Northwest Arctic Borough, AK

County

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2024 Population

7,441

US Senator

Lisa Murkowski

Republican Party

US Senator

Dan Sullivan

Republican Party

US Representative

Nick Begich III

Republican Party

2024 Median Age

28.8

1.77% 1-year increase

2024 Poverty Rate

17.9%

2.96% 1-year decrease

2024 Median Household Income

$84,018

3.35% 1-year growth

2024 Median Property Value

$199,100

22.5% 1-year growth

2024 Employed Population

2,436

2.52% 1-year decline

About

None of the households in Northwest Arctic Borough, AK reported speaking a non-English language at home as their primary shared language. This does not consider the potential multi-lingual nature of households, but only the primary self-reported language spoken by all members of the household.

98.2% of the residents in Northwest Arctic Borough, AK are U.S. citizens.

In 2024, the median property value in Northwest Arctic Borough, AK was $199,100, and the homeownership rate was 64.4%.

Most people in Northwest Arctic Borough, AK walked to work, and the average commute time was 5.9 minutes. The average car ownership in Northwest Arctic Borough, AK was 0 cars per household.

Northwest Arctic Borough, AK borders Nome Census Area, AK, North Slope Borough, AK, and Yukon-Koyukuk Census Area, AK.

United States Alaska

Population & Diversity

Northwest Arctic Borough, AK is home to a population of 7.44k people, from which 98.2% are citizens. As of 2024, 2.24% of Northwest Arctic Borough, AK residents were born outside of the country (167 people).

In 2024, there were 8.78 times more American Indian & Alaska Native (Non-Hispanic) residents (6k people) in Northwest Arctic Borough, AK than any other race or ethnicity. There were 683 White (Non-Hispanic) and 431 Two Races Excluding Other, & Three or More Races (Non-Hispanic) residents, the second and third most common ethnic groups.

Population & Diversity

Citizenship

98.2%

2024 Citizenship

97.9%

2023 Citizenship

As of 2024, 98.2% of Northwest Arctic Borough, AK residents were US citizens, which is higher than the national average of 93.2%. In 2023, the percentage of US citizens in Northwest Arctic Borough, AK was 97.9%, meaning that the rate of citizenship has been increasing.

The following chart shows US citizenship percentages in Northwest Arctic Borough, AK compared to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

Diversity

Race and Ethnicity

The 3 largest ethnic groups in Northwest Arctic Borough, AK

American Indian & Alaska Native (Non-Hispanic)
6k ± 111
White (Non-Hispanic)
683 ± 15
Two Races Excluding Other, & Three or More Races (Non-Hispanic)
431 ± 91

2.32%

Hispanic Population

173 people

2.32% of the people in Northwest Arctic Borough, AK are hispanic (173 people).

The following chart shows the 8 races represented in Northwest Arctic Borough, AK as a share of the total population.

Global Diversity

The PUMS dataset is not available at the County level, so we are showing data for Alaska.

Most Common Origin

Philippines
20,816 ± 3,492 people
Korea
3,557 ± 1,461 people
Mexico
3,217 ± 1,389 people

In 2024, the most common birthplace for the foreign-born residents of Alaska was Philippines, the natal country of 20,816 Alaska residents, followed by Korea with 3,557 and Mexico with 3,217.

Foreign-Born Population

2.24%

2024 Foreign-Born Population

167 people

2.93%

2023 Foreign-Born Population

223 people

As of 2024, 2.24% of Northwest Arctic Borough, AK residents (167 people) were born outside of the United States, which is approximately the same as the national average of 14%. In 2023, the percentage of foreign-born citizens in Northwest Arctic Borough, AK was 2.93%, meaning that the rate has been decreasing.

The following chart shows the percentage of foreign-born residents in Northwest Arctic Borough, AK compared to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

Military

Veterans

Most Common Service Period

Vietnam
94 ± 34
Gulf War (1990s)
87 ± 58
Gulf War (2001-)
28 ± 21

Northwest Arctic Borough, AK has a large population of military personnel who served in Vietnam, 1.08 times greater than any other conflict.

The chart shows the distribution of veterans by conflict in Northwest Arctic Borough, AK.

Health

81.9% of the population of Northwest Arctic Borough, AK has health coverage, with 27.3% on employee plans, 42.4% on Medicaid, 4.08% on Medicare, 7.68% on non-group plans, and 0.5% on military or VA plans.

Primary care physicians in Northwest Arctic County, AK see 1,260 patients per year on average, which represents a 0% change from the previous year (1,260 patients). Compare this to dentists who see 2474 patients per year, and mental health providers who see 90 patients per year.

By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 52.2% were men and 47.8% were women.

Coverage

Patient to Clinician Ratios

1,260 to 1

Patient to Primary Care Physician Ratio in Northwest Arctic County, AK

Primary care physicians in Northwest Arctic County, AK see an average of 1,260 patients per year. This represents a 0% change from the previous year (1,260 patients).

The following chart shows how the number of patients seen by primary care physicians has been changing over time in Northwest Arctic County, AK in comparison to its neighboring geographies.

Health Care Diversity

In 2024, insured persons according to age ranges were distributed in 39.2% under 18 years, 21.5% between 18 and 34 years, 30.9% between 35 and 64 years, and 8.4% over 64 years.

By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 52.2% were men and 47.8% were women.

The following chart shows the number of people with health coverage by gender.

Uninsured People

18.1%

Uninsured

27.3%

Employer Coverage

42.4%

Medicaid

4.08%

Medicare

7.68%

Non-Group

0.5%

Military or VA

Between 2023 and 2024, the percent of uninsured citizens in Northwest Arctic Borough, AK declined by 4.18% from 18.8% to 18.1%.

The following chart shows how the percent of uninsured individuals in Northwest Arctic Borough, AK changed over time compared with the percent of individuals enrolled in various types of health insurance.

Health Indicators

Health Outcomes

Indicator

In 2025, the average number of mentally unhealthy days reported in past 30 days (age-adjusted) was 6.5 in Northwest Arctic Borough, AK.

The graphic shows the trend of the indicator in Northwest Arctic Borough, AK.

Health Behaviors

Indicator

In 2025, the percentage of the adult population (age 18 and older) that reports a body mass index (BMI) greater than or equal to 30 kg/m2 (age-adjusted) was 38% in Northwest Arctic Borough, AK.

The graphic shows the trend of the indicator in Northwest Arctic Borough, AK.

Clinical Care

Indicator

In 2025, the percentage of population under age 65 without health insurance was 16.6% in Northwest Arctic Borough, AK.

The graphic shows the trend of the indicator in Northwest Arctic Borough, AK.

Economy

The economy of Northwest Arctic Borough, AK employs 2.44k people. In 2024, the largest industries in Northwest Arctic Borough, AK were Public Administration (631 people), Health Care & Social Assistance (415 people), and Educational Services (296 people), and the highest paying industries were Wholesale Trade ($136,250), Construction ($90,179), and Health Care & Social Assistance ($83,375).

Employment

Occupations

2.44k

2024 Value

± 303

−2.52%

1 Year decline

± 17.7%

From 2023 to 2024, employment in Northwest Arctic Borough, AK declined at a rate of −2.52%, from 2.5k employees to 2.44k employees.

The most common job groups, by number of people living in Northwest Arctic Borough, AK, are Office & Administrative Support Occupations (348 people), Construction & Extraction Occupations (264 people), and Business & Financial Operations Occupations (210 people). This chart illustrates the share breakdown of the primary jobs held by residents of Northwest Arctic Borough, AK.

Unemployment Insurance Claims

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for Alaska.

This chart shows weekly unemployment insurance claims in Alaska (not-seasonally adjusted) compared with the four states with the most similar impact.

The most recent data point uses Advance State Claims data, which can be revised in subsequent weeks.

Industries

Employment by Industries

2.44k

2024 Value

± 303

−2.52%

1 Year decline

± 17.7%

From 2023 to 2024, employment in Northwest Arctic Borough, AK declined at a rate of −2.52%, from 2.5k employees to 2.44k employees.

The most common employment sectors for those who live in Northwest Arctic Borough, AK, are Public Administration (631 people), Health Care & Social Assistance (415 people), and Educational Services (296 people). This chart shows the share breakdown of the primary industries for residents of Northwest Arctic Borough, AK, though some of these residents may live in Northwest Arctic Borough, AK and work somewhere else. Census data is tagged to a residential address, not a work address.

Median Earnings by Industry

$50,060

Median earning men ± $4,692

$67,769

Median earning women ± $6,502

The industries with the best median earnings for men in 2024 are Wholesale Trade ($155,750), Construction ($90,179), and Manufacturing ($90,000).

The industries with the best median earnings for women in 2024 are Public Administration ($72,750), Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing & Hunting, & Mining ($72,500), and Educational Services, & Health Care & Social Assistance ($71,563).

Employment by Industry Sector

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for Alaska.

Y-Axis

3.6%

Year-over-year growth

Employment change between February 2022 and February 2023

As of February 2023, there are 317k people employed in Alaska. This represents a 3.6% increase in employment when compared to February 2022.

Right after the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, during April 2020, a general dip can be seen across industry sectors, resulting in an overall decline in employment by 13.7%.

The following chart shows monthly employment numbers for each industry sector in Alaska.

Establishments by Size

The industries with the most establishments

5
Retail Trade
4
Other Services (except Public Administration)
4
Transportation and Warehousing

The visualization shows the distribution of establishments by industry and by size according to the number of employees.

The visualization shows the number of establishments and its share across establishment sizes.

Payroll by Industry Sector

The industries with the highest total annual payroll

$101k
Mining, Quarrying, and Oil and Gas Extraction
$47.7k
Health Care and Social Assistance
$15.6k
Transportation and Warehousing

The chart shows the total annual payroll and the average annual payroll by industry.

Civics

In the 2024 presidential election, the popular vote in Alaska went to Donald J. Trump with 54.5% of the vote. The runner-up was Kamala Harris (41.4%), followed by Robert Kennedy (1.68%).

Lisa Murkowski and Dan Sullivan are the senators currently representing the state of Alaska. In the United States, senators are elected to 6-year terms with the terms for individual senators staggered.

Northwest Arctic Borough, AK is currently represented by Nick Begich III in the U.S. house, and members of the House of Representives are elected to 2-year terms.

Senator Elections

US Senators from Alaska

Senatorial voting results are only available at the state level. Showing data for Alaska.

Lisa Murkowski

Senator from Alaska

Assumed office on December 20, 2002
Appointed to the seat following the resignation of her father Frank Murkowski, who was elected Governor of Alaska.

Dan Sullivan

Senator from Alaska

Assumed office on January 3, 2015

Lisa Murkowski and Dan Sullivan are the senators currently representing Alaska.

In the United States, senators are elected to 6-year terms with the terms for individual senators staggered.

The following chart shows elected senators in Alaska over time, excluding special elections, colored by their political party.

US Representative Elections

US Representatives from Northwest Arctic Borough, AK

Nick Begich III

District at-large Representative

Republican Party

Northwest Arctic Borough, AK is currently represented by Nick Begich III (Republican Party).

Members of the House of Representives are elected to 2-year terms, and the following chart shows the how the member for Northwest Arctic Borough, AK have changed over time starting in 2008.

Housing & Living

The median property value in Northwest Arctic Borough, AK was $199,100 in 2024, which is 0.598 times smaller than the national average of $332,700. Between 2023 and 2024 the median property value increased from $162,500 to $199,100, a 22.5% increase. The homeownership rate in Northwest Arctic Borough, AK is 64.4%, which is lower than the national average of 65.2%.

People in Northwest Arctic Borough, AK have an average commute time of 5.9 minutes, and they walked to work. Car ownership in Northwest Arctic Borough, AK is lower than the national average, with an average of 0 cars per household.

In 2025, 50.1% of the population was living with severe housing problems in Northwest Arctic Borough, AK. From 2014 to 2025, the indicator declined 2.36%.

Housing

Property

$199,100

Median Property Value 2024

±$28,443

$1,175

Median Property Taxes

±$87

The following chart display owner-occupied housing units distributed between a series of property tax buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. In Northwest Arctic Borough, AK the largest share of households pay taxes in the None range.

The chart underneath the paragraph shows the property taxes in Northwest Arctic Borough, AK compared to it's parent and neighbor geographies.

Rent vs Own

64.4%

Homeownership

2024

58.6%

Homeowners with Mortgage

2024

In 2024, 64.4% of the housing units in Northwest Arctic Borough, AK were occupied by their owner. This percentage grew from the previous year's rate of 60.5%.

This chart shows the percentage of owner in Northwest Arctic Borough, AK compared it's parent and neighboring geographies.

Equity

Household Income

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

$84,018

Median Household Income

± $4,761

1.83k

Number of Households

± 124

In 2024, the median household income of the 1.83k households in Northwest Arctic Borough, AK grew to $84,018 from the previous year's value of $81,298.

The following chart displays the households in Northwest Arctic Borough, AK 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 $200k+ range.

Wage Distribution

The closest comparable wage GINI for Northwest Arctic Borough, AK is from Alaska.

0.437

2024 Wage GINI in Alaska

0.432

2023 Wage GINI in Alaska

In 2024, the income inequality in Alaska was 0.437 according to the GINI calculation of the wage distribution. Income inequality had a 1.31% growth from 2023 to 2024, which means that wage distribution grew somewhat less even. The GINI for Alaska was lower than than the national average of 0.474. 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.

Transportation

Commuter Transportation

Most Common Commute in 2024

Walked (44.5%)
Other (21%)
Drove Alone (15.9%)

In 2024, 44.5% of workers in Northwest Arctic Borough, AK walked to work, followed by those who used some unspecified means to get work (21%) and those who drove alone to work (15.9%).

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.

Commute Time

5.9 minutes

Average Travel Time

Using averages, employees in Northwest Arctic Borough, AK have a shorter commute time (5.9 minutes) than the normal US worker (26.4 minutes). Additionally, 0.136% of the workforce in Northwest Arctic Borough, AK have "super commutes" in excess of 90 minutes.

The chart below shows how the median household income in Northwest Arctic Borough, AK compares to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

Poverty

Severe Housing Problems

In 2025, 50.1% of the population was living with severe housing problems in Northwest Arctic Borough, AK. From 2014 to 2025, the indicator declined 2.36%.

The graph shows the trend of the percentage of the population living with severe housing problems.

Poverty & Diversity

17.9% of the population for whom poverty status is determined in Northwest Arctic Borough, AK (1.32k out of 7.36k people) live below the poverty line, a number that is higher than the national average of 12.5%. The largest demographic living in poverty are Males 6 - 11, followed by Females 6 - 11 and then Females < 5.

The most common racial or ethnic group living below the poverty line in Northwest Arctic Borough, AK is Native American, followed by Two Or More and Hispanic.

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.