Northway, Alaska Demographics & Population 2026

A note before these figures: with a population of 192, Northway'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

Northway is a small community located in Alaska, within Southeast Fairbanks Census Area. The total population is 192. It ranks as the 189th most populous out of 326 Census-designated places in Alaska.

Age Demographics

The median age in Northway is 43.4 years. This is 21% higher than the state median of 35.8 years. With 40.6% of the population under 18, Northway has a notably young demographic profile, suggesting a family-oriented community. 11.5% 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 Northway is $33,036. This is 64% lower than the state median of $92,788. It is also 59% lower than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 37.5%. This is 270% higher than the state poverty rate of 10.1%. With more than one in five residents living below the poverty line, economic hardship is a significant challenge for the community. The unemployment rate is 8.9%. This is 52% higher than the state rate of 5.9%. The median home value is $180,000. Housing costs are 49% lower than the state median of $352,900. The home-value-to-income ratio is 5.4x. 85.3% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 28% higher than the state average of 66.8%.

Race & Ethnicity

Northway is a highly diverse community where no single racial or ethnic group constitutes a majority of the population. The White (non-Hispanic) population (5.2%) is well below the state average of 57.7%.

Education

2.6% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is 92% 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 78.1%.

Data Sources & Methodology

All demographic data for Northway, 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.