City profile · Alaska · Census ACS 2023

Petersburg, AK

Population, income, housing, safety, climate and schools for Petersburg - drawn straight from Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA, NCES, HUD and FEMA, refreshed on the 2024–2025 release cycle.

3,346
Residents
$76,466
Median income
$298,500
Median home
$1,463
Median rent (state)

Petersburg - the verdict

Out of every US city with 1,000+ residents, Petersburg places in the 58th percentile for household income and the 72nd percentile for safety. Source: Census ACS + FBI UCR.

58th
percentile, household income
65th
percentile, home value
57th
percentile, median rent
72nd
percentile, safety
📝 How we sourced this

Population, income, and housing-cost figures come from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-year estimates (B-series tables). Crime data uses FBI UCR; climate uses NOAA Climate Normals; school counts come from NCES Common Core of Data; permits use the Census Building Permits Survey (BPS). See our methodology page for the full ETL pipeline and OMB / FIPS join keys.

Data Snapshot: Petersburg, AK

Petersburg is a small town in Alaska, home to 3,346 residents per U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. The typical household in Petersburg brings in $76,466 a year, above the median for U.S. cities on this measure, with a poverty rate of 4.4%. Typical homes in Petersburg are valued around $298,500, and the median resident age is 45.5 years. 27.1% of adults here have a bachelor's degree or higher; 62.5% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

Petersburg reports a comparatively low crime rate: FBI UCR reporting places total crime at 808.1 incidents per 100,000 residents, below the national average (voluntary agency reporting, reflects reporting activity, not a definitive danger score). NOAA climate normals record an annual average temperature of 43.0°F with 110.2 inches of precipitation per year and 85.6 inches of snowfall.

Alaska tracks close to the national cost-of-living baseline: BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 puts Alaska at 102.4 on a 100-equals-national-average scale (Near Average). Statewide, HUD pegs Fair Market Rent for a two-bedroom unit at $1,463 monthly. Monthly utility costs average around $271 across Alaska, per EIA 2023 residential energy estimates. Natural-hazard exposure scores 15.4 out of 100 on FEMA's National Risk Index (Very Low).

Population

3,346 residents

Census ACS 2023 - Alaska

Median Household Income

$76,466 /yr

Poverty 4.4%

Cost of Living Index (state)

102.4 (US=100)

Near Average - BEA RPP 2024, Alaska average

How does Petersburg compare to other US cities?

Petersburg measured against every US city with 1,000+ residents, computed live from the same Census and FBI data shown throughout this page.

Household income 58% higher than other cities
Home value 65% pricier than other cities
Median rent 57% pricier than other cities
Safety 72% safer than other cities

"Safer than" reflects total crime rate from FBI UCR; the others use Census ACS estimates.

A national percentile can hide a lot of local variation: narrowed to Alaska alone, Petersburg ranks #7 of 20 Alaska cities by lowest crime rate - a different, more locally useful comparison than stacking it against the entire country.

How we calculate these percentiles & ranks

For each metric we count every US city with population 1,000+ and a non-null value, then compute what share of them fall below Petersburg's value: round(cities-below ÷ total × 100). Safety is inverted (percentile = share of cities with a higher crime rate) so a higher number always means safer. The in-state rank narrows that same crime-rate comparison to only the cities PlainCities tracks in Alaska, breaking ties alphabetically. See the methodology page for the full source-to-figure lineage.

58thIncome percentile
72ndSafety percentile

58th percentile nationally for median household income · 72nd percentile for safety (lower crime rate). Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

Petersburg's profile vs. every US city

Income, affordability, and safety percentile

Petersburg's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown. 3-axis radar comparing 1 series across Income, Affordability, Safety. IncomeAffordabilitySafety 56 Avg. percentile National median
Petersburg's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown.

How Petersburg's home value compares nationally

Median home value vs. every US city (population 1,000+)

$298,500 35th percentile more affordable than 35% of 15,600 US cities

$0–$25,000: 5 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $25,000–$50,000: 54 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $50,000–$75,000: 352 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $75,000–$100,000: 1,086 US cities (7%). Below this entry. $100,000–$125,000: 1,516 US cities (10%). Below this entry. $125,000–$150,000: 1,170 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $150,000–$175,000: 1,278 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $175,000–$200,000: 1,229 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $200,000–$225,000: 1,035 US cities (7%). Below this entry. $225,000–$250,000: 976 US cities (6%). Below this entry. $250,000–$275,000: 754 US cities (5%). Below this entry. $275,000–$300,000: 712 US cities (5%). This entry sits in this band. $300,000–$325,000: 521 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $325,000–$350,000: 526 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $350,000–$375,000: 465 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $375,000–$400,000: 393 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $400,000–$425,000: 317 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $425,000–$450,000: 300 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $450,000–$475,000: 307 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $475,000–$500,000: 250 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $500,000–$525,000: 160 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $525,000–$550,000: 156 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $550,000–$575,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $575,000–$600,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $600,000–$625,000: 163 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $625,000–$650,000: 167 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $650,000–$675,000: 135 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $675,000–$700,000: 101 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $700,000–$725,000: 95 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $725,000–$750,000: 71 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $750,000–$775,000: 65 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $775,000–$800,000: 70 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $800,000–$825,000: 57 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $825,000–$850,000: 67 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $850,000–$875,000: 60 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $875,000–$900,000: 58 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $900,000–$925,000: 47 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $925,000–$950,000: 37 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $950,000–$975,000: 31 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $975,000–$1,000,000: 470 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $1,000,000–$1,025,000: 0 US cities (0%). Above this entry. Petersburg $0 $1,025,000 every US city, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $25K-wide band; taller bars hold more US cities. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates · 2023

Income distribution context

Household income distribution - Petersburg, AK Petersburg, AK's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Petersburg, AK-specific quintile data). The Lorenz curve traces the national cumulative income share against cumulative population share, perfect equality is the diagonal; observed inequality bows below. $ Household Income Distribution Petersburg, AK median $76,466/yr, vs. U.S. national quintile pattern QUINTILE SHARE OF AGGREGATE INCOME Lowest 20% 3.4% Second 20% 9.2% Middle 20% 15.1% Fourth 20% 23.2% Top 20% 49.1% LORENZ CURVE cumulative income vs. population 100% 0% 100% pop. 0%
Petersburg, AK's median household income (Census ACS 5-year estimate) plotted against the U.S. national income-quintile distribution pattern for context; the quintile shares and Lorenz curve are national figures, not computed specifically for Petersburg, AK. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 27.1%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 4.4%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 62.5%

Census ACS S2301, share of working-age residents in the labor force

Population
3,346
Median Income
$76,466
Median Home Value
$298,500
Median Age
45.5
Poverty Rate
4.4%
Labor force participation
62.5%
Bachelor's Degree+
27.1%

Safety & Crime

Total Crime Rate
808.1
per 100,000 residents
Violent Crime
202.0
per 100,000 residents
Property Crime
606.1
per 100,000 residents

Reflects incidents reported to the FBI's Uniform Crime Reporting program — agency participation is voluntary and reporting completeness varies by jurisdiction and year, so this reflects reporting activity, not a definitive danger score. Not adjusted for tourism, commuter, or daytime population.

Climate

Avg Temperature
43.0°F
Annual Precipitation
110.2"
Annual Snowfall
85.6"

Schools

Total Schools
3
Public schools in this city

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Drive Alone
52.2%
Carpool
9.9%
Public Transit
0.2%
Walk
21.0%
Work from Home
7.4%
Other
9.3%

Based on 1,746 workers 16 and over.

Monthly Utility Costs

State-average estimates for Alaska - EIA 2023 residential energy data

Electricity
$131
avg/month
Natural Gas
$95
avg/month
Water & Sewer
$45
avg/month
Total Utilities
$271
estimated/month

Estimates reflect Alaska state averages. Actual costs vary by home size, usage, and local rates. Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023.

Living Costs & Risk

Cost of living is a Alaska state average from BEA; rent and hazard risk are county-level figures from HUD and FEMA for the county Petersburg sits in

Cost of Living Index
102.4
Near Average
US average = 100 · BEA RPP 2024
Typical 2-BR Rent
$1,463/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent
County-level FMR estimate
Natural Hazard Risk
15.4 / 100
Very Low
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in Alaska

Big Lake
3,291 people
Goldstream
3,238 people
Mill Bay
3,541 people
Eielson AFB
3,133 people
Kotzebue
3,046 people
Nome
3,668 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Petersburg's 3,346 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Williamsburg, IA
3,347 people
Jefferson, OH
3,347 people
Mount Oliver, PA
3,347 people
Nesquehoning, PA
3,345 people
Essexville, MI
3,344 people
Newcastle, WY
3,348 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Petersburg's $76,466 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

University City, MO
$76,466 median income
Lathrop, MO
$76,468 median income
Conyngham, PA
$76,468 median income
Ouray, CO
$76,458 median income
Mazon, IL
$76,458 median income
Germanton, NC
$76,458 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Petersburg, AK Race categories sum to one hundred percent per Census methodology. Hispanic or Latino is shown separately as an ethnicity overlay; it cuts across all race categories per OMB Directive 15. Race & Ethnicity Composition Petersburg, AK - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 61.2% 13.3% 7.6% 13.2% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 9.1% White 61.2% Black or African American 1.5% Asian 13.3% American Indian 7.6% Native Hawaiian 0.7% Some other race 2.5% Two or more races 13.2% Per OMB Directive 15: Hispanic/Latino ethnicity is reported separately from the race categories.
Race categories sum to 100%. Hispanic or Latino ethnicity is reported separately and cuts across race per Census/OMB methodology.

City-level race and ethnicity, Census ACS 5-year 2023 (tables B02001, B03001), OMB Directive 15 categories.

How Petersburg compares to nearby Alaska cities

Population + median household income, sourced from Census Bureau ACS 5-year B01001 (population) and B19013 (median household income).

City Population Median Household Income
Petersburg (this city) 3,346 $76,466
Big Lake 3,291 $76,292
Goldstream 3,238 $92,604
Mill Bay 3,541 $94,359
Census ACS 5-year FIPS AK FBI UCR NOAA Normals NCES CCD OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Petersburg, AK?

What is the population of Petersburg, AK? +

Petersburg, AK counts 3,346 residents according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the median household income in Petersburg, AK? +

Petersburg households earn a median of $76,466 annually, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Petersburg? +

BEA does not publish a city-level cost-of-living figure for Petersburg; the closest available measure is the Alaska state average, a cost of living index of 102.4 (U.S. average = 100), rated "Near Average" based on BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 data. Costs within Alaska vary by metro area.

Is Petersburg, AK safe? +

Petersburg has a total crime rate of 808.1 per 100,000 residents, which is below the national average. This reflects incidents reported to the FBI UCR program, not a definitive safety score -- agency reporting is voluntary and completeness varies by jurisdiction.

What is the median home value in Petersburg, AK? +

The median home value in Petersburg is $298,500, according to Census ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the climate like in Petersburg? +

The average annual temperature in Petersburg runs 43.0°F, 110.2 inches of precipitation, and 85.6 inches of snowfall per year. Source: NOAA Climate Normals.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year 2023, FBI UCR, NOAA Climate Normals, NCES CCD, Census ACS B08301/B08136, U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023, BEA Regional Price Parities 2024, HUD Fair Market Rents 2026, FEMA National Risk Index.

Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.

Primary sources: Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA Climate Normals, NCES.

Citation & verification links Data sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainCities Editorial

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Every figure on PlainCities is rendered directly from Census ACS source data, no number is typed in by an editor. This page draws directly on Census ACS source data, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.