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City · 6,180 residents · Matanuska-Susitna Borough, Alaska

South Lakes , Alaska

In South Lakes, a typical home is worth $377,500 and typical rent is $1,178 a month. Compared with all of Matanuska-Susitna Borough, typical rent is 9% lower, the typical home value is 9% higher, and the share of households that own their home is 6 points lower.

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  • Typical home value

    $377,500

    9% above the borough

    7% above Alaska

    • South Lakes
    • Matanuska-Susitna
    • Alaska

  • Typical rent

    $1,178a month

    9% below the borough

    17% below Alaska

    • South Lakes
    • Matanuska-Susitna
    • Alaska

  • Typical household income

    $98,141a year

    4% above the borough

    6% above Alaska

    • South Lakes
    • Matanuska-Susitna
    • Alaska

  • Households that own their home

    71%

    6 points below the borough

    4 points above Alaska

    • South Lakes
    • Matanuska-Susitna
    • Alaska

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

South Lakes is in Matanuska-Susitna 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 Matanuska-Susitna Borough. See the county

Data updated: October 1, 2026 11 official sources

Only here

What sets South Lakes apart

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

  1. Nearby, in Palmer, the typical home value is $294,900: 22% less than in South Lakes ($377,500).

  2. South Lakes has the 2nd largest share of rent-burdened renters of the 18 cities in Alaska with more than 5,000 people (56%).

  3. 71% of households in South Lakes own their home, against 77% in Matanuska-Susitna Borough.

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

The homes here

Housing in South Lakes

What homes there are in South Lakes, 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

Detached houses are the majority in South Lakes (70%), but less so than in Matanuska-Susitna Borough (83%).

Year built

The typical home in South Lakes was built in 1990, 7 years before the typical one in Matanuska-Susitna 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
Monthly rent with utilities

With a mortgage

$2,257 a month

Matanuska-Susitna Borough: $2,112 a month

Without a mortgage

$707 a month

Matanuska-Susitna Borough: $615 a month

Owners with a mortgage

70%

Matanuska-Susitna Borough: 67%

The typical cost for an owner with a mortgage in South Lakes is $2,257 a month, more than in Matanuska-Susitna Borough ($2,112); without one, $707.

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

South Lakes does not have the same boundaries as in 2015–2019: that is why there is no change to compare. For reference, in Matanuska-Susitna Borough the typical home value rose 39%.

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

MeasureSouth LakesMatanuska-Susitna BoroughAlaskaUnited States
Rental vacancy Unreliable estimate3.9%7.0%5.5%
Homeowner vacancy Unreliable estimate0.6%0.9%0.9%
More than one person per room Unreliable estimate5.2%5.7%3.4%
People per household 2.892.772.612.53
Drive alone 77%71%65%69%
Carpool 10%10%12%9%
Public transit Unreliable estimateUnreliable estimate1%3%
Walk or bike Unreliable estimate2%8%3%
Work from home 7%12%10%15%
Other means Unreliable estimate5%4%2%
Typical commute Unreliable estimate20 to 29 minutes10 to 19 minutes20 to 29 minutes

Much as in Matanuska-Susitna Borough, a household in South Lakes has 2.89 people on average.

In South Lakes, 77% of workers drive alone to work; in Matanuska-Susitna Borough, 71%.

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 South Lakes?

A typical home costs more than the typical income allows

We start with a typical home in South Lakes, worth $377,500, an FHA loan with 3.5% down and the latest average rate (7.18%). That payment would take 39% of the typical household income in South Lakes, which is $98,141 a year. For that payment to be 28% of income, a household would need to earn about $136,476 a year.

The calculator's FHA and conventional loan limits are those of all of Matanuska-Susitna Borough.

Your numbers

Local data
$

Starts at the typical home value in South Lakes. 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 $13,213 (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

$3,184

at 7.18% · 30 years

Loan amount
$370,662
Total interest
$533,296
Paid off in
November 2056

Includes $6,375 FHA upfront mortgage insurance premium.

Does it fit the income?

  • Comfortable

    up to $2,290 a month

  • Tight

    $2,290 to $2,944 a month

  • Hard

    more than $2,944 a month

    Your payment · 39%

Compared with the typical household income in South Lakes ($98,141 a year). Reference: HUD calls paying more than 30% of income for housing a cost burden.

Show the result as
per month$3,184
Principal & interest$2,511
Property tax$349
Home insurance$157
FHA mortgage insurance (MIP)$167

You need at least $13,213 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

South Lakes and Matanuska-Susitna Borough

South Lakes is in Matanuska-Susitna 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).

South Lakes's own numbers

Typical home value
$377,500
Typical monthly rent
$1,178
Typical yearly household income
$98,141
Households that own their home
71%
Effective property tax rate
1.11%

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

Numbers for all of Matanuska-Susitna Borough

FHA limit, one-unit home
$541,287
Conventional limit, one unit
$1,249,125
HUD fair market rent, 2 bedrooms
$1,293
Price change over 5 years (FHFA)
+50%
Homes in a high flood-risk zone
1.2%

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 Matanuska-Susitna Borough.

Everything about Matanuska-Susitna Borough

Buying

Buying a home in South Lakes

A typical home in South Lakes is worth $377,500: 9% above the borough and 7% above Alaska. With the typical household income in South Lakes ($98,141 a year), a typical home costs 3.8 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.

  • South Lakes 3.8 years
  • Matanuska-Susitna 3.7 years
  • Alaska 3.8 years
  • United States 4.1 years
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Average 2020–2024

How prices have changed in Matanuska-Susitna Borough

According to FHFA’s house price index, home prices in Matanuska-Susitna Borough rose 71% in the 10 years through 2025.

FHFA does not publish this index by city: these are the numbers for all of Matanuska-Susitna Borough.

Period Borough Alaska U.S.
Last year (2025) +5.3% +4.1% +2.9%
5 years (2020–2025) +50% +39% +47%
10 years (2015–2025) +71% +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

South Lakes next to Matanuska-Susitna 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
  • South Lakes $377,500
  • Matanuska-Susitna $346,600
  • Alaska $352,900
  • United States $332,700
Typical monthly rent
  • South Lakes $1,178
  • Matanuska-Susitna $1,299
  • Alaska $1,419
  • United States $1,413
Typical yearly household income
  • South Lakes $98,141
  • Matanuska-Susitna $94,031
  • Alaska $92,788
  • United States $80,734
See the full table
South Lakes next to Matanuska-Susitna Borough and Alaska
Measure South Lakes Matanuska-Susitna Borough Alaska U.S.
Typical home value $377,500 $346,600 $352,900 $332,700
Typical monthly rent $1,178 $1,299 $1,419 $1,413
Typical yearly household income $98,141 $94,031 $92,788 $80,734
Households that own their home 71% 77% 67% 65%
Typical yearly property tax $4,202 $3,685 $3,901 $3,119
Effective property tax rate 1.11% 1.06% 1.11% 0.94%
Renters with high rent for their income 56% 53% 45% 51%

“Typical” means the median: half are above and half are below. ▲ and ▼ say whether the city is above or below Matanuska-Susitna 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 South Lakes

For a typical $377,500 home in South Lakes, at Freddie Mac's average rate (7.18% as of November 5, 2026) over 30 years. The monthly payment adds principal and interest, South Lakes's typical property tax, an example home insurance and mortgage insurance when it applies.

  • FHA, 3.5% down $3,184a month

    Least cash to close
    Down payment
    $13,213
    Cash to close
    $24,538
    Rate
    7.18%
    Mortgage insurance
    FHA MIP · $167

  • Conventional, 5% down $3,115a month

    Down payment
    $18,875
    Cash to close
    $30,200
    Rate
    7.18%
    Mortgage insurance
    PMI · $179

  • Conventional, 20% down, no PMI $2,552a month

    Down payment
    $75,500
    Cash to close
    $86,825
    Rate
    7.18%
    Mortgage insurance
    None

  • ITIN, 15% down (example) $2,901a month

    Down payment
    $56,625
    Cash to close
    $67,950
    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 South Lakes and for Matanuska-Susitna Borough.

Property tax

Effective rate in South Lakes

1.11%of the home’s value each year

$4,202 a year for the typical owner in South Lakes.

  • South Lakes 1.11%
  • Matanuska-Susitna 1.06%
  • Alaska 1.11%

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

Exemptions and deadlines in Alaska

Flood risk in Matanuska-Susitna Borough

FEMA does not publish these numbers by city: they are for all of Matanuska-Susitna Borough.

Homes in the high-risk zone
1.2%
532
Of those, with NFIP insurance
23%
Borough Alaska U.S.
Homes in the high-risk zone 1.2% 1.2% 3.5%
Of those, with NFIP insurance 23% 49% 48%

Most homeowners insurance policies do not cover flood damage.

Look up your address on FEMA’s map

Renting

Renting in South Lakes

Typical rent in South Lakes is $1,178 a month: 9% below the borough. In South Lakes, 56% of renter households pay 30% or more of their income in rent.

HUD publishes a fair market rent for all of Matanuska-Susitna Borough, by unit size. To pay the 2-bedroom one ($1,293 a month) without spending more than 30% of your income, you would need to earn $24.87 an hour working full time.

HUD fair market rent for all of Matanuska-Susitna 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 $929 $17.87 $37,160
1 bedroom $988 $19.00 $39,520
2 bedrooms $1,293 $24.87 $51,720
3 bedrooms $1,790 $34.42 $71,600
4 bedrooms $2,161 $41.56 $86,440

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 South Lakes

HUD also publishes a fair market rent for each ZIP code (Small Area FMR, fiscal year 2027). South Lakes has 2 ZIP codes with their own.

For 2 bedrooms it runs from $1,260 in 99654 to $1,400 in 99645.

1 of the 2 is above the fair market rent for Matanuska-Susitna Borough ($1,293).

  • 99645 $1,400$1,940
  • 99654 $1,260$1,740

2 of these ZIP codes cross the city line: HUD sets the rent by ZIP code, not by city. A ZIP code counts for South Lakes 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?

Free help

Help to buy or rent in South Lakes

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 Matanuska-Susitna Borough. The nearest ones are below; many serve by phone or online.

An older man and his daughter go over papers with a professional.

HUD counseling is free or low-cost

Assistance programs in South Lakes

No down payment, repair or rent-help program on our list is for South Lakes or Matanuska-Susitna Borough. The ones below are statewide in Alaska: they work in South Lakes 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 South Lakes

The HUD-approved agencies closest to the center of South Lakes, 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 · 96 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 South Lakes

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 South Lakes

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

All housing agencies in Alaska Source: HUD

Cities

Other cities in Matanuska-Susitna Borough

These cities are also in Matanuska-Susitna Borough. They share its loan limits and fair market rents, but home values and rent change from one to the next.

Everything about Matanuska-Susitna Borough Housing in Alaska

Nearby cities

The cities closest to South Lakes, with the typical home value.

Neighboring counties

If Matanuska-Susitna 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 South Lakes.

All guides
A family roasts marshmallows over a campfire at a forest campsite.

Questions

Housing questions about South Lakes

Short answers with the numbers for South Lakes and all of Matanuska-Susitna 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 South Lakes?

The typical home value in South Lakes is $377,500, according to the U.S. Census Bureau (average 2020–2024). For comparison, in Matanuska-Susitna Borough it is $346,600.

How much does it cost to rent in South Lakes?

Typical rent in South Lakes is $1,178 a month, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. HUD’s fair market rent for 2 bedrooms in Matanuska-Susitna Borough is $1,293.

What is the FHA loan limit in South Lakes?

South Lakes uses the FHA limit for all of Matanuska-Susitna 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 South Lakes?

The typical homeowner in South Lakes pays $4,202 a year, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. That is 1.11% of the home’s value; in Matanuska-Susitna Borough, the rate is 1.06%.

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

We found no HUD-approved counseling agencies with an office in Matanuska-Susitna 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).