Juneau, Alaska

Life in Juneau, Alaska, explained by people who’ve lived in Juneau:

*Response format = Answer (Your name, How long you’ve lived in Juneau)

Juneau Favorites

What’s your favorite thing about living in Juneau?

What’s your least favorite thing about living in Juneau?

Drugs, JPD. (Julia, 7 years)
The expense. (Tori, 16 years)
Plenty of work. (Marc, 18 years)
Junkies and thieves. (Jordan 24 years)
Increasing crime (feeling less secure when out and about). (Ruth, 25 years)
Not enough roads. (Erin, 33 years)
The very cold winters. (Jason, 33 years)
Seeing crystal meth turn friends into zombies who steal and don’t care about anyone or anything. (Donna, 35 years)

What are fun things to do in Juneau?

What’s Juneau known for?

Drugs. (Julia, 7 years)
Rain, celebration, the Capitol. (Tori, 16 years)
Drug addicts and tourists. (Marc, 18 years)
It’s charm, wearing off lately though with all the crime. (Jordan, 24 years)
Beautiful scenery. (Ruth, 25 years)
Glaciers, fishing, and wildlife. (Erin, 33 years)
Tourism. (Jason, 33 years)
Being Alaska’s capital, not being able to drive to any other place in the world. (Donna, 35 years)

What’s the crime like in Juneau? (hot spot areas, etc.)

All over. (Julia, 7 years)
Heightened with petty crime. (Tori, 16 years)
You have a meth or heroin addict in just about every neighborhood. (Marc, 18 years)
Horrible. (Jordan, 24 years)
Too much to answer. When we moved to Juneau the police blotter was actually empty some days. Now I’m surprised it doesn’t take a full page up. Downtown isn’t safe anymore, but neither is the valley. Too many people angry at the world. (Ruth, 25 years)
Thieves and junkies stealing all over, nothing safe. (Erin, 33 years)
Lemon Creek, Mendenhall, and downtown area. (Jason, 33 years)
Any neighborhood is no longer safe from thieves and druggies. (Donna, 35 years)

Any advice for people moving to Juneau?

Don’t. (Julia, 7 years)
The cost is high, be prepared, have a car. (Tori, 16 years)
Plenty of locks and security cameras. (Marc, 18 years)
Invest in cameras and good locks. (Jordan, 24 years)
Know yourself and become aware of what your neighbors are like. Small towns are awesome but can become jaded quickly. Bring your rain boots, you will get sick of the rain in year one, and love it by year five. (Ruth, 25 years)
Don’t come, stay where you are. (Erin, 33 years)
Get a Costco card and dress in layers. (Jason, 33 years)
Make sure you have a place to live first. 99% of apartments and homes for rent do not allow pets. (Donna, 35 years)

Share an experience you’ve had in Juneau (fun, crazy, dangerous, etc.).

Kids’ birthdays. (Julia, 7 years)
Too many to choose. (Tori, 16 years)
Camping trips on the backside of Douglas. (Marc, 18 years)
Recently had a beautiful black bear raid my blueberry bush. It nicely climbed the fence and then ran straight through it (chain link) when startled. (Ruth, 25 years)
Getting in our boat and leaving town for a while, no cell phones, no people. (Erin, 33 years)
Ice caves, skiing, hikes, whale watching, boating. (Jason, 33 years)

How do you think Juneau will change over the next 10 years?

Badly. (Julia, 7 years)
Inflation will push more people out. (Tori, 16 years)
It’s going downhill fast. (Marc, 18 years)
Hopefully for the better. (Jordan, 24 years)
More people, more crime, more drugs and less control. (Ruth, 25 years)
For the worse.. the thieves take over, and they don’t care… the SB law crime is a revolving door for them and they know it. (Erin, 33 years)
Hopefully it be another bridge and Fred Meyer intersection. (Jason, 33 years)
More crime, more homeless. (Donna, 35 years)

Any other interesting facts about Juneau?

Law needs to get serious. (Julia, 7 years)
It’s a great place to volunteer and establish yourself. (Tori, 16 years)
Like all towns, there are good and bad. Remember to enjoy the good and not let the bad sway your own good values. (Ruth, 25 years)
It’s spendy. (Erin, 33 years)
Gas and groceries are very expensive. (Donna, 35 years)