Why the United States retained Iowas rather than Alaskas

Would the US Navy have been better off retaining the Alaska class rather than the Iowa class?

Probably not with only two Alaskas; the larger number of Iowa hulls made their retention more practical.

The choice between the Alaska and Iowa classes was strongly shaped by hull numbers rather than an absolute verdict on either design. A larger Alaska class might have created enough common ships to justify retaining and modernizing them. Historically, only two Alaskas were available while four Iowa-class battleships formed a more useful common group. Investment in the Iowas bought upgrades across more hulls and a more substantial fleet capability. Class size and logistical commonality can outweigh an appealing comparison between individual ships.