Did you know Alaska is as big as Texas, California, and Montana combined? With all that land, you might wonder, who really owns Alaska?

Well, Lottie and I are here to break down what makes our state so unique when it comes to land ownership, population dynamics, and economic opportunities. From historical tidbits to modern real estate realities, we’re diving into who actually owns Alaska and how that ownership shapes everyday life for Alaskans.

The Great Land: Alaska’s Size and Scope

· When you really start to look at it, Alaska’s size is almost hard to wrap your head around. In this episode, Lottie and I talk about just how vast our state truly is. It’s over 663,000 square miles, or should we say, enough room to fit 430 Rhode Islands.

· We also chat about Alaska’s incredible coastline, the longest in the entire country, and share a few personal stories that bring those wild statistics to life. If you’ve ever wondered what makes living here so special, our conversation will give you a new appreciation for just how big and beautiful “The Great Land” really is.

Who Really Owns Alaska?

· Here’s where things get interesting. Even though Alaska has around 365 million acres, nearly 90% of it is owned by either the federal or state government. Alaska Native Corporations own about 12.5% of the land, which leaves less than 1% for private citizens and businesses.

· That means if we divided it evenly, every Alaskan would get just about one acre of land! Lottie and I break down what that really means for anyone hoping to buy, develop, or just understand why land ownership here is so different from anywhere else in the U.S.

Living in Alaska: Accessibility and Barriers

· Now, with all that space, you’d think finding a place to build would be easy—but not quite. Much of Alaska’s land is undevelopable, whether it’s permafrost, wetlands, or simply too remote to reach without a plane. We share a few local stories about isolated communities, frozen lakes, and what it really takes to get from point A to point B up here.

· We also discuss why housing can be so limited in Anchorage and how geography shapes where—and how—people can live in Alaska.

The Economy and Everyday Opportunity

· To wrap things up, we dive into Alaska’s economy and what makes life here so unique. Incomes are higher than the national average, and we enjoy no state income or sales tax in major cities.

· But there are tradeoffs. With such little private land and much of the retail growth shifting toward the Valley, Anchorage faces real challenges when it comes to expansion and urban planning.

· We share our thoughts on where things are headed and what it’ll take to keep Alaska’s communities strong, vibrant, and full of opportunity for generations to come.

“The median household income here is $89,336. That’s from a couple of years ago, but it’s still about 13.75% higher than the national median.” - Connie Yoshimura.

“What we might not be considering when we say that number out loud is that we don’t have a state income tax. We’re careful about how we tax ourselves. So yes, we have taxes on tobacco, alcohol, and marijuana, but we don’t have many of the hidden taxes that the rest of the country is burdened with.” - Lottie Michael.