1st Advantage MortgageAbout 67% of Nome Census Area homes are owner-occupied, and the median household income is $78,681. 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
- Nome Census Area at a glance
- Household income in Nome Census Area
- Rent, home values and ownership in Nome Census Area
- Work, industries and travel time in Nome Census Area
- How Nome Census Area compares with nearby counties
- Nome Census Area towns compared
- What a median Nome Census Area budget can carry
- Reading the Nome Census Area data as a borrower
- More Nome Census Area figures
- Who licenses lenders for Nome Census Area residents
- Checklist for Nome Census Area applicants
- Related local guides
- Frequently asked questions
Nome Census Area at a glance
Roughly 9,866 residents live in Nome Census Area, Alaska, 10th by population among the state's 30 counties and county equivalents. It covers 22,970 square miles of land, with fewer than one resident per square mile. Under the July 2023 OMB definitions, Nome Census Area is not part of any metropolitan area. Of the 17 Census places inside Nome Census Area, Nome leads by population with about 3,653; 16 of the 17 are incorporated. Small populations mean wide margins of error, so read every Nome Census Area figure on this page as a rough guide.
Household income in Nome Census Area
The median household income in Nome Census Area is $78,681; statewide it is $92,788, so Nome Census Area runs 15% below Alaska as a whole.
| Households earning | Nome Census Area | +/- vs Alaska |
|---|---|---|
| Under $35,000 | 24.7% | +8.5 pts |
| $35,000 to $99,999 | 36.2% | -1.1 pts |
| $100,000 to $199,999 | 27.4% | -4.5 pts |
| $200,000 or more | 11.7% | -3.0 pts |
Some 25% of households here live on less than $35,000 a year; 39% have six-figure incomes. 21.5% of residents fall below the federal poverty line (statewide: 10.1%). Income from any regular source can count, including Social Security, pensions and disability benefits, as long as you can document it.
Rent, home values and ownership in Nome Census Area
Renters in Nome Census Area pay a median of $1,394 a month, 2% below the Alaska figure of $1,419. By the Census definition, 31% of Nome Census Area renters are cost-burdened. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $211,200, about 2.7 times the median household income. Owners occupy 67% of homes.
| Measure | Nome Census Area | Alaska | Median U.S. county |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median gross rent | $1,394/mo | $1,419/mo | $877/mo |
| Median home value | $211,200 | $352,900 | $185,300 |
| Owners | 67% | 67% | 75% |
| Rent-burdened renters | 31% | 45% | 45% |
| Burdened owners | 23% | 29% | n/a |
| Mobile homes | 0.9% | 3.9% | n/a |
| Vacant units | 31% | 18% | n/a |
Work, industries and travel time in Nome Census Area
By the Census industry count, 33% of employed Nome Census Area residents work in education and health care and 20% in public administration. Compared with Alaska, the county leans toward education and health care (33% against 25%). Averaged over the five survey years, 16.9% of the labor force was out of work and looking. Long commutes are the exception here: 0% of workers spend 45 minutes or longer getting to work. Households without a car make up 55.9% of the total (9.0% statewide).
| Where residents work | Nome Census Area | Difference from Alaska |
|---|---|---|
| Education and health care | 33.3% | +8.7 pts |
| Public administration | 19.8% | +7.8 pts |
| Transportation, warehousing and utilities | 16.1% | +6.9 pts |
| Retail trade | 7.8% | -2.1 pts |
| Other services | 6.7% | +2.2 pts |
| Construction | 3.4% | -3.7 pts |
A lender verifies what your own job pays. The county's industry mix tells you about the local economy, not about your application.
How Nome Census Area compares with nearby counties
Distances run center to center, from Kusilvak Census Area at 175 miles out to North Slope Borough at 431. Income ranges from $51,471 in Kusilvak Census Area to $95,694 in North Slope Borough; 2 of these neighbors top Nome Census Area's median.
| Neighbor | Distance | Income | Rent | Own |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nome Census Area | - | $78,681 | $1,394/mo | 67% |
| Kusilvak Census Area, AK | 175 mi | $51,471 | $833/mo | 70% |
| Northwest Arctic Borough, AK | 193 mi | $84,018 | $1,350/mo | 64% |
| Bethel Census Area, AK | 295 mi | $73,996 | $1,474/mo | 62% |
| Yukon-Koyukuk Census Area, AK | 369 mi | $55,741 | $1,084/mo | 70% |
| Dillingham Census Area, AK | 409 mi | $78,533 | $1,105/mo | 61% |
| North Slope Borough, AK | 431 mi | $95,694 | $1,254/mo | 49% |
Nome Census Area towns compared
Here are the 14 most populous of the county's 17 Census places, with income and rent from the same 2020 to 2024 survey. About 96% of Nome Census Area residents live in one of the 17. Nome has the highest median household income on the list ($113,646) and Stebbins the lowest ($48,056), counting places with at least 500 residents. Median rent ranges from $663 in Brevig Mission to $1,633 in Nome. None of the 17 has its own city guide, so this page covers all of them.
| Name | Kind | Pop. | Income | Rent | Miles |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nome | city | 3,653 | $113,646 | $1,633 | 41 mi |
| Savoonga | city | 868 | $53,750 | n/a | 204 mi |
| Brevig Mission | city | 718 | $63,088 | $663 | 78 mi |
| Stebbins | city | 596 | $48,056 | $1,063 | 108 mi |
| Gambell | city | 569 | $52,500 | $825 | 236 mi |
| Unalakleet | city | 519 | $87,292 | $1,188 | 119 mi |
| Shishmaref | city | 466 | $61,458 | $950 | 114 mi |
| Elim | city | 383 | $37,031 | $1,125 | 58 mi |
| Koyuk | city | 348 | $36,563 | $910 | 91 mi |
| Shaktoolik | city | 283 | $80,417 | n/a | 94 mi |
| Teller | city | 255 | $54,375 | $1,063 | 71 mi |
| Wales | city | 238 | $37,188 | n/a | 126 mi |
| White Mountain | city | 222 | $62,500 | $825 | 24 mi |
| Golovin | city | 181 | $66,667 | n/a | 38 mi |
What a median Nome Census Area budget can carry
Lenders compare monthly debt payments with gross monthly income, the debt-to-income ratio. For a Nome Census Area household at the medians it works out like this; treat it as an illustration only.
- Monthly gross at the median, Nome Census Area: $6,557
- Less median rent of $1,394, which is 21% of it
- At 36%, room after rent is $966 a month
- Under a 43% cap, $2,819 total minus rent leaves $1,425
Lenders set their own limits and look beyond the ratio. The DTI calculator uses your figures instead of Nome Census Area's.
Reading the Nome Census Area data as a borrower
The county's numbers point to a few situations that come up often for Nome Census Area borrowers.
- Uninsured care. 14% lack coverage here; nonprofit hospitals must publish an assistance policy, so ask for it first (guide).
- Lower-cost alternatives. In a county with 22% in poverty, nonprofit credit counseling may beat a loan (options).
- Check your file. An error fixed before you apply can change the offers a Nome Census Area borrower sees (free reports).
More Nome Census Area figures
14% of Nome Census Area adults 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or more. The uninsured rate is 14.0%, against 11.0% for Alaska.
| Nome Census Area | Alaska | U.S. county median | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 29.4 | 35.8 | 41.5 |
| Bachelor's or higher | 14.0% | 31.7% | 22.2% |
| No high school diploma | 10.1% | 6.4% | n/a |
| No health insurance | 14.0% | 11.0% | 7.8% |
| No vehicle | 55.9% | 9.0% | 5.4% |
| Work from home | 4.5% | 9.7% | 8.7% |
| Poverty rate | 21.5% | 10.1% | 13.2% |
| Unemployment (ACS) | 16.9% | 5.9% | 4.4% |
| Minutes to work | Nome Census Area workers |
|---|---|
| Under 15 min | 89.5% |
| 15 to 29 min | 9.3% |
| 30 to 44 min | 0.7% |
| 45 to 59 min | 0.4% |
| 60+ min | 0.0% |
Who licenses lenders for Nome Census Area residents
The Alaska Division of Banking and Securities is the place to verify any lender's Alaska license. Problems with a lender can also go to the CFPB. The Alaska guide covers state rules in more detail.
Checklist for Nome Census Area applicants
Steps that save money for Nome Census Area residents:
- Borrow the amount the job needs; extra cash adds interest.
- Collect three written offers and compare APR and total repaid.
- Look the lender up with the state regulator first.
- Never pay a fee up front to get a loan.
Related local guides
The Alaska guide covers the whole state.
Frequently asked questions
How much do households in Nome Census Area earn?
The median is $78,681; 39% earn $100,000 or more and 25% under $35,000. A lender uses your own documented income, not this figure.
Is Nome Census Area expensive for renters?
Median rent is $1,394 against $1,419 statewide, and 31% of renter households are cost-burdened.
Does this page cover Nome?
Yes, along with the other 16 Census places in Nome Census Area, such as Savoonga, Brevig Mission, Stebbins.
Does my county matter to the questionnaire?
Only your state does. Whether you live in Nome Census Area or elsewhere in Alaska, the same rules apply.
Where can someone in Nome Census Area check a lender's license?
With the Alaska Division of Banking and Securities. If a lender is unlicensed or asks for a fee before funding, walk away.