Utah to Alaska Moving Guide
Updated June 22, 2025

Planning a 2,434 mile interstate move from Utah to Alaska? This moving guide will help you compare living in Utah vs Alaska across 7 important categories. Compare the pros & cons (like extreme summer heat vs crisp, cool summers), food & health (like Jell-O vs Salmon), real estate & housing (modern and craftsman vs rustic and log cabin), weather & wardrobe, cost of living & taxes (it's more expensive in Alaska), politics & religion, and education.
Key Takeaways:
- Say goodbye to Jell-O and Utah scones with honey butter, but get your taste buds ready for Salmon & Reindeer sausage
- Alaska housing costs are 32% less expensive than they are in Utah
- Rent in Alaska is 3.44% more expensive than in Utah
- Our top recommended Utah to Alaska movers is 801 Moving Company
Utah to Alaska Moving Guide
Pros and Cons of Moving from Utah to Alaska
- Extreme summer heat
- Urban sprawl
- High traffic
- Limited wildlife
- High housing costs
- Crisp, cool summers
- Vast natural landscapes
- Less congestion
- Rich wildlife diversity
- Affordable housing
- Harsh, long winters
- Limited urban amenities
- Remote living
- Few restaurant choices
- Isolated lifestyle
- Mild winters
- Vibrant city life
- Established communities
- Dining variety
- Diverse culture
Pros of moving from Utah to Alaska
- Say goodbye to extreme summer heat and hello to crisp, cool summers
- Look forward to moving away from urban sprawl and moving to Alaska with vast natural landscapes
- Swap the high traffic of Utah for less congestion in Alaska
- Get ready for rich wildlife diversity in Alaska
Cons of moving from Utah to Alaska
- Unfortunately, you'll be moving away from mild winters in Utah to live with harsh, long winters in Alaska
- You'll lose out on the pro of vibrant city life and have to settle for the con of limited urban amenities
- Time to bid farewell to established communities and get used to remote living in Alaska
- Swap dining variety for fewer restaurant choices
Utah vs. Alaska: Comparing the Local Foodie Scene
Comparison | Utah | Alaska |
---|---|---|
Most iconic local food item | Jell-O | Salmon |
Most popular meat dish | Utah scones with honey butter | Reindeer sausage |
Most popular street food item | Fry sauce with fries | King Crab Legs |
Most popular vegan food | Avocado toast | Seaweed salad |
Top 3 iconic restaurants that summarize the state |
|
|
Fitness/Health Conscientiousness | πͺπͺπͺπͺπͺπͺπͺπͺπͺπͺ | πͺπͺπͺπͺπͺπͺπͺπͺπͺπͺ |
Abundance of Food Trucks | ππππππππππ | ππππππππππ |
Foodie Scene | π΄π΄π΄π΄π΄π΄π΄π΄π΄π΄ | π΄π΄π΄π΄π΄π΄π΄π΄π΄π΄ |
Vegan Friendly | π±π±π±π±π±π±π±π±π±π± | π±π±π±π±π±π±π±π±π±π± |
If you're moving from Utah to Alaska, you will be trading the iconic Jell-O of Utah for the equally delicious salmon of Alaska. And while the locals in Utah rave about their flavorful Utah scones with honey butter and sumptuous fry sauce with fries, Alaska residents know they have tasty reindeer sausage and king crab legs to savor. While the vegan transplants might be saying goodbye to the avocado toast they've grown to love, they can get ready for the seaweed salad of Alaska. In the days before your move, make sure you get one final trip to iconic Utah eateries like Red Iguana, Moochie's Meatballs, and The Pie Pizzeria. After the boxes are unpacked in Alaska, don't wait too long before making your way to Alaska's acclaimed eateries like Moose's Tooth Pub and Pizzeria, Snow City Cafe, and Simon & Seafort's.
When comparing lifestyles, Alaska shows less emphasis on fitness and health consciousness than Utah. Food truck fans will discover a less desirable selection in Alaska compared to what you are used to in Utah. Also, the overall foodie scene is similarly bustling in Alaska.
Real Estate & Lifestyle Differences between Utah and Alaska
Comparison | Utah | Alaska |
---|---|---|
Typical Architecture Style | Modern and Craftsman | Rustic and Log Cabin |
Walkability | ππππππππππ | ππππππππππ |
Bikeability | π²π²π²π²π²π²π²π²π²π² | π²π²π²π²π²π²π²π²π²π² |
Urban Lifestyle | ποΈποΈποΈποΈποΈποΈποΈποΈποΈποΈ | ποΈποΈποΈποΈποΈποΈποΈποΈποΈποΈ |
Most popular items mentioned in real estate listing | Energy efficiency, Proximity to national parks | Natural beauty, Privacy |
- The Modern and Craftsman architecture that Utah is known for will be replaced with the Rustic and Log Cabin architecture typical of Alaska.
- Compared to Utah's real estate listings, which commonly reference energy efficiency and proximity to national parks, Alaska real estate listings often highlight features like natural beauty and privacy.
- You can keep your walking shoes packed away. Alaska is less walkable than Utah.
- You might want to think twice before moving your bike. Alaska is less bike-friendly than Utah.
- Alaska has less of an urban feel than Utah.
- Alaska housing costs are 32% less expensive than they are in Utah, with a median home price of $354,563 compared to Utahβs $519,182.
- Not enough data to generate a comparison.
- Rent in Alaska is 3.44% more expensive than in Utah.
Your Move, Your Forecast: Key Weather Differences between Utah and Alaska
Comparison | Utah | Alaska |
---|---|---|
Days of Sunshine per Year | βοΈβοΈβοΈβοΈβοΈ | βοΈβοΈβοΈβοΈβοΈ |
Avg. Annual Humidity | π¦π¦π¦π¦π¦π¦π¦π¦π¦π¦ | π¦π¦π¦π¦π¦π¦π¦π¦π¦π¦ |
Avg. UV Index | πΆοΈπΆοΈπΆοΈπΆοΈπΆοΈπΆοΈπΆοΈπΆοΈπΆοΈπΆοΈπΆοΈ | πΆοΈπΆοΈπΆοΈπΆοΈπΆοΈπΆοΈπΆοΈπΆοΈπΆοΈπΆοΈπΆοΈ |
Natural Disasters | Wildfires, Earthquakes | Earthquakes, Avalanches |
Air Quality | Good to Moderate | Good |
Average Summer High/Low (Β°F) | 85Β°F / 60Β°F | 60Β°F / 40Β°F |
Average Winter High/Low (Β°F) | 37Β°F / 20Β°F | 20Β°F / -10Β°F |
Annual Rainfall (Inches) | 20" | 22" |
Annual Snowfall (Inches) | 56" | 75" |
- The shades won't be used as much for your move from Utah to Alaska. Alaska gets 37% fewer sunshine days than Utah.
- Alaska has higher humidity and a lower average UV index compared to Utah.
- Say goodbye to the possible wildfires and earthquakes in Utah, but be on the lookout for potential earthquakes and avalanches in Alaska.
- Get ready for colder summers. The average summer high temperature in Alaska is 25 degrees colder than in Utah.
- The average winter lows are 30 degrees colder than they are in Utah.
- Your umbrella might be more overworked in Alaska. Alaska receives 2 more inches of rain compared to Utah.
Financial & Community Snapshot: Utah and Alaska
Comparison | Utah | Alaska |
---|---|---|
Avg. Household Income | $89,168 | $88,121 |
Cost of Living Index | 95.75 | 132.6 |
State Income Tax | 4.95% | 0% |
Avg. Property Tax | 0.58% | 1.18% |
Avg. Sales Tax | 7.19% | 1.76% |
Top 3 Industries | Technology, Tourism, Finance | Oil, Tourism, Fishing |
Affluence | Moderate | Variable |
Poverty | Low | Moderate |
Homelessness | Low | Higher |
- When it comes to your monthly paycheck, residents in Alaska tend to earn about 1% less than in Utah
- The COLI in Alaska is 38% higher than what you are used to living in Utah
- Hooray, moving to AK means you'll no longer have state income taxes
- The affluence in Alaska is variable compared to moderate in Utah
- The poverty level is moderate in Alaska compared to low in Utah
- In terms of homelessness, it is low in Utah and higher in Alaska
Political and Religious Climate in Utah vs. Alaska
Comparison | Utah | Alaska |
---|---|---|
Political Make-up | Conservative, Republican-majority | Independent leaning, with Republican & Democratic influence |
Local Politics | Highly engaged, with local issues often influencing statewide policies | Diverse, with localized issues varying greatly across the state |
Religion | Largely LDS (Mormon) Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints | Religiously diverse, with no single dominant group |
- Utah tends to lean conservative and has a Republican majority in its political climate
- Alaska, on the other hand, is often described as independent-leaning with Republican and Democratic influence
- Alaska's religious environment can be described as religiously diverse with no single dominant group
- Utah's residents' religious practices can be generally categorized as largely belonging to the LDS (Mormon) Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
Education Guide When Moving from Utah to Alaska
Comparison | Utah | Alaska |
---|---|---|
Where most Seniors go to college (top 3) | University of Utah Brigham Young University Utah State University | University of Alaska Anchorage University of Alaska Fairbanks Alaska Pacific University |
Top 3 Elementary Schools | Edgemont Elementary School (Provo) Canyon View Elementary School (Cottonwood Heights) Oakridge Elementary School (Salt Lake City) | Aurora Elementary School (Anchorage) Northern Lights ABC School (Anchorage) Pearl Creek Elementary School (Fairbanks) |
Top 3 Middle Schools | Rocky Mountain Middle School (Heber City) Centennial Middle School (Provo) Mountain Ridge Junior High School (Highland) | Romig Middle School (Anchorage) Mears Middle School (Anchorage) Mirror Lake Middle School (Chugiak) |
Top 3 High Schools | Academy for Math Engineering & Science (Salt Lake City) Itineris Early College High (West Jordan) Northern Utah Academy for Math Engineering & Science (Layton) | West High School (Anchorage) South Anchorage High School (Anchorage) Service High School (Anchorage) |
Top 3 Private High Schools | Rowland Hall (Salt Lake City) Waterford School (Sandy) Juan Diego Catholic High School (Draper) | Holy Rosary Academy (Anchorage) Grace Christian School (Anchorage) Anchorage Christian Schools (Anchorage) |
Top 3 Private K-12 Schools | Rowland Hall (Salt Lake City) Waterford School (Sandy) Layton Christian Academy (Layton) | Pacific Northern Academy (Anchorage) Holy Rosary Academy (Anchorage) Lumen Christi High School (Anchorage) |
Top 3 School Districts | Davis School District Park City School District Canyons School District | Anchorage School District Matanuska-Susitna Borough School District Kenai Peninsula Borough School District |
Top Utah to Alaska Movers
Read our in-depth analysis of the best Utah to Alaska movers with detailed rankings, cost breakdowns, and reviews.