Chuck Sassara, 1976
Big Lake’s story
76 years in pictures
Census counts: 74 in 1960, a low of 36 in 1970, 3,833 in 2020. The archive holds 6 old photos and papers going back to 1976 and a map from 1979 on.
- 1950Big Lake is settled
Big LakeAK
With 3,585 residents, this town was settled in 1950.
5 bordering townsMap →
Photo: Federal Aviation Administration, Alaska Region · Public domain
Population
3,585
Census survey, 2020–24
Median home value
$299K
Census ACS
Household income
$81K
median
Median age
38.8
years
Land area
129 sq mi
TownGrade
C
#29 of 41 in AK
What should you know before moving to Big Lake?
Some subjects shine; others lag. Walkability is its weak spot. Most errands need a car: it is less walkable than 83% of U.S. towns. Hazard risk is weaker too: FEMA rates its natural-hazard risk higher than 96% of U.S. communities, with earthquakes at the top. Its strongest is schools: its schools rank ahead of 77% of Alaska towns. A typical home there costs about $299K, 3 years of the Anchorage metro’s $101K median household income. The overall grade lands at C, better than just over a third of U.S. towns. It ranks 29th of 41 in Alaska.
Figures: schools, state test and graduation results · FEMA National Risk Index · home values, Zillow · incomes, Census ACS, 2020–24.
What makes Big Lake stand out
Where Big Lake beats most towns, and one thing worth knowing.
OutdoorsA−
44.4% conserved land
Matanuska-Susitna Borough School District
| School | Grades | Students |
|---|---|---|
| Big Lake Elementary | PK–5 | 362 |
SchoolsA−
#4 of the 41 Alaska towns we grade for schools
NCES · EDFacts.
Worth knowing · Natural hazardsD−
Earthquakes and inland flooding at the top
FEMA National Risk Index.
A growing town
Big Lake has grown 14% from 2010 to 2020
3,350 counted in 2010 and 3,833 in 2020.
U.S. Census 2010 & 2020 counts
How Big Lake grades
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within Alaska), ordered by how far Big Lake is from typical.
Hazard riskEarthquakes top the listD−Open →WalkabilityEPA walkability 5.1 of 20; 2.5% of households have no car; 0.7% of workers walk, bike or ride transitC−Open →SchoolsAhead of most towns comparedA−Open →HealthLess healthy than 65% of U.S. towns; 673rd Medical Group (Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson) 20.7 miles awayC+Open →Jobs & income$81K median household income; 11.4% below the poverty lineC+Open →Cost of livingClose to the middle of the towns comparedB−Open →
Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.
Described, not graded Taste, not quality: snow or an older crowd is neither good nor bad.
How TownRatings grades towns →
Getting set up
Moving to Big Lake: who provides what
Big Lake is unincorporated, so Matanuska-Susitna Borough and regional agencies provide most services.
PowerMatanuska Electric Assn24.5¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterWestwood Water Company IncNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet1 providers21% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & county servicesMatanuska-Susitna BoroughMatanuska-Susitna Borough provides services here
Register to voteOnlineIn Alaska you can register online until 30 days before Election Day, in person until 30 days before Election Day, or by mail (received 30 days before).vote.govWho runs elections hereAbsentee and Petition OfficeState of Alaska; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Jun 2025
ZIP code9965299652 100%Census 2020
EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Sep 30, 2026.
The data
Ordered by what stands out in Big Lake.
Big Lake has a shorter frost-free season than nearly all U.S. towns and keeps more of its land conserved than most of Alaska, but it is a long drive from an emergency room.
OutdoorsA−
Big Lake keeps nearly a third of its land conserved
Its 35,936 conserved acres are a larger share of the town than in 78% of Alaska towns.
The biggest place to walk is Little Susitna Recreation River, 7,085 acres with 12.7 miles of trail. Count the trails in 3 parks and preserves and they come to 76 miles. Big Lake’s density of trails stands at 0.6 miles per square mile, above Alaska’s towns (0.4) and close to U.S. towns (0.4).
#13for trails in AK
44.4%
conserved · 35,936 of 80,922 acres
76 mi
of trails · 0.6 per sq mi
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Little Susitna Recreation River | 12.7 mi | 7,085 |
| 2. Susitna Flats State Game Refuge | 1.8 mi | 657 |
| 3. Nancy Lake State Recreation Area | 0.1 mi | 45 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
SchoolsA−
For schools, Big Lake earns an A−
The public schools here belong to the Matanuska-Susitna Borough School District. Its one school is below. Enrollment at Big Lake’s public school: 362 students.
77%of AK districts it outscoresA−School Grade
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Big Lake ElementaryLargest public elementary schoolGrades PK–5 | Grades PK–5 | 362 | B− |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within AK on state tests and graduation
Natural hazardsHazard risk grade D−
Big Lake faces a very high natural-hazard risk, led by earthquakes
Households in Big Lake have drawn federal disaster aid in 2 declared disasters, most recently in 2018. 90% of the town’s expected losses from natural hazards come from earthquakes, followed by inland flooding at 5%. Since 2002, one flood insurance claim has been paid locally.
96risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
EarthquakesInland flooding
1
paid flood claims since 2002
2
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA disaster declarations and aid · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Climate
Snowy winters and pleasant summers: that is Big Lake’s year
The Ft Richardson Wtp weather station, 23 miles away, records that the frost-free season runs about 138 days, shorter than in 99% of U.S. towns. July afternoons average 66.2°, cooler than in 100% of U.S. towns; January nights average 8.2°.
The town’s July high comes in at 66°F. Also worth knowing: its January low stands at 8°F, above the Alaska town median (7°F) but below the median of U.S. towns (22°F). About 59 inches of snow falls in a winter.
59″snow a winter
| Big Lake | Alaska towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| July high | 66°F | 66°F | 85°F |
| January low | 8°F | 7°F | 22°F |
Typical low → high °F
Winter10–24°
Spring27–45°
Summer48–65°
Fall28–42°
Sep 7
typical first frost
May 29
typical last frost
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
HealthC+
73% of adults in Big Lake had a checkup this year, against 68% in Alaska’s towns and 79% across U.S. towns
The nearest emergency room, 673rd Medical Group (Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson), is 20.7 miles away in a straight line.
Just over a tenth of Big Lake adults have diabetes. No town among the 41 in Alaska we compare has a lower share of adults who binge drink than Big Lake. CDC measures, 32 in all: Big Lake beats Alaska on 4 and trails on 12. Among 41 Alaska towns, just 2 have a higher share of adults who say their health is fair or poor than Big Lake.
35%healthier than U.S. townsC+Health Grade
| Big Lake | Alaska towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Smoke cigarettes (CDC PLACES) | 20% | 15% | 14% |
| Yearly checkup (CDC PLACES) | 73% | 68% | 79% |
| Binge drink (CDC PLACES) | 14% | 18% | 16% |
| Frequent physical distress (CDC PLACES) | 16% | 13% | 14% |
32 measures vs. Alaska
4 better16 too close to call12 worse
| What stands out | Big Lake | AK |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer binge drinkers | 14.3% | 17.6% |
| More adults getting a yearly checkup | 73.1% | 68.8% |
| More adults with COPD | 8.9% | 6.1% |
673rd Medical Group (Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson)
20.7 mi away · emergency room
3 of 3
care shortages: primary care, dental, mental health
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
HousingCost of living grade B−
The median home in Big Lake sells for about $340K
At 3 years of the Anchorage metro’s $101K median household income, the typical home costs less against local pay than in 97% of Alaska towns; that ratio is one input to its B− for cost of living. 58.7% of renter households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, against 44.6% across Alaska.
For households in Big Lake, the share who live in a home they own is 82%. In Big Lake, the typical sale closed at 98.9% of the list price. Homes sold in Big Lake spent a median 21 days on the market.
$340Kmedian sale price
| Big Lake | Alaska towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Households that own their home | 82% | 68% | 73% |
| Median rent | $1,235 a month | $1,412 a month | $1,185 a month |
Market temperature
21
days on market
98.9%
sale-to-list price
13
homes sold in September
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Big Lake
17pages on Big Lake
The big questions
Out and about
After high school
Colleges nearby
None within 15 miles of Big Lake; the nearest are
Charter CollegeUniversity or college · Private for-profit · Anchorage22.5 mi$18,375 tuitionUniversity of Alaska AnchorageUniversity or college · Public · Anchorage23 mi$7,738 in-state tuition
About 2 of every 100 Big Lake residents are enrolled in college, against 5 across Alaska.
Get outside
76 miles of trails in Big Lake
44.4% of the town is conserved land, across 3 parks and preserves.
1
Little Susitna Recreation River12.7 mi of trails · 7,085 acres
2
Susitna Flats State Game Refuge1.8 mi of trails · 657 acres
3
Nancy Lake State Recreation Area0.1 mi of trails · 45 acres
Trails © OpenStreetMap contributors · USGS PAD-US
About Big Lake
CDP in Alaska, United States
Big Lake (Dena'ina: K'enaka Bena)is a census-designated place (CDP) in Matanuska-Susitna Borough, Alaska, United States. It is part of the Anchorage, Alaska Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 3,833 at the 2020 census, up from 3,350 in 2010.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Area
- 129 sq mi
- Elevation
- 144 ft
- ZIP code
- 99652
- Area code
- 907
Big Lake’s neighbors
5 towns share a border with Big Lake.
Knik-FairviewPoint MacKenzieWillowHoustonMeadow LakesBig Lake
How the neighbors grade
| Town | AK rank | Overall | Cost | Safety | Schools | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Big Lake | #29 | C | B− | — | A− | C+ |
| Knik-Fairview | #31 | C | C | — | A− | B− |
| Point MacKenzie | — | — | — | — | A− | C+ |
| Willow | — | — | B | — | A− | C+ |
| Houston | — | — | B+ | — | A− | C− |
| Meadow Lakes | #35 | C− | C+ | — | A− | B− |
Point MacKenzie, Willow and Houston have fewer than 2,500 residents, so they get subject grades but no overall grade. Big Lake, Knik-Fairview, Point MacKenzie, Willow, Houston and Meadow Lakes report no FBI crime data of their own. Compare Big Lake with a neighbor →
Questions about Big Lake
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Big Lake, AK a good place to live?
Big Lake grades C overall, better than 34% of U.S. towns and #29 of 41 in Alaska. It grades C+ for health and A− for schools. Hazard risk is its weak spot, with a D−.
Is Big Lake, AK expensive?
The typical home is worth about $299,000, 25% below the Alaska typical home. Cost of living, which also weighs rents, property taxes and how many households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, grades B−.