Wales, Alaska Demographics & Population 2026

A note before these figures: with a population of 238, Wales'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

Wales is a small community located in Alaska, within Nome Census Area. The total population is 238. It ranks as the 174th most populous out of 326 Census-designated places in Alaska.

Age Demographics

The median age in Wales is 21.5 years. This is 40% lower than the state median of 35.8 years. With 39.9% of the population under 18, Wales has a notably young demographic profile, suggesting a family-oriented community.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in Wales is $37,188. This is 60% lower than the state median of $92,788. It is also 54% lower than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 28.0%. This is 177% 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 13.8%. This is 136% higher than the state rate of 5.9%. The median home value is $95,000. Housing costs are 73% lower than the state median of $352,900. With a home-value-to-income ratio of just 2.6x, Wales is one of the most affordable housing markets in the area. 69.1% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 3% higher than the state average of 66.8%.

Race & Ethnicity

Wales is a highly diverse community where no single racial or ethnic group constitutes a majority of the population. The White (non-Hispanic) population (10.1%) is well below the state average of 57.7%.

Education

0.0% 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. Nationally, 35.7% of adults hold at least a bachelor's degree. The high school graduation rate (or equivalent) is 88.7%.

Data Sources & Methodology

All demographic data for Wales, 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.