Landing Fields - Alaska, 1917
Kotzebue’s story
146 years in pictures
Census counts: 200 in 1880, 3,102 in 2020. The archive holds 6 old photos and papers going back to 1917 and a map from 1951 on.
- 1880Kotzebue is settled
KotzebueAK
A town of 2,876, settled in 1880.
Photo: Petty Officer 1st Class Shawn Eggert · Public domain
Population
2,876
2025 Census estimate · −7.1% since 2020
Median home value
$288K
Census ACS
Household income
$110K
median
Median age
31.0
years
Land area
29 sq mi
TownGrade
C−
#37 of 41 in AK
Is Kotzebue a good place to live?
Kotzebue gives you more for your money than most places: a typical home costs about $288K, 3.4 years of the county’s $84K median household income. It grades C− overall, 37th of 41 graded towns in Alaska. The low prices come with trade-offs. It reports more crime per resident than 91% of U.S. towns, including 21 violent crimes reported to the FBI in 2025. On the plus side, natural-hazard risk is low. Kotzebue’s average trip to work is 6 minutes, against 21 minutes in Alaska’s towns and 25 minutes across U.S. towns. On health, just 6 of Alaska’s 69 towns do worse. Kotzebue is easier to get around on foot or by transit than 82% of U.S. towns.
What makes Kotzebue stand out
Where Kotzebue beats most towns, and one thing worth knowing.
Natural hazardsA+
Lower risk than 99% of U.S. communities
Very low risk of storm and flood damage
FEMA National Risk Index.
WalkabilityA−
More walkable than 82% of U.S. towns
44.8% of workers walk, bike or ride transit
EPA National Walkability Index; Census ACS.
Crimes reported to police
202383
202528
Worth knowing · SafetyD
But reported crime fell 66% since 2023
FBI data, 2025. Crimes reported to police.
How Kotzebue grades
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within Alaska), ordered by how far Kotzebue is from typical.
Hazard riskcold waves tops the listA+Open →SafetyDOpen →WalkabilityEPA walkability 7 of 20; 38.2% of households have no carA−Open →Jobs & income$110K median household income; 14.4% below the poverty lineCOpen →Cost of livingB+Open →SchoolsCOpen →HealthLess healthy than 68% of U.S. towns; Maniilaq Health Center 44.7 miles awayCOpen →
Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.
Outdoors7 miles of trails; 1% conserved landB−Open →History6 notable people born hereDOpen →Civic life1.5 library visits per resident; 3.7 community nonprofits per 1,000 residentsB−Open →
Described, not graded Taste, not quality: snow or an older crowd is neither good nor bad.
How TownRatings grades towns →
Getting set up
The full setup list →Moving to Kotzebue: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in Kotzebue, and how to reach them.
PowerAlaska Village Elec Coop65.9¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterKotzebue Mun. Water System38 health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet2 providers99% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & dumpNot on file yetWe don’t have Kotzebue’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 code9975299752 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 Kotzebue.
Kotzebue carries less natural-hazard risk than most of Alaska (mostly cold waves) and has a shorter frost-free season than nearly all U.S. towns, but it is a long drive from an emergency room.
Natural hazardsHazard risk grade A+
Very low risk in Kotzebue, with cold waves at the top
FEMA rates its natural-hazard risk lower than 90% of Alaska towns; that rating is what its A+ for hazard risk is built on.
Kotzebue’s FEMA risk score is 1 of 100. Since 2011, 7 flood insurance claims have been paid out in Kotzebue.
1risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Cold waves
7
paid flood claims since 2011
3
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
SchoolsC
Public schools in Kotzebue fall behind 71% of Alaska districts
Its public schools are run by the Northwest Arctic Borough School District. Two of its 3 schools are below, each with why it’s listed.
29%of AK districts it outscoresCSchool Grade
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| June Nelson ElementaryLargest public elementary schoolGrades PK–5 | Grades PK–5 | 302 | C− |
| Kotzebue Middle/High SchoolLargest public high schoolGrades 6–12 | Grades 6–12 | 299 | C |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within AK on state tests and graduation
SafetyD
Kotzebue’s grade for safety is a D
Reported crimes fell from 83 to 28 over the last three FBI years, a drop beyond ordinary year-to-year swings.
The violent crime rate in Kotzebue is 7.4 per 1,000 residents. Among 18 Alaska towns, just 1 have a lower property crime rate than Kotzebue. Kotzebue reports more crime per resident than most U.S. towns we grade: about 91% report less.
9%of U.S. towns report more crimeDSafety Grade
| Kotzebue | Alaska towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Violent crimes per 1,000 (2025) | 7.4 per 1,000 residents | 3.3 | 1.6 |
| Property crimes per 1,000 (2025) | 2.5 per 1,000 residents | 9.3 | 9.9 |
Violent crime per 1,000 residents
Kotzebue7.4
Alaska7.4
U.S.3.3
Property crime per 1,000 residents
Kotzebue2.5
Alaska19.3
U.S.15.5
9th
percentile among U.S. towns we grade
29th
percentile among AK towns
21
violent crimes reported in 2025
7
property crimes reported in 2025
FBI crime data, 2025 · crimes reported to police
OutdoorsB−
0.6% of Kotzebue is conserved land
7.4 miles of trail in 0 parks and preserves. Among 41 Alaska towns, just 2 have a lower share of conserved land than Kotzebue.
#24for trails in AK
| Kotzebue | Alaska towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Conserved land | 0.6% | 15% | 4.3% |
| Miles of trail per square mile | 0.3 miles per square mile | 0.4 | 0.4 |
0.6%
conserved · 98 of 16,770 acres
7.4 mi
of trails · 0.3 per sq mi
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
HealthC
Compared with most of Alaska and the rest of the country, more of Kotzebue’s adults smoke cigarettes
The nearest emergency room, Maniilaq Health Center, is 44.7 miles away in a straight line. Against the 7,082 U.S. towns with household incomes like Kotzebue’s, it is less healthy than 94%, so it trails even them.
22% of Kotzebue adults smoke cigarettes. Of the 41 Alaska towns we compare, none has a higher share of adults who sleep under 7 hours than Kotzebue. 19% of Kotzebue adults binge drink.
32%healthier than U.S. townsCHealth Grade
| Kotzebue | Alaska towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Smoke cigarettes (CDC PLACES) | 22% | 15% | 14% |
| Yearly checkup (CDC PLACES) | 66% | 68% | 79% |
| Feel lonely (CDC PLACES) | 37% | 32% | 33% |
| Food insecurity (CDC PLACES) | 23% | 12% | 14% |
32 measures vs. Alaska
1 better15 too close to call16 worse
| What stands out | Kotzebue | AK |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer adults who have had cancer | 5.1% | 7% |
| More older adults who have lost all their teeth | 27.5% | 13.5% |
Maniilaq Health Center
44.7 mi away · emergency room
1 of 3
care shortages: mental health
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Climate
Kotzebue has snowy winters and pleasant summers
The Kotzebue Ralph Wein Ap weather station records that the frost-free season runs about 110 days, shorter than in 98% of U.S. towns. January nights average -8.4°, colder than in 100% of U.S. towns; July afternoons average 60.1°.
Kotzebue has cold, snowy winters and cool summers, with very little rain. Among 41 Alaska towns, just 4 have a lower July high than Kotzebue. About 64 inches of snow falls in a winter.
64″snow a winter
| Kotzebue | Alaska towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| July high | 60°F | 66°F | 85°F |
| January low | -8°F | 7°F | 22°F |
Typical low → high °F
Winter-6–7°
Spring10–24°
Summer47–57°
Fall22–31°
Sep 24
typical first frost
Jun 5
typical last frost
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Kotzebue
19pages on Kotzebue
The big questions
Out and about
The story
Famous people from Kotzebue
6 notable people were born in Kotzebue.
About Kotzebue
City in Alaska, United States
Kotzebue ( KOTS-ə-bew) or Qikiqtaġruk ( kik-ik-TUG-rook, Inupiaq: [qekeqtɑʁʐuk]) is a city in the Northwest Arctic Borough in the U.S. state of Alaska. It is the borough's seat, by far its largest community and the economic and transportation hub of the subregion of Alaska encompassing the borough. The population of the city was 3,102 as of the 2020 census, down from 3,201 in 2010.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Established
- 1958
- Area
- 29 sq mi
- Elevation
- 20 ft
- ZIP code
- 99752
- Area code
- 907
Questions about Kotzebue
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Kotzebue, AK a good place to live?
Kotzebue grades C− overall, better than 23% of U.S. towns and #37 of 41 in Alaska. It grades C for health, D for safety and C for schools. Safety is its weak spot, with a D.
Is Kotzebue, AK safe?
Within Alaska, it does better than 29% of towns.
Is Kotzebue, AK expensive?
Not for the area. Cost of living, which also weighs rents, property taxes and how many households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, grades B+.
What is Kotzebue, AK known for?
6 notable people were born here, including John Baker and Willie Hensley.