøš¶ļøš¶ļøš¶ļø | š¶ļøš¶ļøš¶ļøš¶ļøš¶ļøš¶ļøš¶ļøš¶ļøš¶ļøš¶ļøš¶ļø |
Natural Disasters | Storms, hurricanes | Earthquakes, volcanoes |
Air Quality | Moderate | Good |
Average Summer High/Low (°F) | 89°F / 71°F | 60°F / 44°F |
Average Winter High/Low (°F) | 47°F / 29°F | 20°F / -10°F |
Annual Rainfall (Inches) | 40.74" | 22" |
Annual Snowfall (Inches) | 15.4" | 74" |
- The shades won't be used as much for your move from DC to Alaska. Alaska gets 26% fewer sunshine days than DC.
- Alaska has higher humidity and a lower average UV index compared to DC.
- Say goodbye to the possible storms and hurricanes in DC, but be on the lookout for potential earthquakes and volcanoes in Alaska.
- Get ready for colder summers. The average summer high temperature in Alaska is 29 degrees colder than in DC.
- The average winter lows are 39 degrees colder than they are in DC.
- Your umbrella might be neglected in Alaska. Alaska receives 18.7 fewer inches of rain compared to DC.
Financial & Community Snapshot: DC and Alaska
Comparison | DC | Alaska |
---|---|---|
Avg. Household Income | $101,027 | $88,121 |
Cost of Living Index | 140.1 | 132.6 |
State Income Tax | 8.5% | 0% |
Avg. Property Tax | 0.85% | 1.19% |
Avg. Sales Tax | 6% | 1.76% |
Top 3 Industries | Public Administration, Professional Services, Health Care | Oil & Gas, Tourism, Fishing |
Affluence | Prosperous | Moderate |
Poverty | Low | Moderate |
Homelessness | Significant | Notable |
- When it comes to your monthly paycheck, residents in Alaska tend to earn about 13% less than those in DC
- The COLI in Alaska will be 5% lower than what you are used to living in DC
- Hooray, moving to AK means you'll no longer have state income taxes
- The affluence in Alaska is moderate compared to prosperous in DC
- The poverty level is moderate in Alaska compared to low in DC
- In terms of homelessness, it is significant in DC and notable in Alaska
Political and Religious Climate in DC vs. Alaska
Comparison | DC | Alaska |
---|---|---|
Political Make-up | Strongly Democratic | Lean Republican |
Local Politics | Urban-centric issues, emphasis on federal governance | Focus on environmental policy, resource management |
Religion | Higher percentage of non-religious individuals, diverse religious landscape | Conservative Christian majority, but diverse indigenous spiritual practices |
- DC tends to lean strongly Democratic in its political climate
- Alaska, on the other hand, is often described as leaning Republican
- Alaska's religious environment can be described as a conservative Christian majority, but with diverse indigenous spiritual practices
- DC's residents' religious practices can be generally categorized as a higher percentage of non-religious individuals and a diverse religious landscape
Education Guide When Moving from DC to Alaska
Comparison | DC | Alaska |
---|---|---|
Where most Seniors go to college (top 3) | Georgetown University George Washington University Howard University | University of Alaska Anchorage University of Alaska Fairbanks Alaska Pacific University |
Top 3 Elementary Schools | Mann Elementary Janney Elementary Eaton Elementary | Rogers Park Elementary North Star Elementary Aquarian Charter School |
Top 3 Middle Schools | Deal Middle School Hardy Middle School Eliot-Hine Middle School | Romig Middle School Goldenview Middle School Mirror Lake Middle School |
Top 3 High School Schools | School Without Walls High School Banneker High School Wilson High School | West High School South Anchorage High Dimond High School |
Top 3 private high schools | Sidwell Friends School Georgetown Day School St. Albans School | Grace Christian School Anchorage Christian Schools Holy Rosary Academy |
Top 3 private K-12 schools | Maret School National Cathedral School Georgetown Preparatory School | Pacific Northern Academy Birchwood Christian School Lumen Christi High School |
Top 3 School Districts | DC Public Schools KIPP DC Friendship Public Charter School | Anchorage School District Matanuska-Susitna Borough School District Kenai Peninsula Borough School District |
Top DC to Alaska Movers
Read our in-depth analysis of the best DC to Alaska movers with detailed rankings, cost breakdowns, and reviews.