Juneau, Alaska Retirement

The City and Borough of Juneau, is a unified municipality located on the Gastineau Channel on the Alexander Archipelago in the state of Alaska. It has been the capital of Alaska since 1906, when the government of the then-Alaska Territory was moved from Sitka.

Population: As of the 2000 census, there were 30,700 people.

Things to see and do: Juneau is home to Perseverance Theatre, Alaska's only professional theater. The area hosts the annual Alaska Folk Festival and Juneau Jazz & Classics music festivals, and the Juneau Symphony performs regularly. Downtown Juneau boasts dozens of art galleries, which participate in the monthly First Friday Gallery Walk and the enormously popular December Gallery Walk held in the first week of December. The Juneau Arts & Humanities Council coordinates events while fund-raising, distributing some grant money, and operating a gallery at its office near 2nd Street and Franklin Street. On summer Friday evenings open-air music and dance performances are held at Marine Park. The University of Alaska Southeast Campus also offers lectures, concerts, and theater performances.

Universities: University of Alaska Southeast

Climate: Remember your rain jacket. The Juneau and Inside Passage climate is wet. It rains, on average, between 3 inches (April) and 7 inches (September) a month. Average summer high temperatures are in the 50s, with lows in the 40s. The average high temperature in July is 65 °F (18 °C), and the average low temperature in January is 20 °F (-7 °C).

Transportation: Air North services Juneau year-round from Whitehorse, Canada three times a week via a 50-minute flight. The Alaska Marine Highway ferry system offers auto and passenger connections to Juneau. From the north, board the ferry in Skagway or Haines. From the south, board the ferry from Bellingham or Prince Rupert. Ferry service is available all year, but during the summer, the frequency of service increases.

Health Care: Bartlett Regional Hospital - Northern Southeast Alaska's premier healthcare provider. 3260 Hospital Drive.

Housing Costs: Estimated median house/condo value in 2005: $225,000 (it was $195,100 in 2000)