Most affordable counties to rent in Alaska
Ranked by how much of the typical renter household's income the typical rent takes. Nome Census Area is the most affordable at 22.6%; Ketchikan Gateway Borough the least affordable at 30.3%.
| County | Rent-to-income | Median gross rent | Median renter income | Renters paying 30%+ | 2 BR FMR FY2027 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Nome Census Area | 22.6% | $1,394 | $74,000 | 31% | $1,638 |
| 2. Sitka City and Borough | 22.9% | $1,341 | $70,230 | 47% | $1,622 |
| 3. Chugach Census Area | 23.0% | $1,369 | $71,406 | 36% | $1,575 |
| 4. Bethel Census Area | 24.1% | $1,474 | $73,438 | 23% | $1,971 |
| 5. Juneau City and Borough | 24.7% | $1,444 | $70,141 | 36% | $1,807 |
| 6. Kodiak Island Borough | 25.2% | $1,765 | $83,883 | 38% | $2,239 |
| 7. Anchorage Municipality | 27.0% | $1,489 | $66,267 | 46% | $1,529 |
| 8. Fairbanks North Star Borough | 27.3% | $1,459 | $64,047 | 46% | $1,553 |
| 9. Kenai Peninsula Borough | 28.2% | $1,184 | $50,430 | 49% | $1,390 |
| 10. Matanuska-Susitna Borough | 29.8% | $1,299 | $52,324 | 53% | $1,293 |
| 11. Ketchikan Gateway Borough | 30.3% | $1,505 | $59,654 | 49% | $1,733 |
Rent-to-income = median gross rent × 12 ÷ median household income of renters. Both are medians of different households, so this is an area comparison, not the burden of any one household. 19 of 30 counties are left out because they have fewer than 500 renter households, a Census margin of error is too large (coefficient of variation above 15%) or a figure is not published.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates 2020–2024 and 2015–2019 (tables B25064, B25119, B25070). ± = margin of error at 90% confidence. Dollar figures are not adjusted for inflation. FMR: HUD FY2027.
How much rent can you afford? Use the rent-to-income calculator →