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MacKinnon ApartmentsJuneau, the state capital · MacKinnon Apartments · Photo: NoeHill · CC BY-SA 3.0
Alaska · 41 graded towns

Towns and cities in Alaska

3 of Alaska’s 41 graded towns and cities (7%) grade A− or better nationally, against 25% of U.S. towns. Petersburg ranks first in the state with an A; hazard risk (A+) and schools (A+) are its strongest grades; jobs & income (C+) is its lowest.

Letters are national: the overall grade blends cost of living, safety, schools, health, jobs & income, walkability and hazard risk. How grades work

How Alaska compares: report cardBest places to liveBest small townsMost affordable townsSafest townsTowns with the best schoolsHealthiest towns
41
towns of 2,500+ with an overall grade
3
grade A− or better nationally
0
of 2,500+ without enough data for a grade
28
smaller places (1,000–2,499) with subject grades
Towns by letter
A+0A1A−2B+3B8B−5C+9C6C−6D0D−1

All 41 graded towns

Every town of 2,500+ residents with an overall grade, A to Z. The rank is among 41 Alaska towns on the best places to live list.

41 graded towns, A to Z.

Sort:
  1. C+AnchorageAnchorage Municipality#26 of 41287,155
  2. CBadgerunincorporated, Fairbanks North Star Borough#33 of 4118,677
  3. D−BethelBethel Census Area#41 of 416,626
  4. CBig Lakeunincorporated, Matanuska-Susitna Borough#29 of 413,585
  5. B−Butteunincorporated, Matanuska-Susitna Borough#19 of 414,085
  6. B−Chena Ridgeunincorporated, Fairbanks North Star Borough#15 of 415,881
  7. BCollegeunincorporated, Fairbanks North Star Borough#13 of 4111,924
  8. CEielson AFBunincorporated, Fairbanks North Star Borough#32 of 413,155
  9. C+Esterunincorporated, Fairbanks North Star Borough#25 of 412,752
  10. C−FairbanksFairbanks North Star Borough#38 of 4131,468
  11. BFarm Loopunincorporated, Matanuska-Susitna Borough#12 of 412,894
  12. B+Farmers Loopunincorporated, Fairbanks North Star Borough#6 of 414,954
  13. C+Fishhookunincorporated, Matanuska-Susitna Borough#27 of 415,819
  14. BGatewayunincorporated, Matanuska-Susitna Borough#10 of 416,845
  15. BGoldstreamunincorporated, Fairbanks North Star Borough#7 of 413,294
  16. C+HomerKenai Peninsula Borough#28 of 416,331
  17. BJuneauJuneau City and Borough#14 of 4131,609
  18. B−Kalifornskyunincorporated, Kenai Peninsula Borough#17 of 418,663
  19. C+KenaiKenai Peninsula Borough#20 of 417,924
  20. C+KetchikanKetchikan Gateway Borough#24 of 417,939
  21. CKnik-Fairviewunincorporated, Matanuska-Susitna Borough#31 of 4119,972
  22. C+KodiakKodiak Island Borough#23 of 415,281
  23. C−KotzebueNorthwest Arctic Borough#37 of 412,876
  24. C−Meadow Lakesunincorporated, Matanuska-Susitna Borough#35 of 418,689
  25. CMill Bayunincorporated, Kodiak Island Borough#34 of 413,654
  26. C−Nikiskiunincorporated, Kenai Peninsula Borough#36 of 414,773
  27. C−NomeNome Census Area#39 of 413,653
  28. C+North Lakesunincorporated, Matanuska-Susitna Borough#22 of 4110,223
  29. BPalmerMatanuska-Susitna Borough#11 of 416,710
  30. APetersburgunincorporated, Petersburg Borough#1 of 413,227
  31. B−SewardKenai Peninsula Borough#16 of 412,892
  32. A−SitkaSitka City and Borough#3 of 418,319
  33. B−SoldotnaKenai Peninsula Borough#18 of 414,615
  34. BSouth Lakesunincorporated, Matanuska-Susitna Borough#8 of 416,180
  35. B+Steele Creekunincorporated, Fairbanks North Star Borough#5 of 415,928
  36. BSterlingunincorporated, Kenai Peninsula Borough#9 of 416,323
  37. C+Tanainaunincorporated, Matanuska-Susitna Borough#21 of 419,646
  38. A−UnalaskaAleutians West Census Area#2 of 414,306
  39. CUtqiaġvikNorth Slope Borough#30 of 414,640
  40. B+ValdezChugach Census Area#4 of 413,681
  41. C−WasillaMatanuska-Susitna Borough#40 of 4110,556
Also in Alaska

Not on the ranked list

Not graded

Every Alaska town of 2,500+ residents has an overall grade.

Smaller places 28 with 1,000–2,499 residents

These have subject grades (safety, schools, health and the rest) but no overall grade or rank: the overall starts at 2,500 residents.

Go deeper

Lists in Alaska

Every list ranks the same 2,500+ towns, so a town’s rank means the same thing on each.

All Alaska rankings →
Best places to live41 towns · #1 PetersburgBest small towns33 towns · #1 PetersburgMost affordable towns41 towns · #1 KotzebueSafest towns18 towns · #1 UnalaskaTowns with the best schools41 towns · #1 PetersburgHealthiest towns41 towns · #1 Chena RidgeBest towns for jobs & income41 towns · #1 Steele CreekMost walkable towns41 towns · #1 SitkaTowns with the lowest natural-hazard risk41 towns · #1 Ketchikan and Petersburg and UtqiaġvikBest towns for the outdoors41 towns · #1 AnchorageMost historic towns41 towns · #1 KetchikanTowns with the most civic life17 towns · #1 SewardTowns with the least snow35 towns · #1 KetchikanDescribed, no lettersSnowiest towns35 towns · #1 ValdezDescribed, no lettersTowns with the mildest winters41 towns · #1 SitkaDescribed, no lettersTowns with the hottest summers41 towns · #1 GoldstreamDescribed, no lettersTowns with the coolest summers41 towns · #1 UtqiaġvikDescribed, no lettersTowns with the highest incomes41 towns · #1 GatewayDescribed, no lettersTowns with the lowest property taxes39 towns · #1 KotzebueDescribed, no lettersFastest-growing towns19 towns · #1 WasillaDescribed, no letters