1st Advantage MortgageAbout 54% of Bristol Bay Borough homes are owner-occupied, and the median household income is $95,625. Your income, debts and credit decide what you qualify for. Get offers in writing, compare the total repaid, and never pay a fee up front.
On this page
- Getting oriented in Bristol Bay Borough
- Household income in Bristol Bay Borough
- Renting and owning in Bristol Bay Borough
- How Bristol Bay Borough residents earn a living
- Neighboring counties at a glance
- Cities, towns and CDPs in Bristol Bay Borough
- Room for a loan payment in Bristol Bay Borough
- What the numbers mean for Bristol Bay Borough borrowers
- More Bristol Bay Borough figures
- Lender oversight for Bristol Bay Borough
- A Bristol Bay Borough borrower's checklist
- Related local guides
- Frequently asked questions
Getting oriented in Bristol Bay Borough
With an estimated 918 residents (ACS 2020 to 2024), Bristol Bay Borough ranks 29th of 30 in Alaska for population. Spread over 481 square miles, that works out to roughly 1.9 residents per square mile. No metropolitan area includes Bristol Bay Borough in the 2023 federal delineation, so its numbers stand on their own rather than as part of a metro. The Census Bureau counts 3 places in the county (0 incorporated, 3 census-designated); the largest is Naknek, with about 522 residents, or 57% of the county. Small populations mean wide margins of error, so read every Bristol Bay Borough figure on this page as a rough guide.
Household income in Bristol Bay Borough
Bristol Bay Borough households have a median income of $95,625 (ACS 2020 to 2024), which ranks 6th of 30 in Alaska.
| Band | Bristol Bay Borough | Compared with Alaska |
|---|---|---|
| Under $35,000 | 15.8% | -0.4 pts |
| $35,000 to $99,999 | 36.4% | -0.8 pts |
| $100,000 to $199,999 | 32.6% | +0.7 pts |
| $200,000 or more | 15.1% | +0.5 pts |
Some 16% of households here live on less than $35,000 a year; 48% have six-figure incomes. 9.3% of residents fall below the federal poverty line (statewide: 10.1%). Income inequality, measured by the Gini index, comes to 0.449 here. A household earning below the $95,625 median should test any payment carefully; one earning above it should still pick the shortest term it can manage.
Renting and owning in Bristol Bay Borough
Renters in Bristol Bay Borough pay a median of $1,317 a month, 7% below the Alaska figure of $1,419. 14% of renting households spend 30% or more of income on rent, and 10% spend half or more. With a median value of $245,800, a typical Bristol Bay Borough house costs 2.6 times what the median household earns in a year. The ownership rate is 54%. The median year built is 1985.
| Home costs | Bristol Bay Borough | Alaska | U.S. middle county |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median gross rent | $1,317/mo | $1,419/mo | $877/mo |
| Median home value | $245,800 | $352,900 | $185,300 |
| Owners | 54% | 67% | 75% |
| Rent-burdened renters | 14% | 45% | 45% |
| Burdened owners | 10% | 29% | n/a |
| Vacant units | 64% | 18% | n/a |
Renters cannot borrow against a house, which narrows the choice to unsecured loans, cards and help from creditors; compare total cost, not just the payment.
How Bristol Bay Borough residents earn a living
Manufacturing employs 16% of working residents, the largest share; arts, lodging and food service is next with 16%. Compared with Alaska, the county leans toward manufacturing (16% against 4%). The survey's unemployment rate for Bristol Bay Borough averages 4.4% over 2020 to 2024 (state: 5.9%). Long commutes are the exception here: 2% of workers spend 45 minutes or longer getting to work. Only 7.6% of homes here go without a vehicle.
| Industry | Share of Bristol Bay Borough workers | vs Alaska |
|---|---|---|
| Manufacturing | 16.1% | +11.9 pts |
| Arts, lodging and food service | 15.9% | +7.6 pts |
| Education and health care | 15.3% | -9.3 pts |
| Agriculture, forestry and mining | 13.9% | +9.2 pts |
| Public administration | 12.9% | +0.9 pts |
| Transportation, warehousing and utilities | 8.5% | -0.6 pts |
Industry shapes paperwork. Salaried and public jobs are easy to verify, while hourly, tipped, commission or contract earners in Bristol Bay Borough should have bank statements and tax returns ready.
Neighboring counties at a glance
Nearest neighbors first, measured between county centers (48 to 306 miles). None of the six report a higher median household income than Bristol Bay Borough; Kodiak Island Borough is highest at $86,250 and Aleutians East Borough lowest at $65,365.
| Neighbor | Distance | Income | Rent | Own |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bristol Bay Borough | - | $95,625 | $1,317/mo | 54% |
| Lake and Peninsula Borough, AK | 48 mi | $65,625 | $936/mo | 65% |
| Dillingham Census Area, AK | 72 mi | $78,533 | $1,105/mo | 61% |
| Kodiak Island Borough, AK | 132 mi | $86,250 | $1,765/mo | 61% |
| Bethel Census Area, AK | 187 mi | $73,996 | $1,474/mo | 62% |
| Kenai Peninsula Borough, AK | 199 mi | $80,538 | $1,184/mo | 77% |
| Aleutians East Borough, AK | 306 mi | $65,365 | $979/mo | 64% |
Cities, towns and CDPs in Bristol Bay Borough
The table lists the 3 largest of 3 Census places in Bristol Bay Borough, by population. Together all 3 hold about 918 people, so roughly 0% of residents live outside any named place. This guide covers each of the 3 places and the rural areas around them.
| Place in county | Status | Population (ACS) | Median HH income | Monthly rent | Distance from center |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Naknek | CDP | 522 | $88,750 | $1,356 | 6 mi |
| King Salmon | CDP | 323 | $137,500 | $1,292 | 16 mi |
| South Naknek | CDP | 73 | $54,063 | n/a | 5 mi |
CDPs are unincorporated communities the Census Bureau defines for counting.
Room for a loan payment in Bristol Bay Borough
Lenders compare monthly debt payments with gross monthly income, the debt-to-income ratio. For a Bristol Bay Borough household at the medians it works out like this; treat it as an illustration only.
- Start: $7,969 gross per month ($95,625 / 12)
- Median rent: $1,317, or 17 cents of every gross dollar
- With a 40% ceiling, about $1,870 remains for car, card, student and any new loan payments
Lenders set their own limits and look beyond the ratio. The DTI calculator uses your figures instead of Bristol Bay Borough's.
What the numbers mean for Bristol Bay Borough borrowers
The county's numbers point to a few situations that come up often for Bristol Bay Borough borrowers.
- Health costs. With 21% of the county uninsured, an interest-free hospital payment plan usually beats a loan (medical bills).
- Higher earners. 48% of households clear $100,000; shop at least three lenders and pick the shortest term.
- Advance-fee offers. No legitimate lender asks a Bristol Bay Borough borrower to pay first (scam signs).
More Bristol Bay Borough figures
21% of Bristol Bay Borough adults 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or more. 20.8% of residents have no health coverage.
| Bristol Bay Borough | Alaska | U.S. county median | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 39.7 | 35.8 | 41.5 |
| Bachelor's or higher | 20.9% | 31.7% | 22.2% |
| No high school diploma | 2.9% | 6.4% | n/a |
| No health insurance | 20.8% | 11.0% | 7.8% |
| No vehicle | 7.6% | 9.0% | 5.4% |
| Work from home | 7.0% | 9.7% | 8.7% |
| Poverty rate | 9.3% | 10.1% | 13.2% |
| Unemployment (ACS) | 4.4% | 5.9% | 4.4% |
Lender oversight for Bristol Bay Borough
The Alaska Division of Banking and Securities is the place to verify any lender's Alaska license. Banks and credit unions have their own regulators, and the CFPB takes complaints about any lender. Statewide data and rules: Alaska guide.
A Bristol Bay Borough borrower's checklist
Steps that save money for Bristol Bay Borough residents:
- Size the loan to the bill, not to the most a lender offers.
- Collect three written offers and compare APR and total repaid.
- Check the license, then the reviews, then the offer.
- Keep a small cushion so one surprise bill does not mean another loan.
Related local guides
The Alaska guide covers the whole state.
Frequently asked questions
What does a typical Bristol Bay Borough household make?
About $95,625 a year at the median (ACS 2020-24), 3% above the Alaska median.
How does Bristol Bay Borough rent compare with Alaska?
$1,317 locally versus $1,419 for the state, 7% below.
Does this page cover Naknek?
Yes, along with the other 2 Census places in Bristol Bay Borough, such as King Salmon, South Naknek.
Are Bristol Bay Borough applicants treated differently?
No. Everyone answers the same questions and is screened on the same objective points; lending partners set their own criteria under fair-lending laws.
Who regulates personal lenders for Bristol Bay Borough residents?
The Alaska Division of Banking and Securities licenses consumer lenders in Alaska; the CFPB takes complaints about any lender, and the FTC wants to hear about fee-first offers.