Census-designated place · Alaska
Metlakatla, Alaska
Metlakatla, census-designated place, in Prince of Wales-Hyder Census Area, Alaska. Metlakatla had 1,454 residents in the 2020 Census, a full count; the ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates put it at 1,235 (±183). GEOID 0248870.
Residents, 2020 Census
1,454
Census count or controlled total
ACS 2020-2024 estimate: 1,235 ±183
Median household income
$72,279
±$14,247 (90% margin)
Alaska: $92,788
Median home value
$167,600
±$22,653 (90% margin)
Alaska: $352,900
Median gross rent
$775
±$190 (90% margin)
Alaska: $1,419
Where is Metlakatla and what county is it in?
Metlakatla is a census-designated place: an unincorporated community the Census Bureau draws for counting, with no city government of its own, in Prince of Wales-Hyder Census Area, Alaska. It covers 2.3 square miles of land, 629 residents per square mile in 2020.
Source: 2024 Gazetteer and 2020 place-by-county files, U.S. Census Bureau · Census reference files
How many people live in Metlakatla, and is it growing?
The 2020 Census counted 1,454 residents in Metlakatla, a full count rather than a sample. The 2020-2024 American Community Survey, a sample, estimates 1,235 (±183).
The Census Bureau publishes yearly population estimates for incorporated places only; Metlakatla is a census-designated place, so its figures come from the ACS and the 2020 Census.
| Measure | Metlakatla | Prince of Wales-Hyder Census Area | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total population | 1,235 ±183 | 5,715 | −419 |
| Households | 455 ±49 | 2,419 | no clear change |
| Average household size | 2.69 ±0.30 | 2.30 | −0.70 |
| Housing units | 518 ±45 | 3,250 | no clear change |
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 Metlakatla?
The median resident of Metlakatla is 40.6 years old; 23.2% are under 18 and 18.2% are 65 or older. The largest group is non-Hispanic American Indian and Alaska Native residents at 70.1%, then non-Hispanic residents of two or more races at 14.7%.
| Measure | Metlakatla | Prince of Wales-Hyder Census Area | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 40.6 ±4.7 | 43.4 | +5.9 |
| Under 18 years | 23.2% ±4.3 pts | 21.1% | – |
| 65 years and over | 18.2% ±4.1 pts | 20.6% | – |
| Male | 57.6% ±5.2 pts | 55.2% | – |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 5.2% ±2.7 pts | 3.8% | no clear change |
| White alone, not Hispanic | 9.1% ±7.7 pts | 43.6% | – |
| Black or African American alone, not Hispanic | 0.2% ±0.4 pts | 0.2% | – |
| Asian alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±2.0 pts | 2.2% | – |
| American Indian and Alaska Native alone, not Hispanic | 70.1% ±8.6 pts | 36.0% | – |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, not Hispanic | 0.6% ±0.6 pts | 0.7% | – |
| Two or more races, not Hispanic | 14.7% ±5.7 pts | 13.2% | – |
| Some other race alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±2.0 pts | 0.3% | – |
| Born outside the United States | 2.0% ±1.4 pts | 3.2% | – |
| Speak a language other than English at home (age 5+) | 9.3% ±4.9 pts | 8.2% | – |
| Civilian veterans (age 18+) | 8.5% ±3.6 pts | 9.0% | – |
| With a disability | 20.0% ±4.0 pts | 20.9% | – |
| No health insurance coverage | 12.9% ±4.3 pts | 17.0% | −11.5 pts |
| High school graduate or higher (age 25+) | 89.0% ±4.3 pts | 91.8% | – |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (age 25+) | 9.3% ±4.0 pts | 14.9% | no clear change |
| Graduate or professional degree (age 25+) | 6.0% ±3.6 pts | 5.0% | – |
| Lived in the same house a year earlier | 92.8% ±7.8 pts | 88.5% | – |
| Moved from another state in the past year | 0.9% ±1.3 pts | 2.6% | – |
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 Metlakatla earn?
Half of Metlakatla's 455 households earn less than $72,279 a year (±$14,247), against $61,156 in Prince of Wales-Hyder Census Area and $92,788 in Alaska. In 2015-2019 it was $69,150 in 2024 dollars; the margins of error cannot tell the two periods apart.
| Measure | Metlakatla | Prince of Wales-Hyder Census Area | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $72,279 ±$14,247 | $61,156 | no clear change |
| Mean household income | $90,320 ±$11,557 | $81,671 | – |
| Per capita income | $34,423 ±$5,952 | $36,507 | +$7,019 |
| People below the poverty line | 13.5% ±8.9 pts | 12.7% | – |
| Children under 18 below the poverty line | 12.3% ±11.1 pts | 17.1% | – |
| Households receiving SNAP | 19.8% ±7.9 pts | 16.4% | – |
| Households with a computer | 91.0% ±4.1 pts | 92.9% | – |
| Households with a broadband subscription | 85.1% ±5.3 pts | 84.5% | – |
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 Metlakatla?
Owners occupy 71.0% of Metlakatla's occupied homes and renters 29.0%. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $167,600 by its owner (±$22,653). The median renter pays $775 a month including utilities.
| Measure | Metlakatla | Prince of Wales-Hyder Census Area | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value (owner-occupied) | $167,600 ±$22,653 | $225,300 | no clear change |
| Median gross rent | $775 ±$190 | $964 | no clear change |
| Renters paying 35% or more of income on rent | 16.7% ±12.2 pts | 25.2% | – |
| Median monthly owner costs, with a mortgage | $1,250 ±$284 | $1,845 | – |
| Owner-occupied homes | 71.0% ±7.6 pts | 70.6% | no clear change |
| Renter-occupied homes | 29.0% ±7.6 pts | 29.4% | – |
| Housing units | 518 ±45 | 3,250 | no clear change |
| Homeowner vacancy rate | 0.0% ±7.4 pts | 0.8% | – |
| Rental vacancy rate | 5.0% ±4.8 pts | 4.8% | – |
| Single-family detached homes | 75.9% ±5.9 pts | 68.6% | – |
| Mobile homes | 8.5% ±3.4 pts | 17.5% | – |
| Built 2020 or later | 0.0% ±4.7 pts | 0.6% | – |
| Built 2010 to 2019 | 6.4% ±4.4 pts | 7.4% | – |
| Built 1939 or earlier | 10.6% ±4.6 pts | 3.8% | – |
| Households with no vehicle | 13.4% ±5.4 pts | 10.8% | – |
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 Metlakatla work and get to work?
53.8% of Metlakatla's workers drive alone and 6.2% work from home. The average trip to work takes 6.1 minutes. The unemployment rate in 2020-2024 averaged 7.6%.
| Measure | Metlakatla | Prince of Wales-Hyder Census Area | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| In the labor force (age 16+) | 65.2% ±7.9 pts | 61.4% | – |
| Unemployment rate | 7.6% ±4.3 pts | 7.7% | −10.1 pts |
| Drove alone to work | 53.8% ±8.6 pts | 53.0% | – |
| Carpooled | 22.7% ±7.2 pts | 15.3% | – |
| Public transportation | 0.7% ±1.4 pts | 0.5% | – |
| Walked | 8.7% ±4.6 pts | 18.7% | – |
| Worked from home | 6.2% ±3.4 pts | 7.4% | – |
| Mean travel time to work | 6.1 min ±1.7 | 12.7 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 Metlakatla?
No census tract lies mostly in Metlakatla; 1 tract reaches into it (2020 census blocks).
| Tract | Residents, 2020-2024 | Median household income |
|---|---|---|
| Tract 9401Prince of Wales-Hyder Census Area | 1,334 | $72,279 |
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 Metlakatla) · Census block assignment files
How does Metlakatla compare with other places in Alaska?
Metlakatla ranks 50th of 69 places in Alaska with 1,000 or more residents and a reliable estimate, by median household income.
| Measure | Rank | Of |
|---|---|---|
| Population (ACS 2020-2024) | 63rd | 71 |
| Residents per square mile | 8th | 71 |
| Median household income | 50th | 69 |
| Per capita income | 61st | 71 |
| Median home value | 65th | 66 |
| Median gross rent | 60th | 62 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 68th | 69 |
| Median age | 26th | 71 |
| Owner-occupied share | 35th | 68 |
| Work from home | 37th | 50 |
| Travel time to work | 65th | 69 |
Metlakatla's figures with every place in Alaska (CSV)
Every place in Alaska, sortable · Compare Metlakatla 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 Metlakatla?
15 of the 57 figures for Metlakatla 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 Metlakatla 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' school search.