by Kristen Carney
Updated: December 17, 2024
The richest county in Alaska is Anchorage Municipality with an average household income of $127,598 as of 2023 and 286,075 people as of 2023 according to the most current Census data available (citation).
Rank | County | Population | Average Income | Median Income |
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Anchorage Municipality | 286,075 | $127,598 | $98,152 |
2 | Bristol Bay Borough | 844 | $126,030 | $100,625 |
3 | Aleutians West Census Area | 5,160 | $122,928 | $107,344 |
4 | Juneau City and Borough | 31,555 | $122,575 | $100,513 |
5 | Ketchikan Gateway Borough | 13,738 | $112,238 | $89,155 |
6 | Matanuska-Susitna Borough | 115,239 | $111,363 | $90,625 |
7 | Fairbanks North Star Borough | 94,840 | $110,923 | $84,722 |
8 | North Slope Borough | 10,603 | $110,508 | $86,313 |
9 | Chugach Census Area | 6,769 | $109,799 | $88,565 |
10 | Sitka City and Borough | 8,282 | $107,564 | $101,207 |
11 | Denali Borough | 1,584 | $103,321 | $88,935 |
12 | Kenai Peninsula Borough | 61,223 | $102,341 | $77,722 |
13 | Kodiak Island Borough | 12,565 | $102,245 | $83,716 |
14 | Northwest Arctic Borough | 7,361 | $100,502 | $81,298 |
15 | Nome Census Area | 9,763 | $98,246 | $76,643 |
16 | Petersburg Borough | 3,427 | $98,129 | $77,026 |
17 | Skagway Municipality | 1,095 | $98,060 | $78,594 |
18 | Yakutat City and Borough | 687 | $92,687 | $80,625 |
19 | Dillingham Census Area | 4,607 | $91,943 | $74,250 |
20 | Southeast Fairbanks Census Area | 7,077 | $91,780 | $74,223 |
We usually suggest using median income data – either instead of or in addition to – average income data as a true indicator of wealth. If you haven’t thought about median versus average since your last standardized test, you aren’t alone. Here’s what they are:
Now let’s say you had the following simplified set of income data.
Household 1: $30,000
Household 2: $50,000
Household 3: $1,000,000
The average income for this set is $360,000. The outlier data point ($1,000,000) skews the average WAY up. Conversely, the average income would be skewed WAY down if someone had an income of $500. The median income for the same data set is $50,000. Outlier data doesn’t skew the median.
So most business owners should use the median income as a true indicator of wealth, because it provides a more accurate representation of a typical income, especially in areas with significant income disparity.
If your target market is high-income households, the average income may be more relevant. This is because the average income can highlight the presence of a higher concentration of wealthy individuals, which is beneficial for luxury goods and services marketing. We’re using average income on this page because using the Census’s highest reported median value of $250,001 could result in multiple ties for the richest geography.
The Census' American Community Survey uses $250,000+ as a jam value for median income estimates to protect privacy, ensure data consistency, and simplify reporting. A "jam value" in survey data refers to a placeholder or default value used when actual data points are unavailable, incomplete, or exceed certain thresholds. We represent this jam value as $250,001 to make it easy for you to sort.
Join thousands of subscribers and receive just 1 (ONE!) email a year in December when the US Census Bureau releases new income data for Alaska richest counties.
United States Census Bureau. Annual Estimates of the Resident Population: April 1, 2020 to July 1, 2023. U.S. Census Bureau, Population Division. Web. May 2024. http://www.census.gov/.
United States Census Bureau. B01001 SEX BY AGE, 2023 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates. U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey Office. Web. 12 December 2024. http://www.census.gov/.
United States Census Bureau. B19013 Median Household Income, 2023 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates. U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey Office. Web. 12 December 2024. http://www.census.gov/.
United States Census Bureau. “DP03 SELECTED ECONOMIC CHARACTERISTICS.” 2023 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates. U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey Office. Web. 12 December 2024. http://www.census.gov/.
© Copyright 2025 Cubit Planning, Inc.