Best places to live in Alaska

What do you look for in an ideal town? Proximity to trails, lakes, and beaches? How about top-ranked schools for your children? Would you like a professional or college sports team nearby, or do you prefer museums and art walks?

Stacker compiled a list of the best places to live in Alaska using data from Niche. Niche ranks places to live based on a variety of factors including cost of living, schools, health care, recreation, and weather.

On the list, there's a robust mix of offerings from great schools and nightlife to high walkability and public parks. Some areas have enjoyed rapid growth thanks to new businesses moving to the area, while others offer glimpses into area history with well-preserved architecture and museums. Keep reading to see if your hometown made the list.

#10. Soldotna
- Population: 4,649
- Median home value: $211,400 (51% own)
- Median rent: $1,019 (49% rent)
- Median household income: $60,491
- Top public schools: Aurora Borealis Charter School (A-), Soldotna Montessori Charter School (B+), Fireweed Academy (B+)

#9. Ketchikan
- Population: 8,228
- Median home value: $255,600 (50% own)
- Median rent: $1,106 (50% rent)
- Median household income: $61,419
- Top public schools: Ketchikan High School (B+), Schoenbar Middle School (B+), Ketchikan Charter School (B+)
- Top private schools: Holy Name Catholic School

#8. Gateway
- Population: 7,076
- Median home value: $321,100 (78% own)
- Median rent: $1,117 (22% rent)
- Median household income: $105,543
- Top public schools: Mat-Su Career & Tech Education High School (A), Academy Charter School (A), Teeland Middle School (A-)

#7. Ester
- Population: 1,622
- Median home value: $232,500 (45% own)
- Median rent: $668 (55% rent)
- Median household income: $65,664
- Top public schools: West Valley High School (A-), Watershed Charter School (A-), Randy Smith Middle School (B+)

#6. Juneau
- Population: 32,227
- Median home value: $345,900 (65% own)
- Median rent: $1,310 (35% rent)
- Median household income: $88,390
- Top public schools: Mitkof Middle School (A), Thunder Mountain High School (A), Petersburg High School (A-)
- Top private schools: Faith Community School

#5. Kodiak
- Population: 6,022
- Median home value: $255,000 (50% own)
- Median rent: $1,228 (50% rent)
- Median household income: $73,310
- Top public schools: Kodiak High School (B+), North Star Elementary School (B+), Kodiak Middle School (B-)

#4. Kalifornsky
- Population: 8,581
- Median home value: $251,400 (81% own)
- Median rent: $1,254 (19% rent)
- Median household income: $86,420
- Top public schools: Aurora Borealis Charter School (A-), Soldotna Montessori Charter School (B+), Tustumena Elementary School (B+)
- Top private schools: Cook Inlet Academy (B), Grace Evangelical Lutheran School, Wings Christian Academy

#3. Anchorage
- Population: 293,531
- Median home value: $314,800 (61% own)
- Median rent: $1,320 (39% rent)
- Median household income: $84,928
- Top public schools: Bayshore Elementary School (A), Aurora Elementary School (A), South Anchorage High School (A)
- Top private schools: Holy Rosary Academy (A), Lumen Christi Catholic High School (A-), Grace Christian School (B+)

#2. Sitka
- Population: 8,640
- Median home value: $358,600 (59% own)
- Median rent: $1,131 (41% rent)
- Median household income: $73,682
- Top public schools: Blatchley Middle School (B+), Keet Gooshi Heen Elementary School (B+), Mt. Edgecumbe High School (B+)

#1. College
- Population: 12,791
- Median home value: $244,700 (63% own)
- Median rent: $1,304 (37% rent)
- Median household income: $80,561
- Top public schools: West Valley High School (A-), Watershed Charter School (A-), Randy Smith Middle School (B+)
- Top private schools: Golden Heart Christian School