Buckland Alaska aerial view, 1999
Buckland’s story
106 years in pictures
Census counts: 52 in 1920, 550 in 2020. The archive holds 2 old photos and papers going back to 1999 and a map from 1951 on.
- 1920Buckland is settled
BucklandAK
A town of 496, settled in 1920.
Photo: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, photographer not specified or unknown · Public domain
Population
496
2025 Census estimate · −10.3% since 2020
Median home value
$87K
Census ACS
Household income
$59K
median
Median age
23.6
years
Land area
2 sq mi
Is Buckland a good place to live?
Buckland’s average trip to work is 4 minutes, where Alaska’s towns sit at 21 minutes and U.S. towns at 25 minutes. No town among the 42 in Alaska we compare has a lower share of adults with a bachelor’s degree than Buckland. Buckland has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.
Small town
496 people, and everyone knows the way
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
Getting set up
The full setup list →Moving to Buckland: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in Buckland, and how to reach them.
PowerAlaska Village Elec Coop65.9¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterBuckland Water System26 health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
InternetProviders and speedsData pending · D4
Trash & dumpNot on file yetWe don’t have Buckland’s trash rules yet
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 code9972799727 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 Buckland.
Natural hazards
Buckland faces a very low natural-hazard risk, led by cold waves
Expected storm and flood damage is lower than in 93% of U.S. communities.
7risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Cold waves
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Schools
The schools Buckland’s kids attend
Its public schools are run by the Northwest Arctic Borough School District. No of its 1 schools are below, each with why it’s listed.
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|
NCES · EDFacts
Health
More of Buckland’s adults say their health is fair or poor than in the typical Alaska or U.S. town
33% of adults say their health is fair or poor in Buckland, above both Alaska’s towns (18%) and U.S. towns (19%). 25% of Buckland adults report frequent mental distress. Of the 42 Alaska towns we compare, none has a higher share of adults who report frequent physical distress than Buckland.
| Buckland | Alaska towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fair or poor health (CDC PLACES) | 33% | 18% | 19% |
| Smoke cigarettes (CDC PLACES) | 34% | 16% | 14% |
| Frequent mental distress (CDC PLACES) | 25% | 16% | 17% |
| Frequent physical distress (CDC PLACES) | 19% | 13% | 14% |
32 measures vs. Alaska
3 better6 too close to call23 worse
| What stands out | Buckland | AK |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer adults who have had cancer | 3.5% | 7% |
| Fewer adults with high cholesterol | 27.4% | 33.4% |
| More adults facing food insecurity | 43% | 14.3% |
Maniilaq Health Center
90.5 mi away · emergency room
1 of 3
care shortages: mental health
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Buckland
13pages on Buckland
The big questions
Out and about
About Buckland
City in Alaska, United States
Buckland (Inupiaq: Nunatchiaq) is a city in Northwest Arctic Borough, Alaska, United States. As of the 2020 census, Buckland had a population of 550. It takes its English name from the Buckland River, which in turn takes its name from Oxford University professor William Buckland.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Established
- 1966
- Area
- 1.6 sq mi
- Elevation
- 13 ft
- ZIP code
- 99727
Questions about Buckland
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Buckland, AK a good place to live?
Buckland has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.