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City · 8,078 residents · Ketchikan Gateway Borough, Alaska

Ketchikan , Alaska

In Ketchikan, a typical home is worth $352,400 and typical rent is $1,417 a month. Compared with all of Ketchikan Gateway Borough, the typical home value is 10% lower, typical household income is 8% lower, and the share of households that own their home is 7 points lower.

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  • Typical home value

    $352,400

    10% below the borough

    About the same as Alaska

    • Ketchikan
    • Ketchikan Gateway
    • Alaska

  • Typical rent

    $1,417a month

    6% below the borough

    About the same as Alaska

    • Ketchikan
    • Ketchikan Gateway
    • Alaska

  • Typical household income

    $85,275a year

    8% below the borough

    8% below Alaska

    • Ketchikan
    • Ketchikan Gateway
    • Alaska

  • Households that own their home

    61%

    7 points below the borough

    5 points below Alaska

    • Ketchikan
    • Ketchikan Gateway
    • Alaska

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Average 2020–2024

Market now, with Zillow data

Zillow data
Typical home value
$405,239
5% more than 12 months ago

From Zillow (ZHVI), September 2026. The Census figures above are 5-year averages (2020–2024).

Ketchikan is in Ketchikan Gateway Borough. The FHA loan limit ($541,287 for a one-unit home), the fair market rents and the help on this page are those of all of Ketchikan Gateway Borough. See the county

Data updated: October 1, 2026 11 official sources

Only here

What sets Ketchikan apart

What this place has that others do not, from public data, most unusual first.

  1. Nearby, in Palmer, the typical rent is $1,125: 21% less than in Ketchikan ($1,417).

  2. Nearby, in Palmer, the typical home value is $294,900: 16% less than in Ketchikan ($352,400).

  3. 61% of households in Ketchikan own their home, against 69% in Ketchikan Gateway Borough.

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau (Average 2020–2024).

The homes here

Housing in Ketchikan

What homes there are in Ketchikan, what they cost, how that changed and how people live, from Census figures (2020–2024).

What homes there are

U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year, 2020–2024

Kind of home

No kind of home is the majority in Ketchikan; the largest group, detached houses, adds up to 38%, less than in Ketchikan Gateway Borough (53%).

Year built

Homes in Ketchikan are older: the typical year built is 1971; in Ketchikan Gateway Borough, 1977.

In Ketchikan, 23% of homes have 1 bedroom or none (studios); 43% have 3 bedrooms or more, against 51% in Ketchikan Gateway Borough.

All homes, occupied or empty. A figure the Census cannot measure precisely enough here is not shown.

Census tables: B25024, B25034, B25035, B25041

What it costs here

U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year, 2020–2024

Value of owner-occupied homes

The FHA loan limit for Ketchikan Gateway Borough is $541,287, and about 82% of owner-occupied homes in Ketchikan are worth less than that.

Monthly rent with utilities

With a mortgage

$2,146 a month

Ketchikan Gateway Borough: $2,150 a month

Without a mortgage

$750 a month

Ketchikan Gateway Borough: $695 a month

Owners with a mortgage

63%

Ketchikan Gateway Borough: 62%

Owning costs about the same in Ketchikan as in Ketchikan Gateway Borough: with a mortgage, $2,146 a month; without one, $750.

Value: what owners think their home is worth. Rent: rent plus utilities, for homes of every size. The FHA limit is the most an FHA loan (Federal Housing Administration) lends for a one-unit home; the fair market rent (FMR) is the one HUD uses for housing vouchers.

Census tables: B25075, B25063, B25088, B25081

How it changed

U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year, 2015–2019 and 2020–2024

Change since 2015–2019

The typical home value in Ketchikan rose 38% since 2015–2019, about the same as in Ketchikan Gateway Borough (36%).

Much as in Ketchikan Gateway Borough, the typical rent in Ketchikan rose 28% since 2015–2019.

The typical household income in Ketchikan rose 39% over that time; home values changed +38% and rent +28%.

Change between two 5-year periods that do not overlap, in each period's dollars, not adjusted for inflation.

Census tables: B25077, B25064, B19013

How people live

U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year, 2020–2024

MeasureKetchikanKetchikan Gateway BoroughAlaskaUnited States
Rental vacancy 9.8%8.5%7.0%5.5%
Homeowner vacancy Unreliable estimateUnreliable estimate0.9%0.9%
More than one person per room Unreliable estimate3.0%5.7%3.4%
People per household 2.282.342.612.53
Drive alone 66%69%65%69%
Carpool 14%13%12%9%
Public transit Unreliable estimateUnreliable estimate1%3%
Walk or bike 10%7%8%3%
Work from home 6%6%10%15%
Other means Unreliable estimate3%4%2%
Typical commute Unreliable estimate10 to 19 minutes10 to 19 minutes20 to 29 minutes

The rental vacancy rate in Ketchikan is 9.8%, higher than in Ketchikan Gateway Borough (8.5%).

Much as in Ketchikan Gateway Borough, a household in Ketchikan has 2.28 people on average.

More people walk or bike to work in Ketchikan: 10%, against 7% in Ketchikan Gateway Borough.

Vacancy: empty homes offered for rent or for sale. Rooms: every room in the home, not only bedrooms. Commute: the minute range of the typical worker.

Census tables: B25004, B25003, B25014, B25010, B08301, B08303

Do the math

What would you pay each month for a home in Ketchikan?

A typical home costs more than the typical income allows

We start with a typical home in Ketchikan, worth $352,400, an FHA loan with 3.5% down and the latest average rate (7.18%). That payment would take 40% of the typical household income in Ketchikan, which is $85,275 a year. For that payment to be 28% of income, a household would need to earn about $122,493 a year.

The calculator's FHA and conventional loan limits are those of all of Ketchikan Gateway Borough.

Your numbers

Local data
$

Starts at the typical home value in Ketchikan. Change it to the price you have in mind.

Loan type
Your credit score

Your score changes which loans apply and FHA's minimum down payment. Your real rate also depends on your credit.

Down payment
%

That is $12,334 (3.5% of the price). The usual minimum for this loan is 3.5%.

This week's average ± a quarter or half point.

Term

National average as of November 5, 2026 (Freddie Mac); your rate may be different.

Adjust advanced details

Estimated monthly payment

Local data

$2,858

at 7.18% · 30 years

Loan amount
$346,017
Total interest
$497,838
Paid off in
November 2056

Includes $5,951 FHA upfront mortgage insurance premium.

Does it fit the income?

  • Comfortable

    up to $1,990 a month

  • Tight

    $1,990 to $2,558 a month

  • Hard

    more than $2,558 a month

    Your payment · 40%

Compared with the typical household income in Ketchikan ($85,275 a year). Reference: HUD calls paying more than 30% of income for housing a cost burden.

Show the result as
per month$2,858
Principal & interest$2,344
Property tax$211
Home insurance$147
FHA mortgage insurance (MIP)$156

You need at least $12,334 for the down payment, plus closing costs.

Next step

This is an estimate to give you an idea, not a loan offer. Your real payment depends on your rate, your credit, and the insurance and taxes on the home you buy.

The city and its county

Ketchikan and Ketchikan Gateway Borough

Ketchikan is in Ketchikan Gateway Borough, Alaska. The U.S. Census Bureau publishes its own numbers for the city: home values, rent, household income, how many households own their home and the property tax. They are American Community Survey estimates (average 2020–2024).

Ketchikan's own numbers

Typical home value
$352,400
Typical monthly rent
$1,417
Typical yearly household income
$85,275
Households that own their home
61%
Effective property tax rate
0.72%

U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey (average 2020–2024).

Numbers for all of Ketchikan Gateway Borough

FHA limit, one-unit home
$541,287
Conventional limit, one unit
$1,249,125
HUD fair market rent, 2 bedrooms
$1,733
Price change over 5 years (FHFA)
+30%

HUD, FHFA and FEMA don't publish these numbers by city.

Other numbers are not published by city, only for the whole county: FHA and conventional loan limits, HUD’s fair market rents, FHFA’s price index and FEMA’s flood data. On this page, those numbers always say they are for all of Ketchikan Gateway Borough.

Everything about Ketchikan Gateway Borough

Buying

Buying a home in Ketchikan

A typical home in Ketchikan is worth $352,400: 10% below the borough and about the same as Alaska. With the typical household income in Ketchikan ($85,275 a year), a typical home costs 4.1 times what the household earns in a year.

Years of income to pay for a typical home

The typical home value divided by the typical household income for one year. The lower it is, the less buying weighs.

  • Ketchikan 4.1 years
  • Ketchikan Gateway 4.2 years
  • Alaska 3.8 years
  • United States 4.1 years
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Average 2020–2024

How prices have changed in Ketchikan Gateway Borough

According to FHFA’s house price index, home prices in Ketchikan Gateway Borough rose 53% in the 10 years through 2025.

FHFA does not publish this index by city: these are the numbers for all of Ketchikan Gateway Borough.

Period Borough Alaska U.S.
Last year (2025) −6.3% +4.1% +2.9%
5 years (2020–2025) +30% +39% +47%
10 years (2015–2025) +53% +52% +85%

The index follows the price of the same homes over time (sales and appraisals with Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac loans). It is not the average price of a home. FHFA considers its annual county indexes experimental. Source: FHFA, 2025 data

Ketchikan next to Ketchikan Gateway Borough, Alaska and the U.S.

Three numbers side by side. “Typical” means the median: half are above it and half below.

Typical home value
  • Ketchikan $352,400
  • Ketchikan Gateway $393,300
  • Alaska $352,900
  • United States $332,700
Typical monthly rent
  • Ketchikan $1,417
  • Ketchikan Gateway $1,505
  • Alaska $1,419
  • United States $1,413
Typical yearly household income
  • Ketchikan $85,275
  • Ketchikan Gateway $92,885
  • Alaska $92,788
  • United States $80,734
See the full table
Ketchikan next to Ketchikan Gateway Borough and Alaska
Measure Ketchikan Ketchikan Gateway Borough Alaska U.S.
Typical home value $352,400 $393,300 $352,900 $332,700
Typical monthly rent $1,417 $1,505 $1,419 $1,413
Typical yearly household income $85,275 $92,885 $92,788 $80,734
Households that own their home 61% 69% 67% 65%
Typical yearly property tax $2,546 $2,619 $3,901 $3,119
Effective property tax rate 0.72% 0.67% 1.11% 0.94%
Renters with high rent for their income 50% 49% 45% 51%

“Typical” means the median: half are above and half are below. ▲ and ▼ say whether the city is above or below Ketchikan Gateway Borough. “High rent” is the Census measure: renter households that pay 30% or more of their income in rent.

Four ways to pay for a typical home in Ketchikan

For a typical $352,400 home in Ketchikan, at Freddie Mac's average rate (7.18% as of November 5, 2026) over 30 years. The monthly payment adds principal and interest, Ketchikan's typical property tax, an example home insurance and mortgage insurance when it applies.

  • FHA, 3.5% down $2,858a month

    Least cash to close
    Down payment
    $12,334
    Cash to close
    $22,906
    Rate
    7.18%
    Mortgage insurance
    FHA MIP · $156

  • Conventional, 5% down $2,794a month

    Down payment
    $17,620
    Cash to close
    $28,192
    Rate
    7.18%
    Mortgage insurance
    PMI · $167

  • Conventional, 20% down, no PMI $2,268a month

    Down payment
    $70,480
    Cash to close
    $81,052
    Rate
    7.18%
    Mortgage insurance
    None

  • ITIN, 15% down (example) $2,594a month

    Down payment
    $52,860
    Cash to close
    $63,432
    Rate
    8.18%
    Mortgage insurance
    None

The option that asks for the least cash to close is FHA, 3.5% down.

  • Cash to close = down payment plus 3% of the price in closing costs (example).
  • Minimum score: FHA requires 580 or higher for the minimum down payment (HUD Handbook 4000.1). * Fannie Mae requires 620 when a loan is underwritten by hand; its automated system has no fixed minimum.
  • The ITIN row is an example with a rate 1 percentage point higher: ITIN loans follow no federal rule and each lender sets its own down payment and rate. Nothing in this table promises an approval.

How much house can I afford? Estimate closing costs

Taxes and floods

Two costs that change from place to place

Property tax and flood insurance raise or lower what you pay each month. Here are the numbers for Ketchikan and for Ketchikan Gateway Borough.

Property tax

Effective rate in Ketchikan

0.72%of the home’s value each year

$2,546 a year for the typical owner in Ketchikan.

  • Ketchikan 0.72%
  • Ketchikan Gateway 0.67%
  • Alaska 1.11%

What Alaska publishes Optional municipal residential exemption (Alaska State Legislature (Alaska Statutes 2025))

Exemptions and deadlines in Alaska

Flood risk in Ketchikan Gateway Borough

FEMA does not publish these numbers by city: they are for all of Ketchikan Gateway Borough.

FEMA’s maps count no homes in the high-risk zone in Ketchikan Gateway Borough. That does not mean it cannot flood: check your address.

Most homeowners insurance policies do not cover flood damage.

Look up your address on FEMA’s map

Renting

Renting in Ketchikan

Typical rent in Ketchikan is $1,417 a month: 6% below the borough. In Ketchikan, 50% of renter households pay 30% or more of their income in rent.

HUD publishes a fair market rent for all of Ketchikan Gateway Borough, by unit size. To pay the 2-bedroom one ($1,733 a month) without spending more than 30% of your income, you would need to earn $33.33 an hour working full time.

HUD fair market rent for all of Ketchikan Gateway Borough

What you need to earn to pay it without spending more than 30% of income, working full time.

Size Fair rent a month Hourly wage Yearly income
Studio $1,207 $23.21 $48,280
1 bedroom $1,325 $25.48 $53,000
2 bedrooms $1,733 $33.33 $69,320
3 bedrooms $2,400 $46.15 $96,000
4 bedrooms $2,897 $55.71 $115,880

Includes basic utilities. It isn't the lowest or highest rent: it's a reference point. Source: HUD, Fiscal year 2027

By ZIP code

Fair market rent by ZIP code in Ketchikan

HUD also publishes a fair market rent for each ZIP code (Small Area FMR, fiscal year 2027). Ketchikan is in ZIP code 99901.

For 2 bedrooms it is $1,730: $3 less than the fair market rent for Ketchikan Gateway Borough ($1,733).

  • 99901 $1,730$2,400

1 of these ZIP codes crosses the city line: HUD sets the rent by ZIP code, not by city. A ZIP code counts for Ketchikan when at least 50% of its land is inside the city or it covers at least 15% of the city (Census 2020 boundaries). Source: Small Area Fair Market Rents (HUD) Fiscal year 2027 Small Area Fair Market Rents (HUD) Source: Census Bureau ZCTA-to-place relationship file Data from 2020 data Census Bureau ZCTA-to-place relationship file

Is your rent high for your ZIP?

Low-income apartments

Low-income apartments in Ketchikan

HUD lists 6 buildings with rents for lower incomes in Ketchikan. These are the largest.

  • Ketchikan 130 Bryant St, Ketchikan 99901 74 homes, 73 low-income · Run by Alaska Housing Finance Corporation · Average payment: $661 a month (907) 330-8432
  • 2122 Apts 1300 N Yorktown Dr, Ketchikan 99901 41 homes, 40 low-income · 1 bd: 20 · 2 bd: 21 · In service since 1995
  • Carlanna 1360 Jackson St, Ketchikan 99901 24 low-income homes · 2 bd: 4 · 3 bd: 16 · 4 bd: 4 · In service since 2007 · For families
  • Ketchikan Affordable Rentals Scattered Site, Ketchikan 99901 24 low-income homes · 2 bd: 4 · 3 bd: 16 · 4 bd: 4 · In service since 2007 · For people with disabilities, people experiencing homelessness
  • Opportunity House 323 Carlanna Lake Rd, Ketchikan 99901 8 low-income homes · For people with disabilities (907) 225-7825

See all 6 buildings in Ketchikan Gateway Borough Source: HUD, Retrieved November 6, 2026

Free help

Help to buy or rent in Ketchikan

You do not have to do this alone. A HUD-approved housing counseling agency helps for free or at low cost: getting ready to buy, understanding your credit, or solving a problem with your rent.

We found no HUD-approved agencies with an office in Ketchikan Gateway Borough. The nearest ones are below; many serve by phone or online.

A man leans over the armchair where a girl is reading a book.

HUD counseling is free or low-cost

Assistance programs in Ketchikan

No down payment, repair or rent-help program on our list is for Ketchikan or Ketchikan Gateway Borough. The ones below are statewide in Alaska: they work in Ketchikan the same as in the rest of the state.

Which programs do I qualify for? All programs in Alaska

  • Closing Cost Assistance Program (CCAP)

    Statewide in Alaska

    Alaska state authority help of 3% or 4% of the loan, paid at closing and not repaid, for the down payment, closing costs or to reduce the principal; with 30-year fixed-rate FHA, VA or USDA mortgages. Offered by Alaska Housing Finance Corporation (AHFC).

    Grant

    See the program Official page

Housing counselors near Ketchikan

The HUD-approved agencies closest to the center of Ketchikan, in a straight line, nearest first. If one says it serves in Spanish, its card says so.

  • Rural Alaska Community Action Program

    130 E Redoubt Ave, Soldotna · 791 miles away

    • Budget and credit workshops
    • Home improvement and repairs
    • and 1 more
    (907) 260-3451

All counseling agencies in Alaska

Help in Spanish near Ketchikan

None of the 1 agencies on this list say they serve in Spanish.

Ask for service in Spanish

When you call, say “Spanish, please” or ask if someone speaks Spanish. If not, ask whether they offer an interpreter.

Housing authorities of Ketchikan

HUD lists no housing authority with an office in Ketchikan Gateway Borough. One in a neighboring county or the state’s may serve the area.

All housing agencies in Alaska Source: HUD

Cities

Nearby cities

The cities closest to Ketchikan, with the typical home value.

Everything about Ketchikan Gateway Borough Housing in Alaska

Neighboring counties

If Ketchikan Gateway Borough is out of reach, look next door. Each number is that county's own.

Keep going

Guides for your next step

Short explanations, in plain language and with official sources, for buying or renting in Ketchikan.

All guides
A couple spread mulch under the avocado trees of their family orchard, he on the tractor and she with a shovel.

Questions

Housing questions about Ketchikan

Short answers with the numbers for Ketchikan and all of Ketchikan Gateway Borough. If your case is different, a HUD-approved counseling agency can guide you for free or at low cost.

How much does a typical home cost in Ketchikan?

The typical home value in Ketchikan is $352,400, according to the U.S. Census Bureau (average 2020–2024). For comparison, in Ketchikan Gateway Borough it is $393,300.

How much does it cost to rent in Ketchikan?

Typical rent in Ketchikan is $1,417 a month, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. HUD’s fair market rent for 2 bedrooms in Ketchikan Gateway Borough is $1,733.

What is the FHA loan limit in Ketchikan?

Ketchikan uses the FHA limit for all of Ketchikan Gateway Borough (2026): $541,287 for a one-unit home and $1,041,125 for a four-unit home.

How much property tax do owners pay in Ketchikan?

The typical homeowner in Ketchikan pays $2,546 a year, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. That is 0.72% of the home’s value; in Ketchikan Gateway Borough, the rate is 0.67%.

Where can I find free help to buy or rent in Ketchikan?

We found no HUD-approved counseling agencies with an office in Ketchikan Gateway Borough; the nearest ones are on this page. They can help you get ready to buy, with your credit, or with rent.

Sources: American Community Survey (ACS) 5-year estimates (Average 2020–2024); FHA mortgage limits (HUD) (2026 data); Conforming loan limits (FHFA) (2026 data); Fair Market Rents (HUD) (Fiscal year 2027); Small Area Fair Market Rents (HUD) (Fiscal year 2027); Census Bureau ZCTA-to-place relationship file (2020 data); HUD-approved housing counseling agencies (Retrieved November 6, 2026); Public Housing Agencies (HUD) (Retrieved November 6, 2026); Freddie Mac Primary Mortgage Market Survey (PMMS) (As of November 5, 2026); FHFA House Price Index (HPI) (2025 data); Homes with flood insurance (NFIP, FEMA) (As of August 3, 2026).