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Cordova Alaska aerialPhoto: Forest Service Alaska Region, USDA · CC BY 2.0
Town Hall · Cordova

Cordova runs its own hospital

Cordova’s city government spent $16.8 million on day-to-day services in the year to December 31, 2024, about $6,692 per resident. It also runs a hospital ($15.7 million) and water utilities ($586,000), counted separately. Census Bureau figures.

Town website
Day-to-day spending, 2024
$16.8M
year to December 31, 2024
Per resident, 2024
$6,692
In 2022: $7,600, less than 69% of 16 similar cities
Long-term debt
$35.3M
end of 2024, reported
City staff, 2025
119
full-time, hospital & welfare staff apart (186 in all) · March payroll $1.3M
Typical tax bill
$3,021
0.72% of home value · AK 1.11%

What stands out about how Cordova is run

Read from the city’s budget and official records.

★ What stands out · Your share of the 2024 budget

About $6,692 per resident a year, or $18.33 a day

Schools are part of the city’s budget, so they lead the receipt: 48% of day-to-day spending.

Where the money comes from
Fees & charges 68%From the state 12%Sales taxes 10%Property taxes 5%From the federal government 3%Utility sales 1%Interest, fines & other 1%Other taxes & licenses <1%
Schools included

Cordova runs its own schools, so school spending is part of this budget. Comparisons are with Alaska cities that run their own schools.

Not in the receipt.Building projects $18.4 million; interest on debt $775,000. With these and the enterprises, the whole budget was $72.2 million.
Why the hospital is apart.The Census Bureau counts the hospital it runs in the city’s books ($15.7 million, 30% of all operations). Only 135 of the 11,301 towns and cities of 2,500+ run one (Census finance files), so it is shown here and left out of every per-resident comparison.
Compared with similar places

$7,600 per resident in 2022: less than 69% of them

Cordova’s day-to-day spending in 2022 ($7,600 per resident, hospital and utilities left out) against 16 Alaska cities that run their own schools: the median was $9,666, and the middle half spent $6,778–$13,455. Cordova spent less than 69% of them.

Middle half of the group, $6,778–$13,455Median $9,666Cordova

Includes sewer and trash ($1.5 million), as the Census Bureau counts them. Later years come from a Census sample, so the comparison stays on 2022. How Town Hall compares budgets →

The group
16

Alaska cities that run their own schools, 2022 Census of Governments (every government counted that year; Cordova itself left out).

Over the years

Day-to-day spending is up 3% since 2022

Day-to-day services, in dollars, in the years Cordova reported to the Census Bureau. Prices rose too: about 4% a year in 2022–2024.

Day-to-day spending by fiscal year

2022$16.4 million
2023$18.2 million
2024$16.8 million

Per resident: 2022: $7,600 · 2023: $7,183 · 2024: $6,692. Per resident it went from $7,600 to $6,692 (down 12%), partly because the Census population behind it changed from 2,152 to 2,512.

City staff
119

full-time in March 2025 (hospital, health & welfare left out), up from 112 in 2022.

Building projects, interest and enterprises (hospital, utilities) are left out, so a big construction year doesn’t read as growth.

Property tax

The typical homeowner pays $3,021 a year

Every local property tax on the home: town, schools and county. About 0.72% of the home’s value, vs 1.11% across Alaska.

What homes cost →

Typical yearly bill next door and statewide

Alaska$3,901
Cordova$3,021
$3,021
typical bill a year
0.72%
effective rate
$419,400
typical home value (Census)
Your own bill

The Housing page’s calculator splits a monthly payment into loan, tax and insurance at Cordova’s rate.

Can I afford it? →

The median bill homeowners report to the Census survey (bills of $10,000+ are reported as “$10,000+”). The effective rate is that bill ÷ the median home value: a rough guide, not the official tax rate. In a town this small the estimate has a wide margin.

Tax bills are one input to Cordova’s Cost of living grade. Cost of living in Cordova →

Who runs it

Who’s in charge in Cordova

Names change after every election, so we link to the source that keeps them current.

See cityofcordova.net for Cordova’s current officialsWe name an official only when a public source lists a current term. None does for Cordova yet.cityofcordova.net ↗
Agendas

Cordova’s meeting calendar isn’t in our feed yet. The city posts agendas and minutes on cityofcordova.net ↗.

Who works for Cordova

One full-time city employee for every 21 residents, not counting hospital, health & welfare staff

On the payroll in March 2025, from the Census Bureau’s Annual Survey of Public Employment & Payroll. Residents: the Census population in the 2024 finance file (2,512).

By department full-time, plus part-time, March 2025

Schools61 + 32 pt
Parks & libraries11 + 11 pt
Administration & buildings10 + 3 pt
Roads & transportation11 + 1 pt
Police9
Water & other utilities6
Sewer & trash5
Fire2
Other4
Run separately
Hospital, health & welfare67 + 5 pt
119
full-time, hospital, health & welfare apart
52
part-time
$1.3M
payroll for March 2025
$16.1M
a year, estimated (March × 12)
$82,100
average full-time pay, before benefits (March × 12)
5
sworn police officers
2
full-time firefighters
The hospital.The 67 full-time hospital, health & welfare staff include the hospital the city runs, so they are counted apart, as the hospitals are in the budget. The payroll figures cover every employee, the hospital’s included: the Census file doesn’t split pay by function.
Compared, 2022.Cordova had 52.0 full-time staff per 1,000 residents in March 2022 (hospital, health & welfare left out, and the same for any peer that runs a hospital). The median for the 10 of the 16 Alaska cities that run their own schools that reported 2022 staff was 50.0: Cordova had more than 50% of them. Same group and year as the budget comparison.

The Census reports one month’s payroll (March); yearly figures are that month × 12, an estimate. Part-timers count half in the bar lengths.

The school district

Cordova City School District

Cordova’s K–12 school district. The schools are run by Cordova, so this money is part of the budget above.

Schools in Cordova →
$22,086
per pupil · AK $21,070
362
students
$4.4 million
long-term debt

Of the $22,086 per pupil, $11,561 goes to the classroom (teachers, aides, supplies); the rest to buses, buildings, counselors and administration. Building projects and debt payments aren’t in the per-pupil figure.

The district: schools, scores and graduation →

Where the district’s money comes from
Local 26%State 63%Federal 10%

Alaska districts overall: 24% local, 55% state, 21% federal.

School year 2023–24. Census Bureau school finance survey.

Who represents Cordova

From town hall to Washington

Every level of government that speaks for Cordova.

2024 results ↑
  1. 1
    Your cityMayor & council
  2. 2
    Alaska HouseState representatives
  3. 3
    Alaska SenateState senator
  4. 4
    GovernorStatewide
  5. 5
    U.S. HouseYour representative in Congress
  6. 6
    U.S. SenateBoth represent all of Alaska

Democrat · Republican · other or independent. Tap a name for their official page.

Reach Cordova’s government

The official site has phone numbers, hours and forms. Neighbors add the rest to the Handbook.

The Handbook →

Questions about Cordova’s government

How much does Cordova spend per resident?

About $6,692 per resident on day-to-day services in the year to December 31, 2024, as reported to the Census Bureau. Cordova also runs a hospital ($15.7 million), counted separately. In 2022, the last full count, its $7,600 was less than 69% of 16 Alaska cities that run their own schools.

What is the property tax rate in Cordova?

Homeowners report a typical bill of $3,021 a year (Census ACS, 2020–24), about 0.72% of the typical home’s value, vs 1.11% across Alaska. For the official rate per $1,000 of assessed value, see cityofcordova.net.

Who runs Cordova’s government?

See cityofcordova.net for current officials. We name an official only when a public source lists a current term, and none does for Cordova yet.

How many people work for Cordova?

119 full-time and 52 part-time employees in March 2025 (plus 67 full-time hospital, health & welfare staff), with a March payroll of $1.3M (about $16.1M a year if every month were the same), as reported to the Census Bureau.

Who represents Cordova in the state legislature?

State Senate District C (Gary Stevens) and State House District 5 (Louise Stutes). The House district also covers seven other towns. Listed by Open States; districts from the Census Bureau.

Ask neighbors about Cordova’s government

Neighbors who’ve been to the meetings can help.

Town Square →
Ask neighbors

Budget and staff: U.S. Census Bureau, Census of Governments (2022, every government) and Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances (2023–24, a sample) and the Annual Survey of Public Employment & Payroll; day-to-day spending is current operations, with hospitals, utilities and airports apart. School district: Census school finance survey, 2023–24. Property tax: Census American Community Survey, 2020–24. Elections: official 2024 returns via the MIT Election Data + Science Lab; turnout uses Census citizen voting-age population (CVAP, 2020–24). Officials: Open States, names shown only with a current term (checked October 9, 2026). Districts: Census Bureau (119th Congress, 2024 state districts); legislators: Open States and congress-legislators. How Town Hall works →