Southeast Alaska Business Climate Survey 2025

A total of 422 Southeast Alaska business owners and top managers, representing a combined staff of approximately 11,600 workers, responded to the survey in April 2025. Survey analysis includes the following key findings:

• Business leaders’ optimism about the region’s economic prospects has declined marking one of the weaker outlooks recorded by the annual survey. However, most businesses remain generally optimistic. In 2025, 63% of businesses hold a positive economic outlook, while 37% have a negative outlook.
• About half (47%) of the businesses surveyed anticipate that federal actions — notably tariffs, executive orders, and cuts in federal funding and staffing — will have negative effects on their operations.
• A challenge highlighted in the report is the continued shortage and high cost of housing — 79% of employers indicate that housing issues directly cause employee turnover or deter potential hires from moving to the region. Housing shortages and pricing is the most problematic for employers in Juneau and Sitka.