City · Alaska
Ketchikan, Alaska
Ketchikan, city, in Ketchikan Gateway Borough, Alaska. Ketchikan had 7,939 residents on July 1, 2025 by the Census Bureau's estimate, down 3.0% since 2020; the 2020 Census counted 8,192 and the ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates put it at 8,078 (±28). GEOID 0238970.
Residents, July 2025 estimate
7,939
Census Bureau estimate (no margin published)
2020 Census count: 8,192 · ACS 2020-2024: 8,078 ±28
Median household income
$85,275
±$8,300 (90% margin)
Alaska: $92,788
Median home value
$352,400
±$23,483 (90% margin)
Alaska: $352,900
Median gross rent
$1,417
±$114 (90% margin)
Alaska: $1,419
Where is Ketchikan and what county is it in?
Ketchikan is a city in Ketchikan Gateway Borough, Alaska. It covers 3.8 square miles of land, 2,139 residents per square mile in 2020.
Ketchikan is in the Ketchikan, AK micropolitan statistical area (Census Bureau delineation, July 2023).
Source: 2024 Gazetteer and 2020 place-by-county files, U.S. Census Bureau · Census reference files
How many people live in Ketchikan, and is it growing?
The Census Bureau estimates that 7,939 people lived in Ketchikan on July 1, 2025, down 3.0% since 2020, while Alaska grew 0.5%. The 2020 Census counted 8,192 residents. The 2020-2024 American Community Survey, a five-year sample, puts the population at 8,078 (±28).
| Measure | Ketchikan | Ketchikan Gateway Borough | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total population | 8,078 ±28 | 13,768 | −150 |
| Households | 3,415 ±117 | 5,732 | no clear change |
| Average household size | 2.28 ±0.08 | 2.34 | −0.12 |
| Housing units | 3,944 ±91 | 6,698 | no clear change |
Ketchikan's population since 2000
From 7,922 in 2000 to 7,939 in 2025: up 0.2%. The 2000, 2010 and 2020 figures are census counts, each for Ketchikan as it was drawn that year: a place that annexed land, or a community that has since incorporated, covered a different area then. The 2005 figure is the Census Bureau's intercensal estimate, revised to fit the 2000 and 2010 counts and drawn on 2010 boundaries; 2015 and 2025 are July 1 estimates made from the census before them.
Source: The 2000, 2010 and 2020 Census counts and the Census Bureau's population estimates (intercensal 2000-2010, Vintage 2020, Vintage 2025) · Census population estimates
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026); Census PEP Vintage 2025 (SUB-EST2025, CO-EST2025); 2020 Census P.L. 94-171 · Check it at data.census.gov
Who lives in Ketchikan?
The median resident of Ketchikan is 37.4 years old; 20.7% are under 18 and 15.2% are 65 or older. The largest group is non-Hispanic white residents at 52.0%, then non-Hispanic American Indian and Alaska Native residents at 14.7%. 11.8% of residents were born outside the United States.
| Measure | Ketchikan | Ketchikan Gateway Borough | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 37.4 ±1.8 | 41.0 | no clear change |
| Under 18 years | 20.7% ±1.2 pts | 20.2% | – |
| 65 years and over | 15.2% ±1.4 pts | 17.7% | – |
| Male | 52.2% ±1.2 pts | 52.2% | – |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 6.1% ±1.2 pts | 5.4% | no clear change |
| White alone, not Hispanic | 52.0% ±2.2 pts | 60.4% | −2.9 pts |
| Black or African American alone, not Hispanic | 0.7% ±0.5 pts | 0.5% | – |
| Asian alone, not Hispanic | 13.9% ±1.2 pts | 8.9% | no clear change |
| American Indian and Alaska Native alone, not Hispanic | 14.7% ±1.8 pts | 12.3% | – |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, not Hispanic | 0.2% ±0.2 pts | 0.1% | – |
| Two or more races, not Hispanic | 12.4% ±2.4 pts | 12.1% | – |
| Some other race alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±0.3 pts | 0.4% | – |
| Born outside the United States | 11.8% ±1.5 pts | 8.0% | no clear change |
| Speak a language other than English at home (age 5+) | 14.3% ±1.9 pts | 10.6% | – |
| Civilian veterans (age 18+) | 7.6% ±1.8 pts | 8.6% | – |
| With a disability | 14.0% ±2.1 pts | 13.8% | – |
| No health insurance coverage | 10.0% ±2.2 pts | 9.2% | −3.0 pts |
| High school graduate or higher (age 25+) | 95.1% ±1.5 pts | 95.7% | – |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (age 25+) | 24.5% ±3.4 pts | 27.4% | no clear change |
| Graduate or professional degree (age 25+) | 9.0% ±2.4 pts | 9.6% | – |
| Lived in the same house a year earlier | 87.6% ±2.3 pts | 89.4% | – |
| Moved from another state in the past year | 4.4% ±1.7 pts | 3.5% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profiles DP02, DP05) · Check it at data.census.gov
What do households in Ketchikan earn?
Half of Ketchikan's 3,415 households earn less than $85,275 a year (±$8,300), against $92,885 in Ketchikan Gateway Borough and $92,788 in Alaska. In 2015-2019 it was $75,588 in 2024 dollars; the margins of error cannot tell the two periods apart. 11.2% of residents live below the poverty line.
| Measure | Ketchikan | Ketchikan Gateway Borough | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $85,275 ±$8,300 | $92,885 | no clear change |
| Mean household income | $104,422 ±$8,338 | $114,287 | – |
| Per capita income | $45,655 ±$3,725 | $48,971 | no clear change |
| People below the poverty line | 11.2% ±2.6 pts | 8.7% | no clear change |
| Children under 18 below the poverty line | 9.5% ±5.9 pts | 6.7% | no clear change |
| Households receiving SNAP | 10.1% ±2.7 pts | 8.3% | – |
| Households with a computer | 94.8% ±1.8 pts | 95.4% | – |
| Households with a broadband subscription | 91.1% ±2.6 pts | 92.0% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP03) · Check it at data.census.gov
What does housing cost in Ketchikan?
Owners occupy 61.4% of Ketchikan's occupied homes and renters 38.6%. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $352,400 by its owner (±$23,483). The median renter pays $1,417 a month including utilities, and 42.6% of renters pay 35% or more of their income on rent.
| Measure | Ketchikan | Ketchikan Gateway Borough | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value (owner-occupied) | $352,400 ±$23,483 | $393,300 | +$37,835 |
| Median gross rent | $1,417 ±$114 | $1,505 | no clear change |
| Renters paying 35% or more of income on rent | 42.6% ±7.6 pts | 39.3% | no clear change |
| Median monthly owner costs, with a mortgage | $2,146 ±$193 | $2,150 | – |
| Owner-occupied homes | 61.4% ±4.1 pts | 68.6% | +11.7 pts |
| Renter-occupied homes | 38.6% ±4.1 pts | 31.4% | – |
| Housing units | 3,944 ±91 | 6,698 | no clear change |
| Homeowner vacancy rate | 0.8% ±0.6 pts | 0.4% | – |
| Rental vacancy rate | 9.8% ±3.3 pts | 8.5% | – |
| Single-family detached homes | 38.2% ±3.3 pts | 53.2% | – |
| Mobile homes | 1.6% ±1.0 pts | 3.1% | – |
| Built 2020 or later | 0.1% ±0.2 pts | 0.5% | – |
| Built 2010 to 2019 | 1.2% ±0.9 pts | 4.9% | – |
| Built 1939 or earlier | 19.5% ±2.9 pts | 12.6% | – |
| Households with no vehicle | 14.8% ±3.8 pts | 10.5% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP04) · Check it at data.census.gov
How do people in Ketchikan work and get to work?
66.4% of Ketchikan's workers drive alone and 5.5% work from home. The average trip to work takes 10.6 minutes. The unemployment rate in 2020-2024 averaged 4.0%.
| Measure | Ketchikan | Ketchikan Gateway Borough | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| In the labor force (age 16+) | 68.5% ±3.2 pts | 66.3% | – |
| Unemployment rate | 4.0% ±1.7 pts | 3.1% | −3.0 pts |
| Drove alone to work | 66.4% ±4.6 pts | 69.1% | – |
| Carpooled | 14.1% ±4.0 pts | 13.4% | – |
| Public transportation | 0.6% ±0.5 pts | 1.6% | – |
| Walked | 10.1% ±3.2 pts | 6.9% | – |
| Worked from home | 5.5% ±2.0 pts | 6.0% | +3.4 pts |
| Mean travel time to work | 10.6 min ±2.4 | 14.6 min | no clear change |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP03) · Check it at data.census.gov
What census tracts are in Ketchikan?
2 census tracts lie mostly in Ketchikan, and 1 more reaches into it (2020 census blocks). Their median household incomes run from $72,664 (Tract 3) to $95,954 (Tract 2).
| Tract | Residents, 2020-2024 | Median household income |
|---|---|---|
| Tract 2Ketchikan Gateway Borough | 4,361 | $95,954 |
| Tract 3Ketchikan Gateway Borough | 3,730 | $72,664 |
| Tract 1.02Ketchikan Gateway Borough | 576 | $93,281 |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026); 2020 block assignment files (tract share = share of the tract's census blocks in Ketchikan) · Census block assignment files
How does Ketchikan compare with other places in Alaska?
By the Census Bureau's July 2025 estimates, Ketchikan is the 3,757th-most populous of the 19,476 U.S. incorporated places that have one and the 6th-most populous of 149 in Alaska.
Ketchikan ranks 40th of 69 places in Alaska with 1,000 or more residents and a reliable estimate, by median household income.
| Measure | Rank | Of |
|---|---|---|
| Population, July 2025 estimate | 6th | 149 |
| Growth 2020-2025 (PEP) | 17th | 26 |
| Residents per square mile | 1st | 71 |
| Median household income | 40th | 69 |
| Per capita income | 27th | 71 |
| Median home value | 22nd | 66 |
| Median gross rent | 21st | 62 |
| Poverty rate | 27th | 57 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 41st | 69 |
| Median age | 46th | 71 |
| Owner-occupied share | 52nd | 68 |
| Work from home | 39th | 50 |
| Travel time to work | 52nd | 69 |
Ketchikan's figures with every place in Alaska (CSV)
Every place in Alaska, sortable · Compare Ketchikan with other places
Source: PlainCities ranks computed from the American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) and PEP Vintage 2025 · How ranks are computed
How reliable are the figures for Ketchikan?
7 of the 57 figures for Ketchikan on this page carry a coefficient of variation over 40% and are marked with a ring: they come from a small sample, so read them as rough.
The American Community Survey samples about one household in eight over five years, so every figure is an estimate with a 90% margin of error (shown under each value). A ring marks an estimate whose coefficient of variation is over 40%. A change is called only when the gap between the two periods is larger than their combined 90% margin (the square root of the sum of the two squared margins), the Census Bureau's test. How to read a margin of error.
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026): margins of error as published · ACS technical documentation
How these figures are made: methodology and release checks · reading a margin of error · every state · corrections
Not on this page: crime, weather and schools for Ketchikan are other agencies' records. Crime: the FBI's Crime Data Explorer · climate: NOAA's U.S. Climate Normals · schools: the National Center for Education Statistics' public schools in Ketchikan.