Moving to Ketchikan: Pros, Cons & What to Know
Moving to Ketchikan means moving to a real, genuinely distinctive Southeast Alaska community -- no road connects Ketchikan to the rest of Alaska or the Lower 48, so every move here requires planning around air or ferry logistics.
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Learn moreNo road access, at all
Ketchikan has no road connection to the rest of Alaska or the continental United States. Household goods, vehicles, and personal items typically travel by barge or the Alaska Marine Highway ferry system, or by air freight -- plan shipping well in advance.
The airport is on a different island
Ketchikan International Airport sits on Gravina Island, across the Tongass Narrows from downtown -- there is no bridge, so a dedicated ferry carries passengers between the airport and town for every flight.
A real, booming cruise-tourism economy
Ketchikan is expecting more than 1.6 million cruise passengers in summer 2026 alone, a real, current record -- tourism is the leading local industry, alongside commercial fishing and seafood processing.
Key takeaways
- Ketchikan has zero road connection to the rest of Alaska or the Lower 48 -- plan every move around air or ferry logistics.
- The airport is on a separate island reached only by a dedicated ferry.
- Tourism (a record 1.6M+ cruise passengers expected in 2026) anchors Ketchikan's real, current economy.
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