Richest Counties in Alaska (2025)

by Kristen Carney Kristen Carney

Updated: December 17, 2024

Richest County in Alaska

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).

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20 Richest Counties in Alaska

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

Median Income versus Average Income: Which Should You Use?

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:

  • average is the sum of a set of numbers divided by the count of numbers in the set
  • median is the middle number in the set of numbers
illustation of median vs average

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.

Most Business Owners Should Use Median Income

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.

When Should You Use Average Income

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.

Why do so many cities have a median value of $250,001?

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.

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SOURCES

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/.

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