Alaska

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Population

739,795

0.283% decline

Median Age

34.5


Median Household Income

$73,181

4.26% decline

Poverty Rate

10.2%


Number of Employees

342,187

1.26% decline

Median Property Value

$273,100

1.98% growth

About

Economy

Health

Diversity

Education

Housing & Living

About

In 2017, Alaska had a population of 740k people with a median age of 34.5 and a median household income of $73,181. Between 2016 and 2017 the population of Alaska declined from 741,894 to 739,795, a -0.283% decrease and its median household income declined from $76,440 to $73,181, a -4.26% decrease.

The population of Alaska is 60.6% White Alone, 14.2% American Indian & Alaska Native Alone, and 7.46% Two or More Races. N/A% of the people in Alaska speak a non-English language, and 96.3% are U.S. citizens.

The largest universities in Alaska are University of Alaska Anchorage (2,553 degrees awarded in 2016), University of Alaska Fairbanks (1,564 degrees), and University of Alaska Southeast (677 degrees).

The median property value in Alaska is $273,100, and the homeownership rate is 63.5%. Most people in Alaska commute by Drove Alone, and the average commute time is 18.7 minutes. The average car ownership in Alaska is 2 cars per household.

Alaska borders .

About the photo: Approaching Sawyer Glacier in the Tracy Arm Fjord valley of mountains and waterfalls.

Photo by Ian D. Keating

United States

Economy

The economy of Alaska employs 342k people. The largest industries in Alaska are Elementary & secondary schools (25,436 people), Construction (21,711 people), and Restaurants & Food Services (20,014 people), and the highest paying industries are Veterinary services ($149,366), Oil & gas extraction ($132,802), and Hardware stores ($112,353).

Median household income in Alaska is $73,181. Males in Alaska have an average income that is 1.31 times higher than the average income of females, which is $52,642. The income inequality in Alaska (measured using the Gini index) is 0.445, which is lower than than the national average.

Wages

Median Household Income

$73,181

2017 value

± $2,628

-4.26%

1 Year Growth

± 4.83%

Households in Alaska have a median annual income of $73,181, which is more than the median annual income of $60,336 across the entire United States. This is in comparison to a median income of $76,440 in 2016, which represents a -4.26% annual growth.

Look at the chart to see how the median household income in Alaska compares to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

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Wage by Gender in Common Jobs

$68,998

Average Male Salary

± $3,533

$52,642

Average Female Salary

± $2,877

In 2017, full-time male employees in Alaska made 1.31 times more than female employees.

This chart shows the gender-based wage disparity in the 5 most common occupations in Alaska by number of full-time employees.

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Wage by Race and Ethnicity in Common Jobs

Highest Average Salaries by Race & Ethnicity

  1. White

    $61,029 ± $2,876

  2. American Indian and Alaska Native tribes specified; or American Indian or Alaska Native, not specified and no other races

    $52,332 ± $20,394

  3. Black

    $47,393 ± $6,772

In 2017 the highest paid race/ethnicity of Alaska workers was White. These workers were paid 1.17 times more than American Indian and Alaska Native tribes specified; or American Indian or Alaska Native, not specified and no other races workers, who made the second highest salary of any race/ethnicity.

This chart shows the race- and ethnicity-based wage disparities in the 5 most common occupations in Alaska by number of full-time employees.

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Wage Distribution

0.445

2017 Wage GINI

0.424

2016 Wage GINI

In 2017, the income inequality in Alaska was 0.445 according to the GINI calculation of the wage distribution. Income inequality had a 4.86% growth from 2016 to 2017, which means that wage distribution grew somewhat less even.

The 2017 the GINI for Alaska was lower than than the national average of 0.479. In other words, wages are distributed more evenly in Alaska in comparison to the national average.

This chart shows the number of workers in Alaska across various wage buckets compared to the national average.

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Income by Location

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Highest Median Household Income (Total)

  1. Anchorage Municipality, AK

  2. Fairbanks North Star Borough, AK

  3. Matanuska-Susitna Borough, AK

In 2017, the county with the highest Median Household Income (Total) in Alaska was Anchorage Municipality, AK with a value of $79,166, followed by Fairbanks North Star Borough, AK and Matanuska-Susitna Borough, AK, with respective values of $76,747 and $69,121.

The following map shows all of the counties in Alaska colored by their Median Household Income (Total).

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Poverty by Age and Gender

Females 25 - 34

Largest Demographic Living in Poverty

10.2% of the population for whom poverty status is determined in Alaska (73.4k out of 720k people) live below the poverty line, a number that is lower than the national average of 13.4%. The largest demographic living in poverty are Females 25 - 34, followed by Females 18 - 24 and then Males 25 - 34.

The Census Bureau uses a set of money income thresholds that vary by family size and composition to determine who classifies as impoverished. If a family's total income is less than the family's threshold than that family and every individual in it is considered to be living in poverty.

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Poverty by Race and Ethnicity

Largest Race or Ethnicity Living in Poverty

  1. White

    31,659 ± 1,253

  2. Native American

    24,116 ± 665

  3. Two Or More

    6,826 ± 584

The most common racial or ethnic group living below the poverty line in Alaska is White, followed by Native American and Two Or More.

The Census Bureau uses a set of money income thresholds that vary by family size and composition to determine who classifies as impoverished. If a family's total income is less than the family's threshold than that family and every individual in it is considered to be living in poverty.

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Occupations

Employment by Occupations

342k

2017 Value

-1.26%

1 Year decline

± -1.26%

From 2016 to 2017, employment in Alaska declined at a rate of -1.26%, from 347k employees to 342k employees.

The most common job groups, by number of people living in Alaska, are Secretaries & administrative assistants (9,670 people), Miscellaneous managers (9,500 people), and Cashiers (9,140 people). This chart illustrates the share breakdown of the primary jobs held by residents of Alaska.

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Most Common

The most common jobs held by residents of Alaska, by number of employees, are Secretaries & administrative assistants (9,670 people), Miscellaneous managers (9,500 people), and Cashiers (9,140 people).

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Most Specialized

Compared to other states, Alaska has an unusually high number of residents working as Fishing & hunting workers (46.7 times higher than expected), Geological & petroleum technicians, & nuclear technicians (30.6 times), and Transportation security screeners (11.7 times).

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Highest Paid

The highest paid jobs held by residents of Alaska, by average salary, are Physicians & surgeons ($245,388), Taxi drivers & chauffeurs ($179,823), and Pharmacists ($147,823).

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Industries

Employment by Industries

342k

2017 Value

-1.26%

1 Year decline

± -1.26%

From 2016 to 2017, employment in Alaska declined at a rate of -1.26%, from 347k employees to 342k employees.

The most common employment sectors for those who live in Alaska, are Elementary & secondary schools (25,436 people), Construction (21,711 people), and Restaurants & Food Services (20,014 people). This chart shows the share breakdown of the primary industries for residents of Alaska, though some of these residents may live in Alaska and work somewhere else. Census data is tagged to a residential address, not a work address.

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Most Common

The most common industries in Alaska, by number of employees, are Elementary & secondary schools (25,436 people), Construction (21,711 people), and Restaurants & Food Services (20,014 people).

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Most Specialized

Compared to other states, Alaska has an unusually high number of Fishing, hunting & trapping (39.4 times higher than expected), Scenic & sightseeing transportation (17 times), and U. S Coast Guard (15.5 times) industries.

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Highest Paying

The highest paying industries in Alaska, by average salary, are Veterinary services ($149,366), Oil & gas extraction ($132,802), and Hardware stores ($112,353).

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Domestic Trade

Domestic Production & Consumption

Domestic production and consumption consists of products and services shipped from Alaska to other states, or from other states to Alaska.

Top Domestic Production in Dollars

  1. Crude petroleum

    $40.8B

  2. Gasoline

    $4.7B

  3. Fuel oils

    $3.1B

In 2015, the top outbound Alaska product (by dollars) was Crude petroleum with $40.8B, followed by Gasoline ($4.7B) and Fuel oils ($3.1B).

The following chart shows the share of these products in relation to all outbound Alaska products.

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Domestic Trade Growth

$64.6B

2015 Value

$74.6B

Projected 2045 Value

15.5% growth

In 2015, total outbound Alaska trade was $64.6B. This is expected to increase 15.5% to $74.6B by 2045.

The following chart shows how the domestic outbound Alaska trade is projected to change in comparison to its neighboring states.

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Interstate Trade

Interstate trade consists of products and services shipped from Alaska to other states, or from other states to Alaska.

Most Common Trade Partners

  1. California

    $17.7B

  2. Washington

    $7.35B

  3. Utah

    $1.53B

In 2015, the top outbound Alaska domestic partner for goods and services (by dollars) was California with $17.7B, followed by Washington with $7.35B and Utah and $1.53B.

The following map shows the amount of trade that Alaska shares with each state (excluding itself).

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Health

86.3% of the population of Alaska has health coverage, with 40.7% on employee plans, 18.8% on Medicaid, 7.12% on Medicare, 13.3% on non-group plans, and 6.34% on military or VA plans.

Per capita personal health care spending in the state of Alaska was $11,064 in 2014. This is a 6.1% increase from the previous year ($10,428).

Primary care physicians in Alaska see 1131 patients per year on average, which represents a 2.25% decrease from the previous year (1157 patients). Compare this to dentists who see 1045 patients per year, and mental health providers who see 281 patients per year.

Comparing across all counties in the state, Ketchikan Gateway Borough and Wrangell City and Borough have the highest prevalence of diabetes (9.4%). Additionally, Aleutians West Census Area has the highest prevalence of adult obesity (40.7%)

Patient to Clinician Ratios

1,131 to 1

Patient to Primary Care Physician Ratio

Primary care physicians in Alaska see an average of 1,131 patients per year. This represents a 2.25% decrease from the previous year (1,157 patients).

The following chart shows how the number of patients seen by primary care physicians has been changing over time in Alaska in comparison to neighboring states.

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Behavioral Health Conditions

Data only available at the state level.

State with the Highest Prevalence

  1. West Virginia

    8.26% of the population affected

  2. Arkansas

    8.13% of the population affected

  3. New Hampshire

    7.98% of the population affected

In 2016, West Virginia had the highest prevalence of adults with major depressive episode, with 8.26% of the population affected. The second highest is Arkansas (8.13%), followed by New Hampshire (7.98%).

The following map shows the percent of individuals with major depressive episode by state over multiple years.

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Access and Quality

Data only available at state level.

Most prevalent states

  1. Mississippi

    19.2% of adults

  2. Texas

    17.9% of adults

  3. Louisiana

    17.6% of adults

In 2016, Mississippi had the highest prevalence of adults who haven't seen a doctor in the past 12 months due to cost, at 19.2%. It is followed by Texas (17.9%) and Louisiana (17.6%).

The following map shows the prevalence of adults who haven't seen a doctor in the past 12 months due to cost by state over multiple years.

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Health Care Spending

$11,064

Total Per Capita Spending on Personal Health Care 

$5,958

Per Enrollee Private Health Insurance Spending on Personal Health Care

$12,001

Per Enrollee Medicaid Spending on Personal Health Care

$9,288

Per Enrollee Medicare Spending on Personal Health Care

Between 2013 and 2014, all personal health care spending per capita in Alaska (including private, Medicare, and Medicaid) grew 6.1%, from $10,428 to $11,064.

The following chart shows how this spending changed over time in comparison to Medicaid, Medicare, and private insurance spending, per enrollee.

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Health Care Coverage

13.7%

Uninsured

40.7%

Employer Coverage

18.8%

Medicaid

7.12%

Medicare

13.3%

Non-Group

6.34%

Military or VA

Between 2016 and 2017, the percent of uninsured citizens in Alaska declined by 2.51% from 14% to 13.7%.

The following chart shows how the percent of uninsured individuals in Alaska changed over time compared with the percent of individuals enrolled in various types of health insurance.

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Health Risks

Data available at the county level.

Most at risk counties

  1. Ketchikan Gateway Borough

    9.4% prevalence

  2. Wrangell City and Borough

    9.4% prevalence

  3. Yukon-Koyukuk Census Area

    9.1% prevalence

Ketchikan Gateway Borough and Wrangell City and Borough have the highest prevalence of diabetes in Alaska, at 9.4%.

The following map shows the prevalence of diabetes in Alaska by county over multiple years.

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Diversity

Alaska is home to a population of 740k people, from which 96.3% are citizens. As of 2017, 7.58% of Alaska residents were born outside of the country (56k people).

The ethnic composition of the population of Alaska is composed of 448k White Alone residents (60.6%), 105k American Indian & Alaska Native Alone residents (14.2%), 55.2k Two or More Races residents (7.46%), 51.7k Hispanic or Latino residents (6.99%), 48.6k Asian Alone residents (6.57%), 21.2k Black or African American Alone residents (2.86%), 8.7k Native Hawaiian & Other Pacific Islander Alone residents (1.18%), and 1.21k Some Other Race Alone residents (0.164%).

The most common foreign languages spoken in Alaska are N/A.

Age

Age by Nativity

33

Median Native-Born Age

± 0.3

43

Median Foreign-Born Age

± 2.7

In 2017, the median age of all people in Alaska was 34.5. Native-born citizens, with a median age of 33, were generally younger than than foreign-born citizens, with a median age of 43. But people in Alaska are getting getting older. In 2016, the average age of all Alaska residents was 34.

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Heritage

Foreign-Born Population

7.58%

2017 Foreign-Born Population

56k people

7.45%

2016 Foreign-Born Population

55.2k people

As of 2017, 7.58% of Alaska residents (56k people) were born outside of the United States, which is lower than the national average of 13.7%. In 2016, the percentage of foreign-born citizens in Alaska was 7.45%, meaning that the rate has been increasing.

The following chart shows the percentage of foreign-born residents in Alaska compared to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

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Global Diversity

Most Common Origin

  1. Philippines

    14,937 ± 2,970 people

  2. Thailand

    5,227 ± 1,769 people

  3. Mexico

    2,916 ± 1,323 people

In 2017, the most common birthplace for the foreign-born residents of Alaska was Philippines, the natal country of 14,937 Alaska residents, followed by Thailand with 5,227 and Mexico with 2,916.

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Citizenship

96.3%

2017 Citizenship

96.7%

2016 Citizenship

As of 2017, 96.3% of Alaska residents were US citizens, which is higher than the national average of 93.1%. In 2016, the percentage of US citizens in Alaska was 96.7%, meaning that the rate of citizenship has been decreasing.

The following chart shows US citizenship percentages in Alaska compared to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

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Race and Ethnicity

Most Common

  1. White Alone

    448k ± 1.1k

  2. American Indian & Alaska Native Alone

    105k ± 3.31k

  3. Two or More Races

    55.2k ± 4.61k

In 2017, there were 4.26 times more White Alone residents (448k people) in Alaska than any other race or ethnicity. There were 105k American Indian & Alaska Native Alone and 55.2k Two or More Races residents, the second and third most common racial or ethnic groups.

The following bar chart shows the 8 races and ethnicities represented in Alaska as a share of the total population.

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Non-English Speakers

Most Common Languages

  1. N/A

    N/A speakers (N/A%)

  2. N/A

    N/A speakers (N/A%)

  3. N/A

    N/A speakers (N/A%)

N/A% of Alaska citizens are speakers of a non-English language, which is approximately the same as the national average of 21.8%. In N/A, the most common non-English language spoken in Alaska was N/A. N/A% of the overall population of Alaska are native N/A speakers. N/A% speak N/A and N/A% speak N/A, the next two most common languages.

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Military

Veterans

Most Common Service Period

  1. Gulf War (2001-)

    21,139 ± 2,568

  2. Vietnam

    18,101 ± 1,588

  3. Gulf War (1990s)

    12,329 ± 1,663

Alaska has a large population of military personnel who served in Gulf War (2001-), 1.17 times greater than any other conflict.

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Education

In 2016, universities in Alaska awarded 5,630 degrees. The student population of Alaska is skewed towards women, with 12,591 male students and 17,064 female students.

Most students graduating from Universities in Alaska are White (3,171 and 57.3%), followed by American Indian or Alaska Native (646 and 11.7%), Unknown (547 and 9.88%), and Two or More Races (384 and 6.94%).

The largest universities in Alaska by number of degrees awarded are University of Alaska Anchorage (2,553 and 45.3%), University of Alaska Fairbanks (1,564 and 27.8%), and University of Alaska Southeast (677 and 12%).

The most popular majors in Alaska are Liberal Arts & Sciences (428 and 7.6%), General Business Administration & Management (365 and 6.48%), and Medical Assistant (197 and 3.5%).

The median tuition costs in Alaska are $14,450 for private four year colleges, and $5,936 and $19,628 respectively, for public four year colleges for in-state students and out-of-state students.

Concentrations

Most Common

  1. Registered Nursing

    118 degrees awarded

  2. General Biological Sciences

    112 degrees awarded

  3. General Business Administration & Management

    189 degrees awarded

In 2015, the most common concentation for Bachelors Degree recipients in Alaska was Registered Nursing with 118 degrees awarded.

This visualization illustrates the percentage of students graduating with a Bachelors Degree from schools in Alaska according to their major.

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Universities

Largest Universities by degrees awarded

  1. University of Alaska Anchorage

    2,553 degrees awarded

  2. University of Alaska Fairbanks

    1,564 degrees awarded

  3. University of Alaska Southeast

    677 degrees awarded

$5,936

Median In-State Public

$14,450

Median Private

In 2016, the Alaska institution with the largest number of graduating students was University of Alaska Anchorage with 2,553 degrees awarded.

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Student Gender for Common Institutions

2,179

Degrees Awarded to Men

3,451

Degrees Awarded to Women

In 2016, 2,179 men were awarded degrees from institutions in Alaska, which is 0.631 times less than the 3,451 female students who received degrees in the same year.

This chart displays the gender disparity between the top 5 institutions in Alaska by degrees awarded.

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Student Race and Ethnicity

Most Common Student Race or Ethnicity

  1. White

    3,171 degrees awarded

  2. American Indian or Alaska Native

    646 degrees awarded

  3. Unknown

    547 degrees awarded

In 2016 the majority of degrees awarded at institutions in Alaska were to White students. These 3,171 degrees mean that there were 4.91 times more White students then the next closest race/ethnicity group, American Indian or Alaska Native, with 646 degrees awarded.

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Housing & Living

The median property value in Alaska was $273,100 in 2017, which is 1.26 times larger than the national average of $217,600. Between 2016 and 2017 the median property value increased from $267,800 to $273,100, a 1.98% increase. The homeownership rate in Alaska is 63.5%, which is lower than the national average of 63.9%. People in Alaska have an average commute time of 18.7 minutes, and they commute by Drove Alone. Car ownership in Alaska is approximately the same as the national average, with an average of 2 cars per household.

Income

Household Income

Please note that the buckets used in this visualization were not evenly distributed by ACS when publishing the data.

$73,181

Median Household Income

± $2,628

251k

Number of Households

± 7,263

In 2017, the median household income of the 251k households in Alaska declined from $73,181 from the previous year's value of $76,440.

The following chart displays the households in Alaska distributed between a series of income buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. The largest share of households have an income in the $75k - $100k range.

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Housing

Property Value

$273,100

2017 Median

± $5,087

$267,800

2016 Median

± $5,996

In 2017, the median property value in Alaska grew to to $273,100 from the previous year's value of $267,800.

The following charts display, first, the property values in Alaska compared to it's parent and neighbor geographies and, second, owner-occupied housing units distributed between a series of property value buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. In Alaska the largest share of households have a property value in the $300k - $400k range.

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Property Taxes

$3k+

Average Range

This chart shows the households in Alaska distributed between a series of property tax buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. In Alaska the largest share of households pay taxes in the $3k+ range.

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Rent vs Own

63.5%

2017 Homeownership

64.5%

2016 Homeownership

In 2017, 63.5% of the housing units in Alaska were occupied by their owner. This percentage declined from the previous year's rate of 64.5%.

This percentage of owner-occupation is lower than the national average of 63.9%. This chart shows the ownership percentage in Alaska compared it's parent and neighboring geographies.

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Transportation

Car Ownership

2 cars

Average Number

The following chart displays the households in Alaska distributed between a series of car ownership buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. The largest share of households in Alaska have 2 cars, followed by 1 car.

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Commute Time

18.7 minutes

Average Travel Time

Using averages, employees in Alaska have a shorter commute time (18.7 minutes) than the normal US worker (25.5 minutes). Additionally, 2.36% of the workforce in Alaska have "super commutes" in excess of 90 minutes.

The chart below shows how the median household income in Alaska compares to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

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Commuter Transportation

Most Common Method of Travel

  1. Drove Alone

    69.3%

  2. Carpooled

    11.8%

  3. Walked

    7.35%

In 2017, the most common method of travel for workers in Alaska was Drove Alone (69.3%), followed by those who Carpooled (11.8%) and those who Walked (7.35%).

The following chart shows the number of households using each mode of transportation over time, using a logarithmic scale on the y-axis to help better show variations in the smaller means of commuting.

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