Northwest Arctic Borough, Alaska Demographics 2026

Name: Northwest Arctic Borough, Alaska Demographics
Creator: U.S. Census Bureau
License: https://www.census.gov/data/developers/about/terms-of-service.html

Northwest Arctic Borough, Alaska has a population of 7,441, the 13th most populous county in Alaska. The median household income is $84,018 and the median home value is $199,100. The poverty rate is 17.9%.

Data vintage: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2020–2024 5-Year Estimates · refreshed July 2026 · Methodology & source notes

Northwest Arctic Borough Quick Facts

Population 7,441

Median Household Income $84,018

Median Home Value $199,100

Poverty Rate 17.9%

Unemployment Rate 16.7%

Median Age 28.8 years

Homeownership Rate 64.4%

Affordability Ratio 2.4x

Bachelor's Degree+ 10.6%

High School Graduation 85.3%

Cities/Places 11

Population 7,441 13th of 30

Median Income $84,018 9% lower than state

Poverty Rate 17.9%

Unemployment 16.7%

How Northwest Arctic Borough Changed

Change from the 2019–2023 ACS period to 2020–2024. These are rolling five-year estimates, not year-over-year measurements.

Metric	2019–2023	2020–2024	Change
Population	7,611	7,441	-2.2%
Median household income	$81,298	$84,018	+3.3%
Median home value	$162,500	$199,100	+22.5%

Median Household Income

Northwest Arctic Borough

$84,018

$92,788

National

$80,734

Median Home Value

Northwest Arctic Borough

$199,100

$352,900

National

$332,700

Economy & Housing

Household Income Distribution

Under $25K 14.8%

$25K-$50K 14.6%

$50K-$100K 29.5%

$100K+ 41.1%

Detailed income brackets

Under $10K

4.8%

$10K-$15K

2.2%

$15K-$20K

3.5%

$20K-$25K

4.4%

$25K-$30K

2.3%

$30K-$35K

2.2%

$35K-$40K

3.3%

$40K-$45K

3.7%

$45K-$50K

3.1%

$50K-$60K

7.4%

$60K-$75K

9.1%

$75K-$100K

13.0%

$100K-$125K

10.2%

$125K-$150K

7.6%

$150K-$200K

9.3%

$200K+

14.0%

Employment

16.7% Unemployment Rate State: 5.9%|National: 5.2%

58.8% Labor Force Participation

Housing Overview

Owner 64.4%

Renter 35.6%

Affordability Index Very Affordable

2.4x home value to income ratio

Median gross rent $1,350/mo 19.3% of median household income annually

People & Demographics

Age Distribution

Under 18

37.3%

18-34

23.3%

35-54

19.7%

55-74

16.6%

75+

3.1%

Race & Ethnicity

Diversity Index

Low Diversity

A less diverse community where one racial or ethnic group represents a large majority.

State average: 63 | National average: 61

Education

Educational Attainment (Adults 25+)

Cities & Places in Northwest Arctic Borough

City	Population	Median Income	Poverty	Home Value
Kotzebue	2,984	$110,357	14.4%	$288,400
Kivalina	809	$72,589	22.2%	$175,000
Noatak	786	$83,750	10.6%	$168,800
Noorvik	748	$63,750	26.0%	$157,500
Buckland	533	$58,990	13.7%	$86,700
Kiana	437	$68,333	17.4%	$192,500
Selawik	412	$52,500	36.6%	$76,700
Deering	227	$58,333	15.4%	$110,900
Ambler	182	$40,556	23.6%	$96,900
Shungnak	147	$78,750	24.5%	N/A
Kobuk	101	$37,917	25.7%	N/A

Explore Alaska Rankings

Cities by Population All cities ranked by size Richest Cities Ranked by median income Most Educated By bachelor's degree rate Most Affordable By housing affordability

Population Overview

Northwest Arctic Borough is located in Alaska with a total population of 7,441. It is the 13th most populous county out of 30 in Alaska. The county encompasses 11 Census-designated places.

Age Demographics

The median age in Northwest Arctic Borough is 28.8 years. This is 20% lower than the state median of 35.8 years. With 37.3% of the population under 18, Northwest Arctic Borough has a notably young demographic profile, suggesting a family-oriented community.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in Northwest Arctic Borough is $84,018. This is 9% lower than the state median of $92,788. It is also 4% higher than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 17.9%. This is 76% higher than the state poverty rate of 10.1%. The unemployment rate is 16.7%. This is 185% higher than the state rate of 5.9%. The median home value is $199,100. Housing costs are 44% lower than the state median of $352,900. With a home-value-to-income ratio of just 2.4x, Northwest Arctic Borough is one of the most affordable housing markets in the area. 64.4% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 4% lower than the state average of 66.8%.

Race & Ethnicity

Northwest Arctic Borough is a highly diverse community where no single racial or ethnic group constitutes a majority of the population. Hispanic or Latino residents account for 2.3%. The White (non-Hispanic) population (9.2%) is well below the state average of 57.7%. The Black or African American population (0.5%) is well below the state average of 2.9%. The Hispanic or Latino population (2.3%) is well below the state average of 7.3%. The Asian population (1.6%) is well below the state average of 6.3%.

Education

10.6% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is among the lowest rates in the state, which may correlate with employment and income patterns. This is 66% 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 85.3%.

Data Sources & Methodology

All figures for Northwest Arctic Borough come from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS) 2020–2024 5-Year Estimates, with comparisons drawn against Alaska and national averages from the same dataset. See our methodology page for how each metric is defined, or data.census.gov for official tables with margins of error.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the population of Northwest Arctic Borough, Alaska?

Northwest Arctic Borough has a population of 7,441, making it the 13th most populous county in Alaska.

What is the median income in Northwest Arctic Borough?

The median household income in Northwest Arctic Borough is $84,018 with a poverty rate of 17.9%.

How many cities are in Northwest Arctic Borough, Alaska?

Northwest Arctic Borough contains 11 Census-designated places.