Data / Rankings / Poverty rate (US five-year survey estimate) / Counties in Alaska

Counties in Alaska by poverty rate (US five-year survey estimate)

Kusilvak Census Area had the highest poverty rate (US five-year survey estimate) of 30 counties in 2021, at 36.6%. Bristol Bay Borough had the lowest, at 3.5%. The median was 11% and the figure for Alaska was 10.4%. Source: the U.S. Census Bureau.

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Highest36.6Kusilvak Census Area
Lowest3.5Bristol Bay Borough
Median1130 counties
Alaska10.4History

Map of counties, 2021

Aleutians East Borough: 13.4 %Aleutians West Census Area: 8.4 %Anchorage Municipality: 9.2 %Bethel Census Area: 28.6 %Bristol Bay Borough: 3.5 %Chugach Census Area: 4.1 %Copper River Census Area: 11.4 %Denali Borough: 15.7 %Dillingham Census Area: 18 %Fairbanks North Star Borough: 6.4 %Haines Borough: 16.8 %Hoonah-Angoon Census Area: 8.8 %Juneau City and Borough: 7.2 %Kenai Peninsula Borough: 11.9 %Ketchikan Gateway Borough: 9.4 %Kodiak Island Borough: 7.8 %Kusilvak Census Area: 36.6 %Lake and Peninsula Borough: 15.7 %Matanuska-Susitna Borough: 10.7 %Nome Census Area: 21.9 %North Slope Borough: 8.6 %Northwest Arctic Borough: 20.5 %Petersburg Borough: 4.8 %Prince of Wales-Hyder Census Area: 17.3 %Sitka City and Borough: 6.9 %Skagway Municipality: 4.8 %Southeast Fairbanks Census Area: 11.4 %Wrangell City and Borough: 12.1 %Yakutat City and Borough: 7.3 %Yukon-Koyukuk Census Area: 23.2 %
  • Under 6.8
  • 6.8 to 8.5
  • 8.5 to 11
  • 11 to 14
  • 14 to 18
  • 18 and over
%, 2021. Source: Invokely calculation with data from U.S. Census Bureau. Boundaries: U.S. Census Bureau cartographic boundary files.

All counties, 2021

Kusilvak Census Area: 36.6 %Kusilvak Census Area36.6Bethel Census Area: 28.6 %Bethel Census Area28.6Yukon-Koyukuk Census Area: 23.2 %Yukon-Koyukuk Census Area23.2Nome Census Area: 21.9 %Nome Census Area21.9Northwest Arctic Borough: 20.5 %Northwest Arctic Borough20.5Dillingham Census Area: 18 %Dillingham Census Area18Prince of Wales-Hyder Census Area: 17.3 %Prince of Wales-Hyder Census Area17.3Haines Borough: 16.8 %Haines Borough16.8Denali Borough: 15.7 %Denali Borough15.7Lake and Peninsula Borough: 15.7 %Lake and Peninsula Borough15.7Aleutians East Borough: 13.4 %Aleutians East Borough13.4Wrangell City and Borough: 12.1 %Wrangell City and Borough12.1Kenai Peninsula Borough: 11.9 %Kenai Peninsula Borough11.9Southeast Fairbanks Census Area: 11.4 %Southeast Fairbanks Census Area11.4Copper River Census Area: 11.4 %Copper River Census Area11.4Matanuska-Susitna Borough: 10.7 %Matanuska-Susitna Borough10.7Ketchikan Gateway Borough: 9.4 %Ketchikan Gateway Borough9.4Anchorage Municipality: 9.2 %Anchorage Municipality9.2Hoonah-Angoon Census Area: 8.8 %Hoonah-Angoon Census Area8.8North Slope Borough: 8.6 %North Slope Borough8.6Aleutians West Census Area: 8.4 %Aleutians West Census Area8.4Kodiak Island Borough: 7.8 %Kodiak Island Borough7.8Yakutat City and Borough: 7.3 %Yakutat City and Borough7.3Juneau City and Borough: 7.2 %Juneau City and Borough7.2Sitka City and Borough: 6.9 %Sitka City and Borough6.9Fairbanks North Star Borough: 6.4 %Fairbanks North Star Borough6.4Skagway Municipality: 4.8 %Skagway Municipality4.8Petersburg Borough: 4.8 %Petersburg Borough4.8Chugach Census Area: 4.1 %Chugach Census Area4.1Bristol Bay Borough: 3.5 %Bristol Bay Borough3.5Kusilvak Census Area: 36.6 %Kusilvak Census Area36.6Bethel Census Area: 28.6 %Bethel Census Area28.6Yukon-Koyukuk Census Area: 23.2 %Yukon-Koyukuk Census Area23.2Nome Census Area: 21.9 %Nome Census Area21.9Northwest Arctic Borough: 20.5 %Northwest Arctic Borough20.5Dillingham Census Area: 18 %Dillingham Census Area18Prince of Wales-Hyder Census Area: 17.3 %Prince of Wales-Hyder Census Area17.3Haines Borough: 16.8 %Haines Borough16.8Denali Borough: 15.7 %Denali Borough15.7Lake and Peninsula Borough: 15.7 %Lake and Peninsula Borough15.7Aleutians East Borough: 13.4 %Aleutians East Borough13.4Wrangell City and Borough: 12.1 %Wrangell City and Borough12.1Kenai Peninsula Borough: 11.9 %Kenai Peninsula Borough11.9Southeast Fairbanks Census Area: 11.4 %Southeast Fairbanks Census Area11.4Copper River Census Area: 11.4 %Copper River Census Area11.4Matanuska-Susitna Borough: 10.7 %Matanuska-Susitna Borough10.7Ketchikan Gateway Borough: 9.4 %Ketchikan Gateway Borough9.4Anchorage Municipality: 9.2 %Anchorage Municipality9.2Hoonah-Angoon Census Area: 8.8 %Hoonah-Angoon Census Area8.8North Slope Borough: 8.6 %North Slope Borough8.6Aleutians West Census Area: 8.4 %Aleutians West Census Area8.4Kodiak Island Borough: 7.8 %Kodiak Island Borough7.8Yakutat City and Borough: 7.3 %Yakutat City and Borough7.3Juneau City and Borough: 7.2 %Juneau City and Borough7.2Sitka City and Borough: 6.9 %Sitka City and Borough6.9Fairbanks North Star Borough: 6.4 %Fairbanks North Star Borough6.4Skagway Municipality: 4.8 %Skagway Municipality4.8Petersburg Borough: 4.8 %Petersburg Borough4.8Chugach Census Area: 4.1 %Chugach Census Area4.1Bristol Bay Borough: 3.5 %Bristol Bay Borough3.5
%. Source: Invokely calculation with data from U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Full ranking

RankCounties2021 (%)
1Kusilvak Census Area36.6
2Bethel Census Area28.6
3Yukon-Koyukuk Census Area23.2
4Nome Census Area21.9
5Northwest Arctic Borough20.5
6Dillingham Census Area18
7Prince of Wales-Hyder Census Area17.3
8Haines Borough16.8
9Denali Borough15.7
9Lake and Peninsula Borough15.7
11Aleutians East Borough13.4
12Wrangell City and Borough12.1
13Kenai Peninsula Borough11.9
14Southeast Fairbanks Census Area11.4
15Copper River Census Area11.4
16Matanuska-Susitna Borough10.7
17Ketchikan Gateway Borough9.4
18Anchorage Municipality9.2
19Hoonah-Angoon Census Area8.8
20North Slope Borough8.6
21Aleutians West Census Area8.4
22Kodiak Island Borough7.8
23Yakutat City and Borough7.3
24Juneau City and Borough7.2
25Sitka City and Borough6.9
26Fairbanks North Star Borough6.4
27Skagway Municipality4.8
28Petersburg Borough4.8
29Chugach Census Area4.1
30Bristol Bay Borough3.5

Other periods

About this ranking

People with income in the past 12 months below the official US poverty thresholds, as a percentage of people whose poverty status is determined. United States: American Community Survey five-year estimate, where the period shown is the last year of the five-year span.

The headline single-year rate for states and counties is poverty_rate (SAIPE). Poverty status is not determined for people in institutions, military group quarters or college dormitories, or for unrelated children under 15. Absolute thresholds set by the US government, so not comparable with the EU at_risk_of_poverty_rate.

Every value in the ranking comes from the same publisher and the same period, so the counties are compared on one definition. Equal values share a rank.

How to cite

U.S. Census Bureau. American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B17001: population with income in the past 12 months below the poverty level as a percentage of the population for whom poverty status is determined, calculated with stored inputs. https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2021/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2021-b17001.dat. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Citation styles

The publisher is the author. Invokely is named only as the place the figures were read, where a style asks for it.

APA 7

U.S. Census Bureau. (2026). American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B17001: population with income in the past 12 months below the poverty level as a percentage of the population for whom poverty status is determined, calculated with stored inputs (Counties in Alaska by poverty rate (US five-year survey estimate), 2021) [Data set]. Retrieved October 12, 2026, from https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2021/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2021-b17001.dat

MLA 9

American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B17001: population with income in the past 12 months below the poverty level as a percentage of the population for whom poverty status is determined, calculated with stored inputs, Counties in Alaska by poverty rate (US five-year survey estimate), 2021. U.S. Census Bureau, 29 Jan. 2026, https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2021/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2021-b17001.dat. Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/poverty-rate-acs/alaska-counties?period=2021. Accessed 12 Oct. 2026.

Chicago (author-date)

U.S. Census Bureau. 2026. American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B17001: population with income in the past 12 months below the poverty level as a percentage of the population for whom poverty status is determined, calculated with stored inputs. Counties in Alaska by poverty rate (US five-year survey estimate), 2021. Dataset. Accessed October 12, 2026. https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2021/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2021-b17001.dat. Also distributed by Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/poverty-rate-acs/alaska-counties?period=2021.

Harvard

U.S. Census Bureau (2026) American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B17001: population with income in the past 12 months below the poverty level as a percentage of the population for whom poverty status is determined, calculated with stored inputs, Counties in Alaska by poverty rate (US five-year survey estimate), 2021 [Dataset]. Available at: https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2021/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2021-b17001.dat, via Invokely: https://invokely.ai/rankings/poverty-rate-acs/alaska-counties?period=2021 (Accessed: 12 October 2026).

BibTeX
@misc{census_counties_in_alaska_by_2021,
  author = {{U.S. Census Bureau}},
  title = {{American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B17001: population with income in the past 12 months below the poverty level as a percentage of the population for whom poverty status is determined, calculated with stored inputs: Counties in Alaska by poverty rate (US five-year survey estimate), 2021}},
  year = {2026},
  howpublished = {Data set},
  url = {https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2021/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2021-b17001.dat},
  urldate = {2026-10-12},
  note = {Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/poverty-rate-acs/alaska-counties?period=2021. Publisher attribution: U.S. Census Bureau. American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B17001: population with income in the past 12 months below the poverty level as a percentage of the population for whom poverty status is determined, calculated with stored inputs. https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary\_file/2021/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2021-b17001.dat. Retrieved 2026-10-12.},
}
RIS
TY  - DATA
AU  - U.S. Census Bureau
TI  - American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B17001: population with income in the past 12 months below the poverty level as a percentage of the population for whom poverty status is determined, calculated with stored inputs: Counties in Alaska by poverty rate (US five-year survey estimate), 2021
PY  - 2026
DA  - 2026/01/29
PB  - U.S. Census Bureau
DB  - Invokely
UR  - https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2021/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2021-b17001.dat
L2  - https://invokely.ai/rankings/poverty-rate-acs/alaska-counties?period=2021
Y2  - 2026/10/12
N1  - Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/poverty-rate-acs/alaska-counties?period=2021.
N1  - Publisher attribution: U.S. Census Bureau. American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B17001: population with income in the past 12 months below the poverty level as a percentage of the population for whom poverty status is determined, calculated with stored inputs. https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2021/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2021-b17001.dat. Retrieved 2026-10-12.
ER  -
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Questions

Which county has the highest poverty rate (US five-year survey estimate)?

Kusilvak Census Area, with 36.6% in 2021, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

Which county has the lowest poverty rate (US five-year survey estimate)?

Bristol Bay Borough, with 3.5% in 2021.

Where does this ranking come from?

Every value comes from one source and one period, so the places are comparable: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B17001: population with income in the past 12 months below the poverty level as a percentage of the population for whom poverty status is determined, calculated with stored inputs. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Poverty rate (US five-year survey estimate): other rankings

Counties in Alaska: more rankings