Alaska households earn a median $92,788 a year and pay a median $1,419 in rent, according to the Census Bureau. Before borrowing, confirm the lender's state license, compare written offers on APR, fees and total cost, and walk away from any upfront fee.
On this page
- Alaska by the numbers
- What the numbers mean for Alaska borrowers
- Largest places in Alaska
- Other sizable places in Alaska
- Counties with the most residents
- How Alaska earns a living
- More context for Alaska budgets
- Checking a lender in Alaska
- Can Alaska residents use the questionnaire?
- Local guides in Alaska
- Frequently asked questions
Alaska by the numbers
Sixteen lines of Census data describe the budget backdrop in Alaska; a rank of 1 means the highest value of any state or DC.
| What we measured | Alaska | United States | Rank of 51 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $92,788 | $80,734 | 13th |
| Renters paying 30%+ of income on rent | 45% | 51% | 45th |
| Home value, median | $352,900 | $332,700 | 21st |
| Homes owner-occupied | 67% | 65% | 32nd |
| Mortgaged owners paying 30%+ on housing | 29% | 28% | 15th |
| Home value to income ratio | 3.8x | 4.1x | 29th |
| Workers commuting 45+ minutes | 8% | 17% | 45th |
| Workers who work from home | 10% | 15% | 41st |
| Adults 25+ with a bachelor's degree | 32% | 36% | 37th |
| Age, median | 35.8 | 38.9 | 48th |
| Gini index (inequality) | 0.433 | 0.483 | 50th |
| Households earning under $35,000 | 16% | 21% | 46th |
| Households earning $100,000 or more | 47% | 41% | 13th |
| People below the poverty line | 10.1% | 12.5% | 39th |
| Jobless rate, 5-year ACS | 5.9% | 5.2% | 8th |
| Median gross rent per month | $1,419 | $1,413 | 18th |
What the numbers mean for Alaska borrowers
10% of the Alaska workforce works from home, while 8% face a one-way trip of 45 minutes or longer. Remote and self-employed workers should expect lenders to ask for bank statements or tax returns in place of a simple pay stub.
Census figures put 16% of Alaska households below $35,000 in yearly income and 15% above $200,000. The income gap matters for borrowing: the same $300 payment is a rounding error for one household and a budget crisis for another.
At $92,788, median household income in Alaska ranks 13th of 51 jurisdictions; the national median is $80,734. What counts for an application is the income you can document, from wages, a pension, benefits or self-employment.
Housing for renters: median rent of $1,419 (18th of 51), with 45% of renting households putting 30 percent or more of income toward it. When rent rises at renewal, a fixed loan payment can collide with it, so leave room for the next increase.
Largest places in Alaska
Alaska's 12 biggest cities and towns by population, from the 2020 to 2024 ACS. Where we publish a local guide, the name links to it.
| City or town | County | Residents | Median household income | Rent (median) | Home value (median) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Anchorage | Anchorage Municipality | 288,976 | $103,284 | $1,489 | $395,900 |
| Fairbanks | Fairbanks North Star Borough | 32,083 | $73,534 | $1,496 | $268,400 |
| Juneau | Juneau City and Borough | 31,794 | $101,661 | $1,444 | $449,300 |
| Knik-Fairview | Matanuska-Susitna Borough | 19,972 | $96,437 | $1,588 | $340,200 |
| Badger | Fairbanks North Star Borough | 18,677 | $97,183 | $1,629 | $310,600 |
| College | Fairbanks North Star Borough | 11,924 | $83,895 | $1,454 | $297,500 |
| North Lakes | Matanuska-Susitna Borough | 10,223 | $101,679 | $1,441 | $357,600 |
| Wasilla | Matanuska-Susitna Borough | 9,720 | $67,234 | $1,153 | $358,400 |
| Tanaina | Matanuska-Susitna Borough | 9,646 | $105,536 | $1,398 | $328,500 |
| Meadow Lakes | Matanuska-Susitna Borough | 8,689 | $81,699 | $1,377 | $323,100 |
| Kalifornsky | Kenai Peninsula Borough | 8,663 | $93,508 | $1,394 | $336,800 |
| Sitka | Sitka City and Borough | 8,368 | $101,727 | $1,341 | $450,300 |
Of the places the Census Bureau tracks in Alaska, 7 have 10,000 or more people and 1 have 50,000 or more. The income gap between towns is wide: among places over 20,000, Anchorage has the highest median at $103,284 and Fairbanks the lowest at $73,534. Fairbanks renters pay the most ($1,496 at the median) and Juneau renters the least ($1,444).
Other sizable places in Alaska
Places ranked 13 to 32 by population.
| Community | Residents | Median household income | Rent (median) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ketchikan | 8,078 | $85,275 | $1,417 |
| Kenai | 7,641 | $87,083 | $1,138 |
| Gateway | 6,845 | $137,772 | $1,741 |
| Sterling | 6,323 | $102,415 | $1,248 |
| Bethel | 6,312 | $117,255 | $1,678 |
| Palmer | 6,268 | $72,201 | $1,125 |
| South Lakes | 6,180 | $98,141 | $1,178 |
| Steele Creek | 5,928 | $121,364 | $1,223 |
| Chena Ridge | 5,881 | $133,775 | $1,110 |
| Homer | 5,877 | $74,449 | $1,238 |
| Fishhook | 5,819 | $111,375 | $1,837 |
| Kodiak | 5,447 | $90,292 | $1,571 |
| Farmers Loop | 4,954 | $109,950 | $1,406 |
| UtqiagÌvik | 4,778 | $115,313 | $1,360 |
| Nikiski | 4,773 | $65,863 | $996 |
| Unalaska | 4,556 | $131,964 | $2,034 |
| Soldotna | 4,485 | $56,280 | $1,020 |
| Butte | 4,085 | $101,042 | $1,610 |
| Valdez | 3,847 | $99,271 | $1,481 |
| Mill Bay | 3,654 | $88,580 | $2,710 |
Measured as a year of median rent against median household income, housing weighs most in Mill Bay (37%) and least in Chena Ridge (10%) among these 20 places.
Counties with the most residents
Alaska has 30 counties or equivalents. The 16 most populous are below.
| County | Population | Median household income | Median rent | Typical home value |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Anchorage Municipality | 288,976 | $103,284 | $1,489 | $395,900 |
| Matanuska-Susitna Borough | 112,988 | $94,031 | $1,299 | $346,600 |
| Fairbanks North Star Borough | 95,460 | $88,267 | $1,459 | $298,200 |
| Kenai Peninsula Borough | 60,413 | $80,538 | $1,184 | $323,200 |
| Juneau City and Borough | 31,794 | $101,661 | $1,444 | $449,300 |
| Bethel Census Area | 18,394 | $73,996 | $1,474 | $168,100 |
| Ketchikan Gateway Borough | 13,768 | $92,885 | $1,505 | $393,300 |
| Kodiak Island Borough | 12,771 | $86,250 | $1,765 | $412,300 |
| North Slope Borough | 10,810 | $95,694 | $1,254 | $218,300 |
| Nome Census Area | 9,866 | $78,681 | $1,394 | $211,200 |
| Sitka City and Borough | 8,368 | $101,727 | $1,341 | $450,300 |
| Kusilvak Census Area | 8,176 | $51,471 | $833 | $84,300 |
| Northwest Arctic Borough | 7,441 | $84,018 | $1,350 | $199,100 |
| Southeast Fairbanks Census Area | 7,068 | $73,882 | $1,351 | $282,000 |
| Chugach Census Area | 6,862 | $90,509 | $1,369 | $346,200 |
| Prince of Wales-Hyder Census Area | 5,715 | $61,156 | $964 | $225,300 |
Median income by county stretches from $51,471 (Kusilvak Census Area) up to $135,500 (Aleutians West Census Area). A statewide average hides that spread, which is why the same loan can be comfortable in one county and a stretch in the next.
How Alaska earns a living
Four industries employ the largest shares of working Alaska residents; the national shares are shown for comparison.
| Industry | Share of Alaska workers | U.S. share | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Education, health care and social assistance | 25% | 24% | +1.0 pts |
| Public administration | 12% | 5% | +7.2 pts |
| Retail trade | 10% | 11% | -0.9 pts |
| Transportation, warehousing and utilities | 9% | 6% | +3.2 pts |
The industry where Alaska stands out most from the U.S. is public administration: 12% of employed residents, versus 5% for the nation. If your income comes from self-employment or gig work, gather two years of tax returns and recent bank statements before you compare offers.
More context for Alaska budgets
Poverty affects 10.1% of Alaska residents (U.S. 12.5%), and the five-year average unemployment rate was 5.9%. If you were recently out of work, wait until you have a few steady paychecks before you apply.
With a median age of 35.8 and 32% of adults holding a four-year degree, Alaska has a Gini inequality index of 0.433, ranking 50th from most to least unequal.
Homeownership stands at 67% in Alaska and the median owner-occupied home is worth $352,900, which ranks 21st among the 51 jurisdictions. 29% of mortgaged owners are housing-cost burdened, versus 28% nationally.
Checking a lender in Alaska
Any lender offering loans in Alaska should be able to show a license or a bank charter. For state-level questions, the CSBS directory points to the Alaska Division of Banking and Securities.
- Complaints can go to the state agency and to the CFPB.
- Ask for the lender's license number and look it up on NMLS Consumer Access.
- An upfront fee to "secure" a loan is a warning sign the FTC describes here.
Can Alaska residents use the questionnaire?
You can start it, and the location step is where you find out: if partners are not yet taking Alaska requests, you will see a short email waitlist and nothing more is asked.
Local guides in Alaska
No Alaska city has its own guide yet, but the city search covers every Census place in the state and sends you to the closest page we have.
Frequently asked questions
How do I verify a lender in Alaska?
The state banking agency listed for Alaska by the Conference of State Bank Supervisors is the Alaska Division of Banking and Securities. NMLS Consumer Access lists many lenders' licenses, and the CFPB accepts complaints from every state.
What is the median household income in Alaska?
$92,788 a year in the 2020 to 2024 American Community Survey, 13th among the 50 states and DC; the national median is $80,734.
What is the median rent in Alaska?
Median gross rent is $1,419 a month, and 45% of renter households spend 30 percent or more of income on rent (ACS 2020 to 2024). Nationally the figures are $1,413 and 51%.
How common are long commutes in Alaska?
8% of Alaska workers travel 45 minutes or more to work, against 17% nationally (ACS 2020 to 2024). Long drives raise fuel and repair costs, so build them into any loan budget.