North Slope Borough, Alaska
Among the top 18% of US counties for safety & wellbeing.
AffordabilityAffordability: grade C, better than 45% of US counties
WeatherWeather: grade F, better than 4% of US counties
Safety & WellbeingSafety & Wellbeing: grade B+, better than 82% of US counties
Getting AroundGetting Around: grade F, better than 1% of US counties
Lifestyle & ConnectivityLifestyle & Connectivity: grade F, better than 1% of US counties
- top 1% for air quality
- top 1% for estimated total tax burden
- bottom 1% for comfortable days
North Slope Borough is a county in Alaska with about 11,000 residents. It grades B+ for safety & wellbeing and F for lifestyle & connectivity. Standout strengths include air quality, estimated total tax burden, and summer humidity. It rates lower on park & nature access and comfortable days.
Official websitenorth-slope.org (opens in new tab)
Climate
Cool summers · Harsh winters · Dry · Heavy snow
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61%31%clearovercast
Precipitation 0.9 in0.2 in
dry
Livability factors
Affordability
Median Household Income$83k90th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Cost of Living$55kbetter than 11% of US counties
Home Value$194k65th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Monthly Rent$1kbetter than 11% of US counties
Monthly Owner Costs$1kbetter than 61% of US counties
Property Tax Rate0.75%better than 59% of US counties
Income Tax0.00%better than 91% of US counties
Sales Tax1.82%better than 96% of US counties
Estimated total tax burden2.35%better than 99% of US counties
Unemployment6.8%better than 18% of US counties
Weather
Winter Temp (Jan)-13°F0th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Summer Temp (Jul)45°F0th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Precipitation6.0 in0th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Snowfall44.0 inbetter than 16% of US counties
Sunny Days202 daysbetter than 17% of US counties
Summer Humidity39°Fbetter than 99% of US counties
Comfortable Days2 daysbetter than 1% of US counties
Safety & Wellbeing
Natural Disaster Risk14.8better than 83% of US counties
Air Quality4 AQIbetter than 99% of US counties
School Quality100.0better than 96% of US counties
Violent Crime2309/100kbetter than 4% of US counties
Property Crime557/100kbetter than 69% of US counties
Community
Population10,92425th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Median Age36.313th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Racial Diversity0.6497th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Male/Female Ratio1.6399th percentile — neutral, not ranked
White (%)31.3%7th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Black (%)1.8%48th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Hispanic (%)3.9%42nd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Asian (%)5.4%95th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Other / Multiracial (%)57.7%99th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Getting Around
Walkability4.9/20better than 16% of US counties
Airport Distance598 mibetter than 3% of US counties
Lifestyle & Connectivity
Broadband Access64.4%better than 3% of US counties
Amenities Nearby0.00better than 12% of US counties
Park & Nature AccessLimitedbetter than 2% of US counties
Frequently asked questions
- Is North Slope Borough an affordable place to live?
- North Slope Borough is relatively expensive. Its cost-of-living index is $55k, better than 11% of comparable areas.
- What is the median home value in North Slope Borough?
- The median home value in North Slope Borough is $194k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- What is the median household income in North Slope Borough?
- Median household income in North Slope Borough is $83k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- How much is rent in North Slope Borough?
- Median gross rent in North Slope Borough is $1k a month, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- Is North Slope Borough safe?
- North Slope Borough is higher-crime than most comparable areas, with a violent crime rate of 2309/100k (better than 4%). Property crime is 557/100k.
- What is the weather like in North Slope Borough?
- North Slope Borough averages 45°F in July and -13°F in January, with 6.0 in of annual precipitation and about 202 sunny days a year.
- How are the schools in North Slope Borough?
- Public-school quality in North Slope Borough is above average, scoring better than 96% of comparable areas on a composite of graduation rates, spending, and student-teacher ratio.
Other counties in Alaska
Explore Alaska
Data sources
- EPA Air Quality (AQI)
- EPA Smart Location Database
- EPI Family Budget Calculator
- FAA airport enplanements
- FBI Uniform Crime Reports
- FEMA National Risk Index
- NCES School Finance Survey
- NOAA Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA nClimGrid
- OpenStreetMap
- Tax Foundation + state revenue depts
- U.S. Census ACS (5-Year)
- USGS Protected Areas (PAD-US)