Petersburg, #1 on this list · Photo: John Bortniak · Public domain

Alaska rankings · 2026

Best small towns in Alaska

Q: What is the best small town in Alaska?

Among 33 graded towns of 2,500 to 9,999 residents, Petersburg (Petersburg Borough) ranks first, with an A; hazard risk (A+) and schools (A+) are its strongest grades; jobs & income (C+) is its lowest. Unalaska and Sitka follow.

Petersburg ranks first of Alaska’s 33 graded small towns (2,500–9,999 residents), with an A: hazard risk (A+) and schools (A+) are its strongest grades; jobs & income (C+) is its lowest. 3 of the 33 (9%) grade A− or better nationally, against 25% of U.S. towns.

The overall grade, sorted: cost of living, safety, schools, health, jobs & income, walkability and hazard risk, from Census, FBI, state, CDC, EPA and FEMA data. How grades work

Petersburg

unincorporated, Petersburg Borough · 3,227 people

Strongest: hazard risk A⁺, schools A⁺·lowest: jobs & income C⁺

BCostBSafetyA⁺SchoolsB⁺HealthC⁺JobsAWalkA⁺Hazards

Unalaska

Aleutians West Census Area · 4,306 people

A⁻

Strongest: schools A, safety A·lowest: hazard risk D⁻

C⁺CostASafetyASchoolsA⁻HealthB⁻JobsBWalkD⁻Hazards

Sitka

Sitka City and Borough · 8,319 people

A⁻

Strongest: walkability A⁺, health A⁻·lowest: hazard risk C

B⁻CostBSafetyA⁻SchoolsA⁻HealthC⁺JobsA⁺WalkCHazards

Where they are: Three of the top 10 are in Fairbanks North Star Borough.

All 33 small towns

Overall score, highest first. The score (0–100) blends the seven livability grades and sets the order; the letter places that score among every U.S. town of 2,500+, and A+ is the top 5%, so neighbors on the list often share a letter. Each town links to its page, where the grade sheet shows every subject. The rank is the town’s place among all 41 Alaska towns.

Find a town

33 towns ranked. Not here? See why a town may be missing.

#TownScoreGradeWhat drives it

1Petersburgunincorporated, Petersburg Borough · 3,227 people69.0top 8.3%AStrongest: hazard risk A⁺, schools A⁺·lowest: jobs & income C⁺

2UnalaskaAleutians West Census Area · 4,306 people65.1top 16.4%A⁻Strongest: schools A, safety A·lowest: hazard risk D⁻

3SitkaSitka City and Borough · 8,319 people64.3top 18.4%A⁻Strongest: walkability A⁺, health A⁻·lowest: hazard risk C

4ValdezChugach Census Area · 3,681 people58.2top 34.0%B⁺Strongest: safety A⁻, health A⁻·lowest: hazard risk D

5Steele Creekunincorporated, Fairbanks North Star Borough · 5,928 people58.1top 34.4%B⁺Strongest: jobs & income A, health A·lowest: hazard risk D

6Farmers Loopunincorporated, Fairbanks North Star Borough · 4,954 people57.9top 34.9%B⁺Strongest: health A⁻, jobs & income A⁻·lowest: hazard risk C

7Goldstreamunincorporated, Fairbanks North Star Borough · 3,294 people57.7top 35.6%BStrongest: health A, cost of living B⁺·lowest: walkability D⁻

8South Lakesunincorporated, Matanuska-Susitna Borough · 6,180 people56.4top 38.9%BStrongest: schools A⁻, health B⁺·lowest: hazard risk D⁻

9Sterlingunincorporated, Kenai Peninsula Borough · 6,323 people55.9top 40.2%BStrongest: health A⁻, schools B⁺·lowest: hazard risk D⁻

10Gatewayunincorporated, Matanuska-Susitna Borough · 6,845 people55.4top 41.5%BStrongest: health A⁻, schools A⁻·lowest: hazard risk D⁻

11PalmerMatanuska-Susitna Borough · 6,710 people55.4top 41.6%BStrongest: walkability A⁻, schools A⁻·lowest: hazard risk D

12Farm Loopunincorporated, Matanuska-Susitna Borough · 2,894 people54.6top 43.8%BStrongest: schools A⁻, health A⁻·lowest: hazard risk D

15Chena Ridgeunincorporated, Fairbanks North Star Borough · 5,881 people54.1top 45.1%B⁻Strongest: health A, jobs & income B·lowest: hazard risk C⁻

16SewardKenai Peninsula Borough · 2,892 people51.7bottom 48.1%B⁻Strongest: walkability A, health A·lowest: hazard risk D⁻

17Kalifornskyunincorporated, Kenai Peninsula Borough · 8,663 people51.2bottom 46.8%B⁻Strongest: health A⁻, schools B⁺·lowest: hazard risk D⁻

18SoldotnaKenai Peninsula Borough · 4,615 people50.8bottom 45.9%B⁻Strongest: walkability A, schools B⁺·lowest: hazard risk D⁻

19Butteunincorporated, Matanuska-Susitna Borough · 4,085 people50.5bottom 45.0%B⁻Strongest: schools A⁻, health B⁺·lowest: hazard risk D

20KenaiKenai Peninsula Borough · 7,924 people49.9bottom 43.4%C⁺Strongest: schools B⁺, health B·lowest: hazard risk D⁻

21Tanainaunincorporated, Matanuska-Susitna Borough · 9,646 people49.3bottom 41.7%C⁺Strongest: schools A⁻, health B⁻·lowest: hazard risk D

23KodiakKodiak Island Borough · 5,281 people48.9bottom 40.5%C⁺Strongest: walkability A, health A⁻·lowest: hazard risk D

24KetchikanKetchikan Gateway Borough · 7,939 people48.5bottom 39.4%C⁺Strongest: hazard risk A⁺, walkability A·lowest: safety C⁻

25Esterunincorporated, Fairbanks North Star Borough · 2,752 people47.7bottom 37.1%C⁺Strongest: health A, schools B·lowest: hazard risk D

27Fishhookunincorporated, Matanuska-Susitna Borough · 5,819 people47.4bottom 36.5%C⁺Strongest: schools A⁻, health B⁺·lowest: walkability D

28HomerKenai Peninsula Borough · 6,331 people47.1bottom 35.5%C⁺Strongest: walkability A, health B⁺·lowest: hazard risk D⁻

29Big Lakeunincorporated, Matanuska-Susitna Borough · 3,585 people46.3bottom 33.6%CStrongest: schools A⁻, cost of living B⁻·lowest: hazard risk D⁻

30UtqiaġvikNorth Slope Borough · 4,640 people45.5bottom 31.4%CStrongest: hazard risk A⁺, walkability B⁺·lowest: schools C

32Eielson AFBunincorporated, Fairbanks North Star Borough · 3,155 people45.0bottom 30.3%CStrongest: health A⁻, walkability A⁻·lowest: cost of living D⁻

34Mill Bayunincorporated, Kodiak Island Borough · 3,654 people43.9bottom 27.5%CStrongest: health B⁺, schools B⁺·lowest: cost of living D⁻

35Meadow Lakesunincorporated, Matanuska-Susitna Borough · 8,689 people42.3bottom 23.8%C⁻Strongest: schools A⁻, health B⁻·lowest: hazard risk D⁻

36Nikiskiunincorporated, Kenai Peninsula Borough · 4,773 people42.2bottom 23.6%C⁻Strongest: schools B⁺, cost of living B⁻·lowest: hazard risk D⁻

37KotzebueNorthwest Arctic Borough · 2,876 people41.7bottom 22.6%C⁻Strongest: hazard risk A⁺, walkability A⁻·lowest: safety D

39NomeNome Census Area · 3,653 people39.7bottom 18.4%C⁻Strongest: hazard risk A⁺, walkability A·lowest: safety D

41BethelBethel Census Area · 6,626 people26.5bottom 2.3%D⁻Strongest: hazard risk A⁺, walkability B·lowest: safety D

Method

How this list is made

Each town’s overall grade blends seven livability grades: cost of living (weight 18), safety (18), schools (16), health (14), jobs & income (12), walkability (8) and hazard risk (4). A town needs 2,500+ residents and three of the first four. Letters are national, so an A here means the same as an A in any state; the list is the same towns in the same order, ranked within Alaska. Towns without their own FBI figures are graded on the rest and their page says why.

Data years: crime 2023–2025 (FBI), Census ACS 2020–2024, CDC PLACES 2025, state school tests. How grades work

Quick answers

Questions people ask

What is the best small town in Alaska?

Among 33 graded towns of 2,500 to 9,999 residents, Petersburg (Petersburg Borough) ranks first, with an A; hazard risk (A+) and schools (A+) are its strongest grades; jobs & income (C+) is its lowest. Unalaska and Sitka follow.

How are these towns ranked?

By the overall grade, which blends seven livability grades from public data. The letter is national; the rank is within Alaska. The full method is on How grades work.

Why isn’t my town on this list?

The list covers towns of 2,500 to 9,999 residents with an overall grade (33 in Alaska). 28 smaller places have subject grades only; Larger towns are on the best places to live list. Every town is on the Alaska page.

Go deeper

More Alaska lists

Every list ranks the same 2,500+ towns, so a town’s rank means the same thing on each.

All Alaska rankings →

Other states

Best small towns in other states

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