Blackcottonwoodfull, 2011
Diamond Ridge’s story
Diamond Ridge in pictures
Census counts: 1,802 in 2000, 1,330 in 2020. The archive holds 6 old photos and papers going back to 2011 and 4 maps from 1946 on.
Explore the history →
Diamond RidgeAK
A town of 1,329.
4 bordering townsMap →
Photo: Beeblebrox · CC BY-SA 3.0
Population
1,329
Census survey, 2020–24
Typical home
$356K
+8.2% in a year
Household income
$88K
median
Median age
41.5
years
Land area
42 sq mi
Is Diamond Ridge a good place to live?
The best of Diamond Ridge’s subject grades is an A− for health; the weakest is a D for hazard risk. Diamond Ridge’s July high is 61°F, against 66°F in Alaska’s towns and 85°F across U.S. towns. On health, just 6 of Alaska’s 69 towns do better. Most errands need a car: it is less walkable than 84% of U.S. towns. 32% of the land in Diamond Ridge is conserved, where Alaska’s towns sit at 15% and U.S. towns at 4.3%. The biggest place to walk is Carl E. Wynn Nature Center, 290 acres with 3 miles of trail. Diamond Ridge has fewer than 2,500 residents, so it gets subject grades but no overall grade.
What makes Diamond Ridge stand out
Where Diamond Ridge beats most towns, and one thing worth knowing.
32 measures vs. Alaska
8 better22 too close to call2 worse
| Widest gap | Diamond Ridge | AK |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer older adults who have lost all their teeth | 7.8% | 13.5% |
HealthA−
Healthier than 84% of U.S. towns
Beats AK on 8 of 32 CDC measures, trails it on 2
Less healthyHealthier
CDC PLACES 2025 estimates.
Worth knowing · Natural hazardsD
Avalanches and earthquakes at the top
FEMA National Risk Index.
A growing town
Diamond Ridge has grown 15% from 2010 to 2020
1,156 counted in 2010 and 1,330 in 2020.
U.S. Census 2010 & 2020 counts
How Diamond Ridge grades
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within Alaska), ordered by how far Diamond Ridge is from typical.
Hazard riskavalanches tops the listDOpen →WalkabilityEPA walkability 4.1 of 20; 5.8% of households have no car; 1.2% of workers walk, bike or ride transitC−Open →HealthSouth Peninsula Hospital 3.5 miles awayA−Open →SchoolsBeat 65% of Alaska districts on tests and graduationB+Open →Cost of livingTypical home $356K, 4.4 years of the county’s $81K median household incomeB−Open →Jobs & income$88K median household income; 3.9% below the poverty lineB−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.
ClimateSnowy winters, 61° summer afternoons, 101″ of snow–Open →Housing market–Open →Who lives hereMedian age 41.5–Open →
How TownRatings grades towns →
Getting set up
Moving to Diamond Ridge: who provides what
Diamond Ridge is unincorporated, so Kenai Peninsula Borough and regional agencies provide most services.
PowerChugach Electric Assn23.0¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
Internet2 providers95% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & county servicesKenai Peninsula BoroughKenai Peninsula 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 codes99603, 9955699603 93% · 99556 7%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 Diamond Ridge.
Natural hazardsHazard risk grade D
Avalanches leads a very high hazard risk in Diamond Ridge
Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 90% of U.S. communities.
90risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
AvalanchesEarthquakes
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
HealthA−
Diamond Ridge stands out in Alaska and nationally, with fewer of its adults who sleep under 7 hours
30% of adults sleep under 7 hours in Diamond Ridge. Among 42 Alaska towns, just 4 have a lower share of adults who get no exercise outside work than Diamond Ridge. 18% of adults binge drink in Diamond Ridge.
84%healthier than U.S. townsA−Health Grade
| Diamond Ridge | Alaska towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Yearly checkup (CDC PLACES) | 67% | 68% | 79% |
| Sleep under 7 hours (CDC PLACES) | 30% | 35% | 36% |
| Frequent mental distress (CDC PLACES) | 14% | 16% | 17% |
| Get no exercise (CDC PLACES) | 18% | 21% | 25% |
32 measures vs. Alaska
8 better22 too close to call2 worse
| What stands out | Diamond Ridge | AK |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer older adults who have lost all their teeth | 7.8% | 13.5% |
| Fewer adults facing housing insecurity | 8.4% | 12.3% |
| More adults who have had cancer | 9.3% | 7% |
South Peninsula Hospital
3.5 mi away · emergency room
3 of 3
care shortages: primary care, dental, mental health
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
OutdoorsC+
Nearly a third of Diamond Ridge is conserved land
31 miles of trail in 1 park or preserve. Diamond Ridge’s trail density is 0.8 miles per square mile.
31.6%conserved
31.6%
conserved · 8,501 of 26,864 acres
31 mi
of trails · 0.7 per sq mi
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Carl E. Wynn Nature Center | 3 mi | 290 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
Climate
In Diamond Ridge, expect snowy winters and pleasant summers
Diamond Ridge has chilly, snowy winters and cool summers. The January low in Diamond Ridge is 18°F.
101″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter20–29°
Spring29–42°
Summer45–59°
Fall32–42°
Sep 30
typical first frost
May 16
typical last frost
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Who lives here
Older than Alaska overall
People 65 and older are 20% of residents (14% statewide); adults 18 to 34 are 19% of residents (25% statewide). 40% of Diamond Ridge adults 25 and older hold a bachelor’s degree or more. Only 3 of the 42 Alaska towns we compare have a higher median age than Diamond Ridge.
41.5median age · AK 35.8
| Diamond Ridge | Alaska towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bachelor’s degree or more, 25+ | 40% | 28% | 29% |
| Aged 65 or older | 20% | 13% | 18% |
| Median age | 41.5 years | 36.6 years | 40.5 years |
| Under 18 | 23% | 24% | 22% |
Diamond RidgeAlaskaUnited States
Ages · share of residents
15%
Education · adults 25 and older
No diploma6%
High school17%
Some college27%
Associate’s10%
Bachelor’s28%
Graduate12%
Women and men · all residents
49% women, 51% men
That’s an even split within the survey’s margin of ±3.8 points. Across Alaska, 47.5% of residents are women.
| Diamond Ridge | AK | U.S. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 10 | 10.3% | 13.2% | 11.6% |
| 10 to 17 | 12.9% | 10.9% | 10.3% |
| 18 to 24 | 7.3% | 9.2% | 9.1% |
| 25 to 34 | 11.7% | 15.4% | 13.7% |
| 35 to 44 | 14% | 14.2% | 13.2% |
| 45 to 54 | 8.9% | 11.3% | 12.2% |
| 55 to 64 | 15.2% | 11.9% | 12.7% |
| 65 to 74 | 14.4% | 9.2% | 10.2% |
| 75 and older | 5.3% | 4.6% | 7% |
| No diploma | 6.3% | 6.4% | 10.4% |
| High school | 17.4% | 28.9% | 26% |
| Some college | 26.5% | 24% | 19.1% |
| Associate’s | 10% | 9.1% | 8.8% |
| Bachelor’s | 27.7% | 19.8% | 21.6% |
| Graduate | 12% | 11.8% | 14.1% |
U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates · in a town of 1,300, single groups can be off by several points
HousingCost of living grade B−
More of Diamond Ridge’s households own their home than in the typical Alaska or U.S. town
Of the 42 Alaska towns we compare, none has a higher share of households owning their home than Diamond Ridge. Typical home values rose 8.2% in the year to September 2026.
$356KZillow home value
| Diamond Ridge | Alaska towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Households that own their home | 91% | 69% | 73% |
| Median rent | $1,273 a month | $1,406 a month | $1,185 a month |
Typical home value
Diamond Ridge$356K
Alaska$398K
+8.2%
value change, 1 year
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Diamond Ridge
17pages on Diamond Ridge
The big questions
Out and about
Day to day
After high school
Colleges nearby
None within 15 miles of Diamond Ridge; the nearest are
Alaska Christian CollegeCommunity college · Private nonprofit · Soldotna56.3 mi$9,660 tuitionUniversity of Alaska AnchorageUniversity or college · Public · Anchorage118.5 mi$7,738 in-state tuition
About 3 of every 100 Diamond Ridge residents are enrolled in college, against 5 across Alaska.
Small town
1,329 people, and everyone knows the way
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
Nearby towns
Anchor PointFritz CreekHomerKachemakDiamond Ridge
About Diamond Ridge
Census-designated place in Alaska, United States
Diamond Ridge (Dena'ina: Ch’aqiniggech’) is a census-designated place (CDP) just outside Homer in Kenai Peninsula Borough, Alaska, United States. As of the 2020 census, Diamond Ridge had a population of 1,330.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Area
- 42 sq mi
- Elevation
- 1,060 ft
Questions about Diamond Ridge
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Diamond Ridge, AK expensive?
Cost of living, which also weighs rents, property taxes and how many households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, grades B−.