Moving to Ketchikan

Let us be the first to say Welcome! Here are some tools you’ll need for moving to Ketchikan. The people of Ketchikan are warm, engaged, and welcoming. Newcomers are amazed at how easy it is to get involved in the community, get oriented, and settled in. Never hesitate to call us here at the Chamber for any more information you might need. We might not share our favorite King Salmon and Halibut holes right off the bat, but we’ll be very helpful with everything else.

Our Wild Weather

Ketchikan is located in the Tongass National Forest, the largest national forest in the United States at 17 million acres. The Ketchikan area is part of a temperate rain forest with an average annual rain fall of 153 inches (just shy of 13 feet). The ocean currents, that bring the rain, also have a moderating effect on the climate which rarely gets too cold nor too hot. For further information please explore the usclimateadata.com link below for more specific recordings of average temperatures and rainfall by month.

Ketchikan Climate Data

Traveling to Ketchikan

Air Travel

The Ketchikan International Airport offers commercial airline service through Alaska Airlines, year-round, and through Delta Airlines in the summer season.

www.alaskaair.com

www.delta.com

The island of Revillagigedo, where Ketchikan is located, is only accessible by boat. When traveling by air, you will land at the International Airport on Gravina Island which is located approximately ¼ mile from Ketchikan. Take a short walk to the local ferry for a very quick voyage across to the Ketchikan landing.

The Airport Ferry service runs 7 days a week/365 days a year between the hours of 6 am and 9:30 pm. The first Ferry departs Ketchikan for the airport at 6:15 am. There are two departures per hour, at the 15-minute mark and the 45- minute mark: Ex: 3:15 and 4:45. The last Ferry departs the airport at 9:30 pm.

From the Airport side to Ketchikan there are two departures per hour, at the hour mark and the half hour mark: Ex: 9:00am or 1:30 pm

For more information on the Airport Ferry and fees.

Car Rentals:

Alaska Car Rental

Alaska State Ferry

In Southeast Alaska, water is a highway. The Alaska Marine Highway System (AMHS) is a ferry service operated by the State of Alaska with headquarters in Ketchikan, Alaska. The AMHS was started over 50 years ago to provide dependable marine transportation between Alaska’s coastal communities. It is part of the National Highway System and receives federal highway funding. The Alaska Marine Highway System is also the only marine route recognized as a National Scenic Byway and All-American Road.

The Alaska Marine Highway System’s 3,500 miles (5,600 km) of routes operate along the Southeast Alaska (Inside Passage), South Central (Alaska’s Heartland), and Southwest Alaska (Kodiak and the Aleutian Chain) coastlines with service extending into British Columbia, Canada and Bellingham, Washington.

Depending on your destination, voyages can range from a few hours to a few days. Private two or four person cabins with bathrooms are available for booking and the ships offer a variety of meal options in their cafeterias. Passengers who do not book a cabin are able to sleep in one of the recliner lounges, covered solariums or camp in their own small tent on the upper decks.

Since this is a highway system, you can bring your vehicle on board and your pets too. Go to FerryAlaska.com for more information or to book your trip on the Alaska Marine Highway System.

Shipping Vehicles and Personal Property:

Two options for barge shipping are offered in Ketchikan.

For more information on shipping vehicles or household goods, please visit:

Alaska Marine Lines

Samson Tug and Barge

Real Estate and Housing:

Ketchikan offers a variety of housing options and pricing to meet most budgets.  Our community is served by several real estate agencies managing residential and commercial sales and rental properties.

Coastal Real Estate Group

Gateway City Realty

Providence Properties

Legacy Real Estate

Schools, Education and Libraries

Private Schools

Clover Pass Christian School

Gateway Christian School

Holy Name Catholic School

Higher Education

University of Alaska, Southeast – Ketchikan

Public Library

The Ketchikan Public Library serves all the residents of the Ketchikan Gateway Borough with books, DVDs, magazines and newspapers for every age and interest. The Library also provides access to over 35,000 electronic and audio books through the Alaska Digital Library. Programs are offered several times a week for children, teens, adults and elders. For more information, go to the Ketchikan Public Library website, or call: 907-225-3331.

Hotels & Lodging:

We have so many Hotels, Bed and Breakfasts, Vacation Rentals, Fishing Lodges, and Resorts that there are just too many to list here. Please click here for our Business Directory to locate lodging that suits your needs and preferences.

Utilities:

Ketchikan Public Utilities provides telephone, wireless, internet, TV, electric, and water service.

GCI offers telephone, wireless, internet, and TV service.

Healthcare:

Ketchikan has a fully staffed hospital, along with several private practice medical doctors, nurse practitioners, dentists, chiropractors, and physical therapists. Please refer to our Business Directory for specific information about our local health care providers.

The Ketchikan PeaceHealth Medical Center is rated as the second best small town hospital in North America.

We also have many qualified health professionals outside of our hospital. For dental care we recommend Dr. Arne R. Pihl, DMD. (907) 225-7445, or Dr. David Albertson, D.D.S. (907) 225-9631. And for eye care we recommend Ketchikan Eye Care Center (907) 225-2020.

Employment

There are plenty of jobs available in Ketchikan, and you can browse what available on this comprehensive site:

Alaska Department of Labor

Ketchikan is full of entrepreneurial opportunities. We have inexpensive, renewable, hydropower power.  We are a regional maritime hub. Alaska Ship and Drydock

We have a qualified work force.  Ketchikan is located on the 11th largest Island in the United States and is surrounded by the largest temperate rainforest in the world. Ketchikan also has an extraordinary marine wilderness of the Inside Passage. Over one million people a year visit to experiences its beauty and wonders.

See: Ketchikan Visitors Bureau

Even on a remote island in the Alexander Archipelago, we are never far from the rest of the world with Broadband Internet Access & Services

GCI & KPU