99502 receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
99508
99502
Opportunity
79 · Top 7%
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
80 · Top 33%
vs93 · Top 10%
Access
90 · Bottom 17%
vs90 · Bottom 17%
Economic stability
50 · Bottom 30%
vs77 · Top 12%
Measured values
| Metric | 99508 | 99502 | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 36,458 | 25,006 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $79,314 | $116,071 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $36,310 | $54,562 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 5,103/sq mi | 1,423/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $335,300 | $418,300 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,370 | $1,677 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 53.2% | 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 | 28.8% | 37.7% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 18.3% | 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 | 6 mi | 1 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 19.1 min | 20.8 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 32.3 | 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
99508
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake.
99502
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake.
Full profiles: 99508 — Anchorage, AK · 99502 — Anchorage, AK · How this is calculated: methodology