Ketchikan is a city of 8,078 people in Alaska. The average commute runs 11 minutes. 24% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher. There are 2,117 people per square mile. Home values have more than doubled since 2000, reaching $352,400. Median household income is $85,275, close to the national figure.
At a glance
Average income
median household income $85,275, near the US median
US median: $82,259
Younger
median age 37.4
US median: 38.9
Less educated
24% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 36%
Less affordable
home values up 37%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $376,019
Unique to this place
What stands out about Ketchikan
What changed most since 1990
Homes owned by their occupants46.6% → 61.4%(+14.8 pts)US over the same years: +0.9 pts
Adults with a bachelor's degree20.0% → 24.5%(+4.5 pts)US over the same years: +15.3 pts
White share77.1% → 52.0%(−25.1 pts)US over the same years: −17.8 pts
Its weight in Ketchikan Gateway
Ketchikan's population equals 59% of Ketchikan Gateway's. Its number of foreign-born residents equals 86% of the county's. Its number of households without a car equals 84% of the county's.
Shares are "alone or in combination": a person with both Medicare and Medicaid counts in each, so categories overlap and do not sum to 100%.
Section 09 · Service history
Veterans
Veterans by period of service, 2024
Gulf War (2001 or later)19.1%(91)
US avg: 26.4%
Gulf War (1990s)32.4%(154)
US avg: 24.3%
Vietnam era41.2%(196)
US avg: 33.1%
Korean War0%(0)
US avg: 4.5%
World War II0%(0)
US avg: 1%
Share of the 476 veterans here. A veteran who served across eras counts in each, so shares can total more than 100%. Peacetime-only service is included in the total but not shown as an era.
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Over time
Ketchikan, decade by decade
Ketchikan population, inflation-adjusted income and home value, education, and diversity by year
Year
Population
Median household income
Median home value
Bachelor's degree+
Diversity score
1990
8,252
$100,637
$244,807
20.0%
47.8
2000
7,922
$83,435
$256,671
21.4%
63.6
2010
8,050
$74,781
$302,819
22.6%
71.4
2020
8,192
$79,763
$312,221
22.3%
82.6
2024
8,078
$85,275
$352,400
24.5%
79.0
Census years come from the decennial census and the latest year from the American Community Survey, so part of any change between those two rows can reflect the different surveys. Dollar figures are adjusted for inflation to 2024 dollars; a figure ending in "+" was at the Census Bureau's reporting cap that year. The diversity score runs from 0 to 100; see how it's calculated.
