99502 receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
99504
99502
Opportunity
82 · Top 4%
vs87 · Top 2%
Growth
27 · Bottom 17%
vs27 · Bottom 17%
Climate
47 · Bottom 1%
vs49 · Bottom 1%
Physical resilience
23 · Bottom 18%
vs23 · Bottom 18%
Housing affordability
84 · Top 25%
vs93 · Top 10%
Access
89 · Bottom 13%
vs90 · Bottom 17%
Economic stability
70 · Top 26%
vs77 · Top 12%
Measured values
| Metric | 99504 | 99502 | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 42,093 | 25,006 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $86,710 | $116,071 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $42,046 | $54,562 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 1,143/sq mi | 1,423/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $314,000 | $418,300 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,573 | $1,677 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 66.1% | 70.7% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 3.6% | 3.6% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | 1.1% | 1.1% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 31.5% | 37.7% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 7.6% | 6.3% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 282 | 282 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 1.0 | 1.0 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -13.8% | -13.8% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 68°F | 66°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 8°F | 11°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 14.2" | 16.4" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 13 mi | 1 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 20.9 min | 20.8 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 34.9 | 35.9 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
A bolded value is the more favorable of the two where the metric has a clear direction. Metrics like population and density have no inherent better or worse and are shown unweighted.
Physical risk tradeoff
99504
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake.
99502
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake.
Full profiles: 99504 — Anchorage, AK · 99502 — Anchorage, AK · How this is calculated: methodology