#1Anchorage
Anchorage Municipality · 287,155 peopleOutdoors grade, better than 97% of U.S. towns·Overall C+ · #26 of 41 in AK
Anchorage, #1 on this list · Oscar Gill House · Photo: 61north · CC BY-SA 4.0Alaska rankings · Outdoors
Best towns for the outdoors in Alaska
Anchorage ranks first on outdoors among Alaska’s 41 towns of 2,500+; 12 of the 41 grade A− or better on outdoors nationally.
The Outdoors grade, a character grade (not part of the overall): the share of land conserved and the trail miles per square mile. How grades work
#1A+
#2Soldotna
Kenai Peninsula Borough · 4,615 peopleOutdoors grade, better than 92% of U.S. towns·Overall B− · #18 of 41 in AK
#3Mill Bay
unincorporated, Kodiak Island Borough · 3,654 peopleOutdoors grade, better than 90% of U.S. towns·Overall C · #34 of 41 in AK
All 41 towns
Outdoors grade, best first (the letter is national). Towns with the same score share a rank; the overall grade and state rank are beside each.
41 towns ranked. Not here? See why a town may be missing.
#TownGradeOverall
1AnchorageAnchorage Municipality · 287,155 peopleA+better than 97% of U.S. towns·Overall C+ · #26 of 41
2SoldotnaKenai Peninsula Borough · 4,615 peopleAbetter than 92% of U.S. towns·Overall B− · #18 of 41
3Mill Bayunincorporated, Kodiak Island Borough · 3,654 peopleAbetter than 90% of U.S. towns·Overall C · #34 of 41
5PalmerMatanuska-Susitna Borough · 6,710 peopleA−better than 85% of U.S. towns·Overall B · #11 of 41
6Gatewayunincorporated, Matanuska-Susitna Borough · 6,845 peopleA−better than 84% of U.S. towns·Overall B · #10 of 41
7FairbanksFairbanks North Star Borough · 31,468 peopleA−better than 83% of U.S. towns·Overall C− · #38 of 41
8Big Lakeunincorporated, Matanuska-Susitna Borough · 3,585 peopleA−better than 80% of U.S. towns·Overall C · #29 of 41
9Fishhookunincorporated, Matanuska-Susitna Borough · 5,819 peopleA−better than 79% of U.S. towns·Overall C+ · #27 of 41
10Farmers Loopunincorporated, Fairbanks North Star Borough · 4,954 peopleA−better than 79% of U.S. towns·Overall B+ · #6 of 41
11Collegeunincorporated, Fairbanks North Star Borough · 11,924 peopleA−better than 77% of U.S. towns·Overall B · #13 of 41
12Goldstreamunincorporated, Fairbanks North Star Borough · 3,294 peopleA−better than 76% of U.S. towns·Overall B · #7 of 41
14JuneauJuneau City and Borough · 31,609 peopleB+better than 72% of U.S. towns·Overall B · #14 of 41
16Petersburgunincorporated, Petersburg Borough · 3,227 peopleB+better than 66% of U.S. towns·Overall A · #1 of 41
19Kalifornskyunincorporated, Kenai Peninsula Borough · 8,663 peopleBbetter than 62% of U.S. towns·Overall B− · #17 of 41
20Meadow Lakesunincorporated, Matanuska-Susitna Borough · 8,689 peopleBbetter than 61% of U.S. towns·Overall C− · #35 of 41
21Chena Ridgeunincorporated, Fairbanks North Star Borough · 5,881 peopleBbetter than 59% of U.S. towns·Overall B− · #15 of 41
22Tanainaunincorporated, Matanuska-Susitna Borough · 9,646 peopleBbetter than 58% of U.S. towns·Overall C+ · #21 of 41
23Butteunincorporated, Matanuska-Susitna Borough · 4,085 peopleBbetter than 58% of U.S. towns·Overall B− · #19 of 41
25Esterunincorporated, Fairbanks North Star Borough · 2,752 peopleBbetter than 57% of U.S. towns·Overall C+ · #25 of 41
26KetchikanKetchikan Gateway Borough · 7,939 peopleB−better than 54% of U.S. towns·Overall C+ · #24 of 41
27Nikiskiunincorporated, Kenai Peninsula Borough · 4,773 peopleB−better than 53% of U.S. towns·Overall C− · #36 of 41
28WasillaMatanuska-Susitna Borough · 10,556 peopleB−better than 52% of U.S. towns·Overall C− · #40 of 41
29Badgerunincorporated, Fairbanks North Star Borough · 18,677 peopleB−better than 52% of U.S. towns·Overall C · #33 of 41
30North Lakesunincorporated, Matanuska-Susitna Borough · 10,223 peopleB−better than 50% of U.S. towns·Overall C+ · #22 of 41
32KotzebueNorthwest Arctic Borough · 2,876 peopleB−better than 45% of U.S. towns·Overall C− · #37 of 41
33UnalaskaAleutians West Census Area · 4,306 peopleB−better than 45% of U.S. towns·Overall A− · #2 of 41
34Eielson AFBunincorporated, Fairbanks North Star Borough · 3,155 peopleC+better than 38% of U.S. towns·Overall C · #32 of 41
35Steele Creekunincorporated, Fairbanks North Star Borough · 5,928 peopleC+better than 36% of U.S. towns·Overall B+ · #5 of 41
36Knik-Fairviewunincorporated, Matanuska-Susitna Borough · 19,972 peopleC+better than 36% of U.S. towns·Overall C · #31 of 41
37Farm Loopunincorporated, Matanuska-Susitna Borough · 2,894 peopleC+better than 36% of U.S. towns·Overall B · #12 of 41
40Sterlingunincorporated, Kenai Peninsula Borough · 6,323 peopleC−better than 21% of U.S. towns·Overall B · #9 of 41
41South Lakesunincorporated, Matanuska-Susitna Borough · 6,180 peopleDbetter than 12% of U.S. towns·Overall B · #8 of 41
Quick answers
Questions people ask
Which Alaska town is best for the outdoors?
Anchorage (Anchorage Municipality) ranks first on outdoors among 41 towns, with an A+; Soldotna and Mill Bay follow.
How are these towns ranked?
The Outdoors grade, a character grade (not part of the overall): the share of land conserved and the trail miles per square mile. Towns are sorted on the grade’s score; the letter and rank are the same as on each town’s page. How grades work.
Why isn’t my town on this list?
The list covers towns of 2,500+ residents with a outdoors grade (41 in Alaska). Smaller towns have the grade on their page but no rank. Every town is on the Alaska page.
Go deeper
All Alaska rankings →More Alaska lists
Every list ranks the same 2,500+ towns, so a town’s rank means the same thing on each.
Best places to live41 towns · #1 PetersburgBest small towns33 towns · #1 PetersburgMost affordable towns41 towns · #1 KotzebueSafest towns18 towns · #1 UnalaskaTowns with the best schools41 towns · #1 PetersburgHealthiest towns41 towns · #1 Chena RidgeBest towns for jobs & income41 towns · #1 Steele CreekMost walkable towns41 towns · #1 SitkaTowns with the lowest natural-hazard risk41 towns · #1 UtqiaġvikMost historic towns41 towns · #1 KetchikanTowns with the most civic life17 towns · #1 SewardTowns with the least snow35 towns · #1 KetchikanDescribed, no lettersSnowiest towns35 towns · #1 ValdezDescribed, no lettersTowns with the mildest winters41 towns · #1 SitkaDescribed, no lettersTowns with the hottest summers41 towns · #1 GoldstreamDescribed, no lettersTowns with the coolest summers41 towns · #1 UtqiaġvikDescribed, no lettersTowns with the highest incomes41 towns · #1 GatewayDescribed, no lettersTowns with the lowest property taxes39 towns · #1 KotzebueDescribed, no lettersFastest-growing towns19 towns · #1 WasillaDescribed, no letters
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