Best boroughs to raise a family in Alaska
For people looking to find a home to raise a family in, choosing a county is an important decision. Most families place affordable homes, safe neighborhoods, a quality school system, and family-friendly activities at the top of their wish lists.
Stacker compiled a list of the best boroughs to raise a family in Alaska using data from Niche. Niche ranks boroughs based on a variety of factors including cost of living, schools, health care, recreation, and weather.
The list features boroughs that boast some of the top schools and fun, family-friendly activities for every season. Keep reading to explore the best boroughs to raise a family. Maybe you'll find one that suits your brood.
#15. Kusilvak Borough, Alaska
- Population: 8,354
- Median home value: $66,200 (73% own)
- Median rent: $763 (27% own)
- Median household income: $37,975
- Top public schools: Saint Mary's School (grade C+), Hooper Bay School (grade C minus), Chevak School (grade C minus)
- Top private schools: Chevak (grade C minus), St. Mary's (grade C minus), Hooper Bay (grade D+)
- Top places to live: grade D minus
#14. Nome Borough, Alaska
- Population: 10,070
- Median home value: $151,900 (63% own)
- Median rent: $1,257 (37% own)
- Median household income: $63,977
- Top public schools: Anvil City Science Academy (grade B+), Unalakleet School (grade B), Nome-Beltz Junior/Senior High School (grade B minus)
- Top private schools: Nome (grade C+), Unalakleet (grade B+), Stebbins (grade C+)
- Top places to live: grade C minus
#13. Northwest Arctic Borough, Alaska
- Population: 7,776
- Median home value: $130,700 (59% own)
- Median rent: $1,266 (41% own)
- Median household income: $68,654
- Top public schools: Kotzebue Middle/High School (grade C+), Napaaqtugmiut School (grade C minus), Kiana School (grade C minus)
- Top private schools: Nikaitchuat Ilisagviat School (grade unavailable)
- Top places to live: Kotzebue (grade C), Ambler (grade B minus), Kivalina (grade C)
#12. Bethel Borough, Alaska
- Population: 18,514
- Median home value: $102,300 (57% own)
- Median rent: $1,402 (43% own)
- Median household income: $57,460
- Top public schools: Bethel Regional High School (grade C+), George Morgan Senior High School (grade C), Auntie Mary Nicoli Elementary School (grade C)
- Top private schools: Bethel (grade C), Newtok (grade C minus), Toksook Bay (grade C minus)
- Top places to live: grade D+
#11. North Slope Borough, Alaska
- Population: 10,865
- Median home value: $173,500 (49% own)
- Median rent: $1,039 (51% own)
- Median household income: $83,992
- Top public schools: Barrow High School (grade B minus), Fred Ipalook Elementary School (grade C minus), Tikigaq School (grade C minus)
- Top private schools: Nuiqsut (grade B), Barrow (grade B), Anaktuvuk Pass (grade C minus)
- Top places to live: grade C
#10. Aleutians West Borough, Alaska
- Population: 5,251
- Median home value: $325,500 (30% own)
- Median rent: $1,612 (70% own)
- Median household income: $90,708
- Top public schools: Unalaska Junior/Senior High School (grade A minus), Eagle's View Elementary School (grade A minus), Adak School (grade unavailable)
- Top private schools: Adak (grade B minus), Unalaska (grade B minus), St. Paul (grade C)
- Top places to live: grade C
#9. Yukon-Koyukuk Borough, Alaska
- Population: 5,433
- Median home value: $77,400 (74% own)
- Median rent: $817 (26% own)
- Median household income: $43,405
- Top public schools: Sidney C. Huntington Elementary School (grade A), Sidney C. Huntington Junior/Senior High School (grade A minus), Nenana City School (grade B+)
- Top private schools: Galena (grade B+), McGrath (grade B minus), Nenana (grade B minus)
- Top places to live: grade C
#8. Southeast Fairbanks Borough, Alaska
- Population: 6,849
- Median home value: $192,300 (72% own)
- Median rent: $1,149 (28% own)
- Median household income: $68,634
- Top public schools: Delta Junction Junior High School (grade A minus), Delta Junction Elementary School (grade B+), Delta Junior/Senior High School (grade B)
- Top private schools: WHITESTONE FARMS TRAINING CENTER / WHITESTONE HS (grade unavailable), Fort Greely Child Development Center (grade unavailable), Living Word Academy (grade unavailable)
- Top places to live: Big Delta (grade B minus), Delta Junction (grade B minus), Tanacross (grade C+)
#7. Matanuska-Susitna Borough, Alaska
- Population: 106,807
- Median home value: $265,200 (77% own)
- Median rent: $1,167 (23% own)
- Median household income: $79,300
- Top public schools: Mat-Su Career & Tech Education High School (grade A), Academy Charter School (grade A), Fred & Sara Machetanz Elementary School (grade A minus)
- Top private schools: Amazing Grace Academy (grade A minus), Our Lady of the Valley Catholic School (grade unavailable), Northern Light Mennonite School (grade unavailable)
- Top places to live: Gateway (grade B), Palmer (grade B minus), Tanaina (grade B minus)
#6. Prince of Wales-Hyder Borough, Alaska
- Population: 5,886
- Median home value: $192,500 (75% own)
- Median rent: $823 (25% own)
- Median household income: $55,857
- Top public schools: Kake Elementary/High School (grade B+), Thorne Bay School (grade B), Craig High School (grade B minus)
- Top private schools: Kake (grade B), Thorne Bay (grade B minus), Hydaburg (grade B minus)
- Top places to live: grade B minus
#5. Fairbanks North Star Borough, Alaska
- Population: 97,149
- Median home value: $245,700 (59% own)
- Median rent: $1,321 (41% own)
- Median household income: $78,321
- Top public schools: West Valley High School (grade A minus), Watershed Charter School (grade A minus), Interior Distance Education of Alaska (Idea) (grade A minus)
- Top private schools: Catholic Schools of Fairbanks (grade A minus), Fairhill Christian School (grade unavailable), Open Arms Lutheran Child Development Center (grade unavailable)
- Top places to live: College (grade A minus), Ester (grade B), North Pole (grade B minus)
#4. Ketchikan Gateway Borough, Alaska
- Population: 13,939
- Median home value: $315,200 (65% own)
- Median rent: $1,235 (35% own)
- Median household income: $77,820
- Top public schools: Ketchikan High School (grade A minus), Schoenbar Middle School (grade B+), Ketchikan Charter School (grade B+)
- Top private schools: Holy Name Catholic School (grade unavailable)
- Top places to live: Ketchikan (grade B), Saxman (grade C+)
#3. Valdez-Cordova Borough, Alaska
- Population: 9,243
- Median home value: $222,200 (75% own)
- Median rent: $1,067 (25% own)
- Median household income: $79,867
- Top public schools: Glennallen (grade A minus), Valdez (grade A minus), Cordova (grade A minus)
- Top private schools: grade A minus
- Top places to live: grade unavailable
#2. Kenai Peninsula Borough, Alaska
- Population: 58,711
- Median home value: $249,100 (77% own)
- Median rent: $1,081 (23% own)
- Median household income: $70,609
- Top public schools: Homer Middle School (grade A), Homer High School (grade A), Aurora Borealis Charter School (grade A minus)
- Top private schools: Cook Inlet Academy (grade B), Grace Evangelical Lutheran School (grade unavailable), Wings Christian Academy (grade unavailable)
- Top places to live: Kalifornsky (grade B+), Soldotna (grade B), Ridgeway (grade B)
#1. Kodiak Island Borough, Alaska
- Population: 13,218
- Median home value: $311,100 (54% own)
- Median rent: $1,483 (46% own)
- Median household income: $83,765
- Top public schools: Peterson Elementary School (grade A minus), Kodiak High School (grade A minus), North Star Elementary School (grade B+)
- Top private schools: Kodiak Christian School (grade unavailable), St. Mary's School (grade unavailable), USCG Base Kodiak Child Development Center (grade unavailable)
- Top places to live: Kodiak (grade B), Womens Bay (grade B), Port Lions (grade C+)
