North Slope Borough, Alaska Demographics
Population trends, housing costs, income, commuting, and health, all on one page.
North Slope Borough, AK Population Density Map and Area Scores
Area Score
Health, income and education, each graded from F to A+. Explore interactive maps for deeper analysis.
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C
Health Below average
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A+
Income Top gradeWealthiest county in Alaska
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D
Education Well below averageLess educated than 76% of counties in Alaska
Source: Map AI Methodology
Population: density and quick facts
| Metric | North Slope Borough | Alaska Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 10,714 | 735,577 | 337,468,954 |
| Population density (per sq mi) | 0.1 | 1.1 | 86.4 |
| Population growth (%/yr) | 1.54% | -0.03% | 0.59% |
| Median age | 34.0 | 36.2 | 37.3 |
| Households | 2,255 | 270,488 | 130,235,071 |
Population in North Slope Borough grew by 61.2% from 2009 to 2024, reaching 10,714 in 2024.
Population Growth 2009–2024
Race & Ethnicity
Age & Sex
The largest generation in North Slope Borough is Millennials, aged 29–44, at 23.8% of residents. That is 0.2 points below Alaska as a whole.
- Gen Z 13–28 2,520 23.5% +1.2 pts
- Millennials 29–44 2,547 23.8% -0.2 pts
- Gen X 45–60 2,496 23.3% +3.4 pts
- Boomers 61–79 1,065 9.9% -4.1 pts
Residents by birth cohort, from the 2025 age distribution. The right-hand figure is how far each cohort's share sits above or below Alaska, in percentage points. Children younger than Gen Z and the generations before the Boomers are counted in the population but not shown here, so these shares do not add up to 100%.
Male and female share
Women are 39.2% of the people living in North Slope Borough and men 60.8%.
- Women 39.2% Alaska 47.6%
- Men 60.8% Alaska 52.4%
How many residents match a customer profile?
Residents matching this profile
100% of everyone living in North Slope Borough
Pick an age range and a women/men split and the figure above answers with how many residents that profile reaches.
Economy
North Slope Borough has a the economy index of A+, which means it is exceptionally prosperous.
| Metric | North Slope Borough | Alaska Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $94,932 | $93,666 | $80,455 |
| Income growth (%/yr) | 3.53% | 2.94% | 4.80% |
| Unemployment rate | 7.5% | 5.5% | 5.2% |
The median household income in North Slope Borough is about 1% higher than in Alaska.
Housing
| Metric | North Slope Borough | Alaska Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home price | $155,135 | $320,616 | $248,835 |
| Median rent | $1,254 | $1,418 | $1,407 |
| Homeownership rate | 49.2% | 66.8% | 65.2% |
The median home price in North Slope Borough is about 10.3 years' worth of rent — buying at the median price costs roughly as much as paying the median rent of $1,254 per month for that long.
Commute Time & Mobility
Commuters in North Slope Borough spend about 15 minutes on the road round trip each working day. Over a typical 250-day work year, that adds up to roughly 62 hours, about 2.6 full days, spent commuting.
| Metric | North Slope Borough | Alaska Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| One-way commute (min) | 7.4 | 16.1 | 22.4 |
| Round-trip commute (min) | 14.9 | 32.2 | 44.8 |
| Yearly time spent (hours) | 62 | 134 | 187 |
| Estimated yearly cost | $1,924 | $4,157 | $5,790 |
| Work from home | 5.6% | 9.7% | 15.0% |
| Highway traffic (vehicles/day) | — | 4,865 | 8,813 |
| Local road traffic (vehicles/day) | 31 | 583 | 1,355 |
Fastest commutes among counties in
Alaska:
Skagway Municipality (4.7 min), Northwest Arctic Borough (5.5 min), Nome Census Area (5.8 min).
Slowest:
Matanuska-Susitna Borough (25.3 min), Fairbanks North Star Borough (17.2 min), Anchorage Municipality (17.1 min).
The average commute time in North Slope Borough is 7 minutes, shorter than the 16 minutes in Alaska.
Estimated yearly cost applies a single national wage rule of thumb (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics average hourly earnings), not a measurement of wages in this area. Traffic volume figures come from proprietary Ticon and TrafficZoom data.
Education & Households
North Slope Borough has a education index of D, which means it is barely educated.
| Metric | North Slope Borough | Alaska Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 13.2% | 27.6% | 31.6% |
| Average household size | 3.36 | 2.61 | 2.53 |
Highest education index among counties in
Alaska:
Haines Borough (0.3), Juneau City and Borough (0.3), Denali Borough (0.3).
Lowest:
Kusilvak Census Area (0.1), Bethel Census Area (0.2), Northwest Arctic Borough (0.2).
Health
North Slope Borough has a health index of C, which means it is somewhat healthy.
| Metric | North Slope Borough | Alaska Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Life expectancy (years) | 78.6 | 79.9 | 78.3 |
| Self-rated poor health | 14.9% | 15.4% | 16.3% |
| Smokers | 25.7% | 22.7% | 19.0% |
Highest health index among counties in
Alaska:
Juneau City and Borough (0.8), Petersburg Borough (0.8), Chugach Census Area (0.8).
Lowest:
Yukon-Koyukuk Census Area (0.8), Lake and Peninsula Borough (0.8), Northwest Arctic Borough (0.8).
North Slope Borough, AK Compared With Nearby Counties
How North Slope Borough, AK compares with the 2 counties closest to it.
| Area | Population | Median household income | Median home price | Commute |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| North Slope Borough, AK | 10,714 | $94,932 #1/3 | $155,135 #3/3 | 7.4 min #1/3 |
| Matanuska-Susitna Borough, AK | 112,982 | $94,435 | $262,501 | 25.3 min |
| Fairbanks North Star Borough, AK | 95,452 | $89,707 | $332,425 | 17.2 min |
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about North Slope Borough, Alaska.
What is the population of North Slope Borough, Alaska?
About 10,714 people live in North Slope Borough, Alaska, in 2,255 households of 3.4 people on average. The median age is 34.0, so residents are younger than the U.S. median of 37.3 by about 3 years.
Is North Slope Borough, Alaska mostly urban or rural?
Averaged over its land area, North Slope Borough, Alaska has 0 people per square mile, a density typical of rural areas. That is about 0% of the U.S. average of 86.
How affordable is housing in North Slope Borough, Alaska?
The median home costs 1.6 times the median household income ($155,135 against $94,932), compared with 3.1 times nationally. That is within the traditional rule of thumb of about 3 times income. Median rent of $1,254 a month takes about 16% of the median household's income, below the 30% level at which HUD considers renters cost-burdened.
Is unemployment high in North Slope Borough, Alaska?
Unemployment in North Slope Borough, Alaska is 7.5%, well above the U.S. rate of 5.2%, so job seekers may face more competition than elsewhere.
How common is a college degree in North Slope Borough, Alaska?
13.2% of adults in North Slope Borough, Alaska hold a bachelor's degree or higher (about 1 in 8), well below the U.S. share of 31.6%.
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