Some Characteristics of Anchorage and Fairbanks Households with special reference to retail food buying

Abstract

Anchorage and Fairbanks households are an important part of the Alaska market. These two cities are Alaska's largest, including about two-thirds of the total civilian population. -- Households in Anchoraqe and Fairbanks are somewhat larger, their members are younger, have had more schooling, own more appliances, buy more reading materials, and have higher incomes than average households in the South 48. -- Both cities are similar in roost characteristics. Anchorage has slightly more middle-sized families in the middle income bracket. Fairbanks has a few more in both the lowest and highest groupings. Average families are similar in size — 3.7 for Anchorage and 3.5 for Fairbanks. -- Anchorage homemakers have had more schooling than those in Fairbanks, but the difference is not great. Homemakers in both cities have a higher level of schooling than for the nation as a whole. -- Anchorage has more families employed by the government, althouqh government employment is high in both cities. Fairbanks has more employed in trades and construction. Both cities have about the same percentage employed in sales and clerical work, while less than 10 per cent in both cities are employed as laborers. -- Homemakers in both cities have lived in Alaska from 8 to 12 years. Less than 10 p»r cent are Alaska born. Three out of four came to Alaska from a state west of the Mississippi. Fairbanks families have lived in Alaska a little longer than those in Anchorage and a greater proportion plan to make Alaska their permanent home. -- Both Anchorage and Fairbanks households own m ore appliances than is common elsewhere. A greater proportion have T V 's, radios, refrigerators and deep-freezers. In Fairbanks 87 per cent of all families have telephones. -- Most Fairbanks homemakers shop for food specials. Nearly a half reported buying from 50 to 100 per cent of their food at special prices. More than a fourth reported buying from 25 to 50 per cent. -- Anchorage and Fairbanks households have modern buying habits and higher than average incomes. Merchants selling to them must provide quality merchandise and services with modern sales techniques.