Cantwell, Alaska Demographics & Population 2026

A note before these figures: with a population of 128, Cantwell's ACS estimates come from a small number of survey responses and carry wide margins of error. Individual percentages below — particularly rates that round to 0% or 100% — are approximations, not precise measurements. See data.census.gov for the published margins of error.

Population Overview

Cantwell is a small community located in Alaska, within Denali Borough. The total population is 128. It ranks as the 214th most populous out of 326 Census-designated places in Alaska.

Age Demographics

The median age in Cantwell is 65.0 years. This is 82% higher than the state median of 35.8 years. Only 7.8% of residents are under 18, indicating fewer families with children. 33.6% of residents are 75 or older, suggesting a significant retirement-age population with implications for healthcare services and senior housing.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in Cantwell is $43,438. This is 53% lower than the state median of $92,788. It is also 46% lower than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 10.9%. This is 8% higher than the state poverty rate of 10.1%. The unemployment rate is 2.3%. This is 61% lower than the state rate of 5.9%. The median home value is $256,300. Housing costs are 27% lower than the state median of $352,900. The home-value-to-income ratio is 5.9x. 83.9% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 26% higher than the state average of 66.8%.

Race & Ethnicity

The largest racial or ethnic group in Cantwell is White (non-Hispanic), making up 67.2% of the population. Black or African American residents account for 1.6%. The Hispanic or Latino population (1.6%) is well below the state average of 7.3%.

Education

22.2% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is 30% lower than the state rate of 31.7%. Nationally, 35.7% of adults hold at least a bachelor's degree. The high school graduation rate (or equivalent) is 93.2%.

Data Sources & Methodology

All demographic data for Cantwell, Alaska is sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS) 2020–2024 5-Year Estimates. The ACS collects data from approximately 3.5 million households annually and pools five years of responses so that even small communities can be measured, though the margin of error widens as the population falls. Comparisons are made against Alaska state averages and national averages calculated from the same dataset. Rankings reflect the city's position among all 326 Census-designated places in Alaska. Read more about how these figures are produced on our methodology page, or visit data.census.gov for official data.