Life changing
Juneau residents rank “quality of life in Juneau” as the #1 reason they live in Juneau. From the moment you step off the plane it is easy to see that Juneau is one of the best kept secrets in the country. Beautiful mountains, glaciers, flowing rivers and ocean channels are around every turn. With minimal traffic, no pollution and some of the cleanest water you will ever have, Juneau is just secluded enough to balance small town charm with a strong political and economic presence. For some wonderful pictures of the Juneau area, check out the Juneau Photo Group on Facebook.
Commuting
Traffic in Juneau is negligible relative to the average large city. Living and working in Juneau, the average commute is 10-15 minutes. This can save you 130 hours (almost 17 work days/3.5 work weeks) a year spent commuting to and from work.
Many staff who live around downtown walk less than 10 minutes to the office, year-round.
The ideal commute time is 16 minutes, here at APFC, 16 minutes is about the LONGEST commute you might have. If you’ve been commuting for many years just imagine what you would do with all the extra time you will have.
WEather
LOCATION: Located at sea level on the inside passage of the Lynn Canal in the panhandle of Southeast Alaska, Juneau has a mild, maritime climate.
TEMPERATURE: Juneau averages about 25 degrees Fahrenheit in January and 63 degrees Fahrenheit in July with an average of 86 sunny days per year.
RAIN & SNOW: There are no drought worries here: average rainfall is 77 inches a year and snowfall averages 78 inches.
LIGHT & DARK: Juneau does not have the "midnight sun" experienced further north in Alaska, but daylight averages 18 hours during the summer months compared to about 6.50 hours during peak winter months During the dark winter months on a clear night, you will have opportunities to enjoy the incredible beauty of the ‘Northern Lights’.
Travel
AIR TRAVEL: Alaska Airlines operates year round, and Delta Airlines operates from May – September, both offering nonstop service from the Juneau Airport to Anchorage and Seattle, and from there you can connect to anywhere in the world. There is also access to regional communities via several local airlines.
FERRY SYSTEM: Traveling on the State Ferry system is quite an experience. Beautiful scenery and amazing wildlife is everywhere as you travel throughout the region.
CONVENIENCE: Juneau International Airport has ample convenient parking, and it often requires only minutes to get through security. No fighting traffic to get to the airport 3 hours in advance to make your flight!
PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION: Capital Transit provides public transportation for the city of Juneau. Their fixed-route services offer passengers quick, convenient travel between downtown Juneau, the Mendenhall Valley, and the Douglas area.
SCHOOLS
K-12
The Juneau School District has six elementary schools, a K-7 charter school, as well as a number of Montessori programs and a substantial home-schooling population. It has two middle schools, two regular and one alternative high school.
Post-Secondary
Juneau is home to the University of Alaska Southeast, one of the three main campuses of the University of Alaska, which amongst a variety of degree options, offers a Masters in Public Administration.
Dining & Shopping
One of the most unique aspects of life in Juneau is the loyalty of the people to local businesses. This is reflected in our dining culture, which is filled with a variety of unique restaurants located throughout the town.
Other than Subway, McDonalds, Domino’s, Papa Johns, and Papa Murphy’s you won’t find any national chain restaurants.
Similar to the dining we have a variety of local businesses that fulfill our needs. Major stores include Costco, Fred Meyer, Safeway, Home Depot, Petco and Office Depot.
Sports & Adventure
ADVENTURES & HIKING: Outdoor recreation is unparalleled and includes Eaglecrest, Juneau’s community owned and operated ski area with big mountain terrain, 1620’ vertical drop, 640+ acres, and extraordinary backcountry access,the Mendenhall Glacier, and an extensive trail system. State & Federal wilderness cabins are available for rent year round and it’s not uncommon to see majestic bald eagles, brown and black bears, as well as deer, mountain goats and wolves. With 50+ trails to hike you can also take your mountain bike on almost all of them!
BOATING & FISHING: Juneau has several boat harbors and launching ramps for boats and kayaks. Juneau is a fishing destination for tourists from around the world. The best part is you don’t even need a boat... your neighbor probably already has one!
STAYING HEALTHY: Juneau has a number of gyms and public pools, as well as tennis, ice skating, soccer and track facilities. Juneau also has their own indoor rock climbing facility located Downtown.
Culture & Events
Each fall, the University hosts staff lectures on a wide array of topics. Friday nights in the winter naturalists and adventurers present at the Fireside Chats at the Mendenhall Glacier Visitors’ Center. Juneau hosts over a million tourists each summer. The tourism industry extends discounts to locals as well. There are options to take local cruises, flight seeing tours, etc. Juneau’s active cultural scene includes Perseverance Theatre, the Juneau Folk Festival, Celebration (a celebration of the native Alaskan people), Wearable Arts Show, The Public Market, Monthly First Friday Art Gallery events, Juneau Dance Theater, Juneau Symphony, Juneau Lyric Opera, and Theatre in the Rough.
Economy & Employment
| Taxes | Alaska | California | New York |
|---|---|---|---|
| State Income Tax | 0% | 11% | 6.85% |
| State Sales Tax | 0% | 6% | 4% |
| City, County, and/or School District Income Taxes |
0% | Varies by Location | Varies by Location |
| Local Property Tax | 1% | 1% | 10-17% (NYC) |
| Local Sales Tax | 5% | 2.63% (San Fransico) | 4.5% (NYC) |
| SBS (state of AK Social Security Substitute |
6.13% on earnings up to $132,900 (2018); matched |
Social Security 6.2% Matched |
Social Security 6.2% Matched |
Work
The team we have built here at the Alaska Permanent Fund Corporation truly embraces life in Alaska. APFC enjoys a very high profile and positive image in the community and throughout the State. The office has free
reserved parking, incredible views of the channel and surrounding mountains.
The building is located on the edge of downtown within easy walking access to local neighborhoods, restaurants, gym, day
care facilities, grocery store, medical offices and schools.
Professional Education & Training
We recognize that our employees add incredible value and knowledge to the team and strongly encourage employee participation in continuing educational pursuits, and professional training.
Moving
The State of Alaska Moving Policy enables APFC to offer moving benefits to new employees. General provisions may include a pre-move round trip for house hunting, a one-way move with cost or poundage thresholds for shipping personal goods, and shipment of vehicles. Employees must reimburse the State for all or part of moving expenditures if they leave State service prior to two full years, based on an incremental schedule.
The A-Team
Our team is given the freedom and responsibility to make meticulously vetted decisions that have immediate and long term impact to the Fund. We offer a challenging environment that encourages professional growth and recognizes individual accomplishments. Thoughtful and sometimes creative dialogue with key decision makers is common in the hallways and
everyone here plays a critical role in the success of the organization.
Every door is open and we truly value input and ideas from everyone on the team. The team we have built here embraces life in the Last Frontier. When we’re not here at the office, you might find us at one of the delicious restaurants downtown, skiing, hiking, trail running, or halibut and salmon fishing, all within minutes of work and home.
The entire APFC team is here and excited to answer any questions that you might have about life in Juneau!