Nomosendero: I know many, and I do mean many families that have all moved up here. First usually a Son or Daughter moves to Alaska. Then the Brothers and Sisters come up to visit. They like it so well they go back and sell everything and make the move up here. Mom and Dads come up to visit, go back sell everything and move up here. It happens all the time. All it takes is a visit, and a short job search, and boom they are hooked.
Russ my neighbor second door down, came up to visit an old friend, Norm. Norm and I are old hunting buddies, have been for 30 years. Norm lives second house in the other direction. Anyway after Russ and his family went back to Detroit, his kids started getting into trouble at the local malls. His wife and he decided Alaska would be a great place to raise kids. They sold everything but the vans, and moved up that summer. Fortunately for them the house second door came up for sell while they were staying with Norm. Their two oldest daughters attended UAF after graduating high school, and have very successful careers. Their son is working for the POGO Gold mine, and loves the job he is doing operating equipment. Their youngest is also attending UAF, and is in her second year, like my son. Lorain, Russ's wife is a nurse, and makes very good money at Fairbanks Memorial Hospital. Russ quite his job as a mechanic, and is attending UAF, going for an Engineering degree, he too is in his second year.
Doors open for people up here, and it's not as bad as people make it out to be. Living in Anchorage is no worse than living in Chicago, weatherwise, just winter is a little longer. It's not as bad as living in places like Montana, and North Dakota. Now Fairbanks where I live is a little worse, but sufferable. The freedoms we have more than make up for it. Taxes, we only pay Federal income taxes and local property taxes. No sales taxes, (except city of North Pole, Soldotna, and Juneau) no income taxes, and the property taxes are only for your land and home, not for vehicles, toys, or livestock, like back east. I live outside the city of North Pole, and do all my shopping in Fairbanks.