Wainwright, Alaska Demographics & Population 2026

A note before these figures: with a population of 718, Wainwright'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

Wainwright is a small community located in Alaska, within North Slope Borough. The total population is 718. It ranks as the 100th most populous out of 326 Census-designated places in Alaska.

Age Demographics

The median age in Wainwright is 28.4 years. This is 21% lower than the state median of 35.8 years. With 37.3% of the population under 18, Wainwright has a notably young demographic profile, suggesting a family-oriented community.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in Wainwright is $93,750. This is 1% higher than the state median of $92,788. It is also 16% higher than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 12.0%. This is 18% higher than the state poverty rate of 10.1%. The unemployment rate is 12.6%. This is 116% higher than the state rate of 5.9%. The median home value is $117,000. Housing costs are 67% lower than the state median of $352,900. With a home-value-to-income ratio of just 1.2x, Wainwright is one of the most affordable housing markets in the area. 66.5% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied.

Race & Ethnicity

Wainwright is a highly diverse community where no single racial or ethnic group constitutes a majority of the population. White (non-Hispanic) residents account for 2.6%. The White (non-Hispanic) population (2.6%) is well below the state average of 57.7%.

Education

5.6% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is 82% 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 84.7%.

Data Sources & Methodology

All demographic data for Wainwright, 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.