Houses at Savoonga, Saint Lawrence Island, 1925, 1925
Savoonga’s story
92 years in pictures
The archive holds 6 old photos and papers going back to 1925.
- 1934Savoonga is settled
SavoongaAK
Settled in 1934, this town now has 810 residents.
Photo: ShoreZone · CC BY 2.0
Population
810
2025 Census estimate · −3% since 2020
Median home value
$100K
Census ACS
Household income
$54K
median
Median age
31.6
years
Land area
6 sq mi
Is Savoonga a good place to live?
Savoonga’s mean commuting time is 8 minutes, against 21 minutes in Alaska’s towns and 25 minutes across U.S. towns. No town among the 42 in Alaska we compare has a lower share of adults with a bachelor’s degree than Savoonga. Savoonga has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.
Small town
810 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 Savoonga: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in Savoonga, and how to reach them.
PowerAlaska Village Elec Coop65.9¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterSavoonga Water SupplyNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
InternetProviders and speedsData pending · D4
Trash & dumpNot on file yetWe don’t have Savoonga’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 code9976999769 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 Savoonga.
Natural hazards
Savoonga has a very low natural-hazard risk, chiefly from cold waves
FEMA puts 87% of Savoonga’s expected hazard losses down to cold waves, and 5% to inland flooding. Expected storm and flood damage is lower than in 98% of U.S. communities.
2risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Cold wavesInland flooding
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Schools
The schools Savoonga’s kids attend
Its one school is below. The public schools here belong to the Bering Strait School District. Enrollment at Savoonga’s public school: 236 students.
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hogarth Kingeekuk Sr. Memorial SchoolLargest public high schoolGrades PK–12 | Grades PK–12 | 236 | D− |
NCES · EDFacts
Health
Savoonga stands out in Alaska and nationally, with more of its adults who smoke cigarettes
Of the 42 Alaska towns we compare, none has a higher share of adults who worry about having enough food than Savoonga. The share of adults in Savoonga who sleep under 7 hours: 45%. The town beats the Alaska average on 1 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 23.
| Savoonga | Alaska towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fair or poor health (CDC PLACES) | 35% | 18% | 19% |
| Smoke cigarettes (CDC PLACES) | 35% | 16% | 14% |
| Frequent mental distress (CDC PLACES) | 24% | 16% | 17% |
| Frequent physical distress (CDC PLACES) | 21% | 13% | 14% |
32 measures vs. Alaska
1 better8 too close to call23 worse
| What stands out | Savoonga | AK |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer adults who have had cancer | 4.9% | 7% |
| More adults facing food insecurity | 44.6% | 14.3% |
1 of 3
care shortages: mental health
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Savoonga
14pages on Savoonga
The big questions
Out and about
The story
About Savoonga
City in Alaska, United States
Savoonga is a city in Nome Census Area, Alaska, United States. It is located on St. Lawrence Island in the Bering Sea. As of the 2020 census, Savoonga's population was 835, up from 671 in 2010. Savoonga was incorporated in 1969. In 1971, it became joint owner of St. Lawrence Island along with the island's only other city, Gambell. The local economy consists largely of subsistence hunting for walrus, seals, fish, and bowhead whales. The city calls itself the "Walrus Capital of the World". A dogsled mail service operated until 1963.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Established
- 1969
- Area
- 6.1 sq mi
- Elevation
- 0 ft
- ZIP code
- 99769
- Area code
- 907
Questions about Savoonga
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Savoonga, AK a good place to live?
Savoonga has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.