Get Paid to Live in Alaska: Here is How…

What if your mailbox held a check every year—just because you lived somewhere? No lottery win, no side hustle, just cash for calling a place home. Welcome to Alaska, where breathtaking glaciers, moose-filled backyards, and long winter nights come with a surprising bonus: the state actually pays its residents to live there.

Imagine moving to Alaska and getting paid—just for living there. That’s pretty much the deal with Alaska’s Permanent Fund Dividend (PFD), a unique program that shares oil revenue with residents. While it’s not a traditional relocation grant, it’s one of the closest things to “getting paid to live someplace.”

Since 1982, Alaska has distributed annual dividend checks to eligible residents, using earnings from its Permanent Fund, which is funded by oil and mineral royalties. The size of the payout changes each year based on how the fund performs. In 2024, eligible Alaskans received $1,702 per person.

So how does it work?

• You must be a legal resident of Alaska for the full calendar year.
• You have to intend to keep Alaska as your home — no moving out right after.
• You can’t have claimed residency in another state.
• Payouts are automatic once your eligibility is confirmed.

Because of the PFD, Alaska is sometimes listed among U.S. states that “pay people to move there” — though that’s a bit of a stretch, since the dividend is also paid to longtime residents.

Some smaller Alaskan towns have expanded the incentive. For example, Ketchikan offers up to $2,000 plus three months of free home internet to new residents.

But don’t think of this as a windfall that replaces a salary. The PFD helps offset high costs in Alaska—heating, groceries, remote living expenses—but on its own it’s not enough to live on. Still, for people considering a life in Alaska, it’s an extra layer of incentive.

Want to dig deeper? Watch this breakdown of how the Permanent Fund Dividend works:

👉 Would you move north for a yearly paycheck? Share this story on Facebook and see which of your friends would brave Alaska’s wilderness for a dividend check!