Palmer is nice.  But if you still continue to work in Anchorage, you will have less time to enjoy life.  Less time for exercise.   Why?  The commute.  One hour in, one hour out.  2 hours a day.  10 hours a week.  About 500 hours a year of sitting in a car on an often challenging stretch of road.  It's a high price to pay for additional space.  Palmer is a good place to live if you don't have to leave Palmer to go to work.  Or if you work on the Slope.  Or if you are retired.