Renting
Data from November 2026
Renting in Alaska
The typical rent in Alaska is $1,419 a month (Average 2020–2024). HUD’s fair market rent for 2 bedrooms is about $1,519 (Fiscal year 2027, population-weighted average): paying it without spending more than 30% of income takes $29.21 an hour full time. Here are the figures by size and by borough, how many households spend too much, and where to ask for help.
Key numbers in Alaska
- Typical rent
- $1,419
- per month, Average 2020–2024
- About the same as the U.S.
- Fair market rent, 2 BR
- $1,519
- HUD, Fiscal year 2027, weighted average
- From $1,030 to $2,394 depending on the borough.
- Wage needed
- $29.21
- per hour, 2 bedrooms
- About $60,760 a year to stay under 30% of income.
- Burdened households
- 45%
- spend 30% or more on rent
- Nationwide, 51%.
Fair market rent
What HUD sets by size
HUD publishes a fair market rent every year by area and home size; Section 8 and other programs use it to set what they cover. Here it runs from the cheapest to the most expensive area of Alaska, with the hourly wage it takes to pay it without going past 30% of income (40 hours a week).
Includes basic utilities. It is neither the lowest nor the highest rent on the market: it is a reference point.
-
Studio
Wage: $14.35–$33.42 an hour
Lowest: $746 Highest: $1,738
-
1 bedroom
Wage: $15.85–$35.19 an hour
Lowest: $824 Highest: $1,830
-
2 bedrooms
Wage: $19.81–$46.04 an hour
Lowest: $1,030 Highest: $2,394
-
3 bedrooms
Wage: $27.23–$54.85 an hour
Lowest: $1,416 Highest: $2,852
-
4 bedrooms
Wage: $32.56–$60.50 an hour
Lowest: $1,693 Highest: $3,146
Each bar runs from the cheapest area to the most expensive; all share one scale that starts at zero. Source: Fair Market Rents (HUD) Fiscal year 2027 Fair Market Rents (HUD) (external site)
Rent burden
How many households spend too much
HUD counts rent as a burden when it reaches 30% of income or more. In Alaska, 45% of renter households are in that position; nationwide, 51% (Average 2020–2024, Census).
Paying too much rent leaves little for food, transportation and savings. If that is you, the agencies below can guide you for free.
45%
of renter households spend 30% or more of their income on rent.
89,700 renter households in Alaska
- Spend half or more of their income 20%
- Spend 30% or more, but less than half 25%
- Spend less than 30% 55%
By place
Every borough, with its figure
The 2-bedroom fair market rent, the typical rent, the hourly wage it takes and the share of burdened households, in every borough in Alaska. Highest fair market rent first.
| Aleutians West Census Area | $2,394 | $1,982 | $46.04 | 29% |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kodiak Island Borough | $2,239 | $1,765 | $43.06 | 38% |
| Northwest Arctic Borough | $2,005 | $1,350 | $38.56 | 20% |
| Bethel Census Area | $1,971 | $1,474 | $37.90 | 23% |
| Juneau City and Borough | $1,807 | $1,444 | $34.75 | 36% |
| Ketchikan Gateway Borough | $1,733 | $1,505 | $33.33 | 49% |
| Nome Census Area | $1,638 | $1,394 | $31.50 | 31% |
| Sitka City and Borough | $1,622 | $1,341 | $31.19 | 47% |
| Skagway Municipality | $1,611 | $1,280 | $30.98 | 47% |
| Yakutat City and Borough | $1,577 | $1,330 | $30.33 | — |
| Chugach Census Area | $1,575 | $1,369 | $30.29 | 36% |
| Hoonah-Angoon Census Area | $1,566 | $1,014 | $30.12 | 42% |
| Fairbanks North Star Borough | $1,553 | $1,459 | $29.87 | 46% |
| Anchorage Municipality | $1,529 | $1,489 | $29.40 | 46% |
| North Slope Borough | $1,521 | $1,254 | $29.25 | 30% |
| Petersburg Borough | $1,504 | $950 | $28.92 | 34% |
| Aleutians East Borough | $1,400 | $979 | $26.92 | — |
| Kenai Peninsula Borough | $1,390 | $1,184 | $26.73 | 49% |
| Southeast Fairbanks Census Area | $1,327 | $1,351 | $25.52 | 39% |
| Haines Borough | $1,315 | $1,087 | $25.29 | 53% |
| Dillingham Census Area | $1,295 | $1,105 | $24.90 | 34% |
| Wrangell City and Borough | $1,295 | $993 | $24.90 | 35% |
| Matanuska-Susitna Borough | $1,293 | $1,299 | $24.87 | 53% |
| Bristol Bay Borough | $1,269 | $1,317 | $24.40 | — |
| Prince of Wales-Hyder Census Area | $1,269 | $964 | $24.40 | 30% |
| Denali Borough | $1,220 | $825 | $23.46 | — |
| Yukon-Koyukuk Census Area | $1,196 | $1,084 | $23.00 | — |
| Copper River Census Area | $1,157 | $1,089 | $22.25 | 25% |
| Lake and Peninsula Borough | $1,050 | $936 | $20.19 | 35% |
| Kusilvak Census Area | $1,030 | $833 | $19.81 | 32% |
- Aleutians West $2,394$46.04
- Kodiak Island $2,239$43.06
- Northwest Arctic $2,005$38.56
- Bethel $1,971$37.90
- Juneau $1,807$34.75
- Ketchikan Gateway $1,733$33.33
- Nome $1,638$31.50
- Sitka $1,622$31.19
- Skagway $1,611$30.98
- Yakutat $1,577$30.33
- Chugach $1,575$30.29
- Hoonah-Angoon $1,566$30.12
- Fairbanks North Star $1,553$29.87
- Anchorage $1,529$29.40
- North Slope $1,521$29.25
- Petersburg $1,504$28.92
- Aleutians East $1,400$26.92
- Kenai Peninsula $1,390$26.73
- Southeast Fairbanks $1,327$25.52
- Haines $1,315$25.29
- Dillingham $1,295$24.90
- Wrangell $1,295$24.90
- Matanuska-Susitna $1,293$24.87
- Bristol Bay $1,269$24.40
- Prince of Wales-Hyder $1,269$24.40
- Denali $1,220$23.46
- Yukon-Koyukuk $1,196$23.00
- Copper River $1,157$22.25
- Lake and Peninsula $1,050$20.19
- Kusilvak $1,030$19.81
Source: Fair Market Rents (HUD) Fiscal year 2027 Fair Market Rents (HUD) (external site) Source: American Community Survey (ACS) 5-year estimates Average 2020–2024 American Community Survey (ACS) 5-year estimates (external site)
Your rights as a tenant in Alaska
What Alaska law says about deposits, notices and eviction, with the citation for each rule.
See your rights, rule by ruleA summary of state law, not legal advice. Cities may have additional rules.
- When must they return my deposit?
- 14 or 30 days, depending on the case
- Alaska Stat. §34.03.070(g)
- If I fall behind on rent, what notice must I get?
- 7 days
- Alaska Stat. §34.03.220(b)
- How much notice ends a month-to-month rental?
- 30 days
- Alaska Stat. §34.03.290(a)-(b)
- Only a court order can remove youAlaska Stat. §34.03.280
Help
Where to ask for help with rent in Alaska
Free or official help. Demand usually exceeds funding, so waiting lists are common: ask at the agency for your borough.
-
1 counseling agency
HUD-approved; 0 serve in Spanish. They counsel renters for free.
See the agencies
Tool
How much rent can you afford?
Enter your income and compare with the fair market rent in your borough.
Frequently asked questions
Which borough in Alaska is the most expensive to rent in?
By 2-bedroom fair market rent (Fiscal year 2027), the most expensive is Aleutians West Census Area ($2,394, about $46.04 an hour) and the cheapest Kusilvak Census Area ($1,030, about $19.81 an hour).
How many households in Alaska spend too much on rent?
45% of renter households in Alaska spend 30% or more of their income on rent, and 20% spend half or more (Average 2020–2024, Census). Nationwide, 51%.
What is fair market rent?
A figure HUD publishes every year by area and home size; Section 8 and other programs use it to set what they pay. It is not a market price or a cap on landlords. In Alaska, for 2 bedrooms in Fiscal year 2027, it runs from $1,030 to $2,394 depending on the borough.
Where do I ask for help paying rent in Alaska?
2 public housing agencies run Section 8 vouchers and public housing in Alaska; demand usually exceeds funding and waiting lists are common. HUD-approved counseling agencies counsel for free. Your borough page shows the nearest ones.