City · Alaska
Seward, Alaska
Seward, city, in Kenai Peninsula Borough, Alaska. Seward had 2,892 residents on July 1, 2025 by the Census Bureau's estimate, up 6.6% since 2020; the 2020 Census counted 2,717 and the ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates put it at 2,794 (±16). GEOID 0268560.
Residents, July 2025 estimate
2,892
Census Bureau estimate (no margin published)
2020 Census count: 2,717 · ACS 2020-2024: 2,794 ±16
Median household income
$85,481
±$29,246 (90% margin)
Alaska: $92,788
Median home value
$338,100
±$29,761 (90% margin)
Alaska: $352,900
Median gross rent
$1,132
±$198 (90% margin)
Alaska: $1,419
Where is Seward and what county is it in?
Seward is a city in Kenai Peninsula Borough, Alaska. It covers 14.0 square miles of land, 195 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 Seward, and is it growing?
The Census Bureau estimates that 2,892 people lived in Seward on July 1, 2025, up 6.6% since 2020, faster than Alaska (+0.5%). The 2020 Census counted 2,717 residents. The 2020-2024 American Community Survey, a five-year sample, puts the population at 2,794 (±16).
| Measure | Seward | Kenai Peninsula Borough | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total population | 2,794 ±16 | 60,413 | no clear change |
| Households | 925 ±172 | 24,371 | no clear change |
| Average household size | 2.23 ±0.38 | 2.40 | no clear change |
| Housing units | 1,195 ±221 | 32,836 | no clear change |
Seward's population since 2000
From 2,830 in 2000 to 2,892 in 2025: up 2.2%. The 2000, 2010 and 2020 figures are census counts, each for Seward 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 Seward?
The median resident of Seward is 37.7 years old; 23.1% are under 18 and 15.0% are 65 or older. The largest group is non-Hispanic white residents at 83.8%, then non-Hispanic American Indian and Alaska Native residents at 8.0%.
| Measure | Seward | Kenai Peninsula Borough | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 37.7 ±8.5 | 41.4 | no clear change |
| Under 18 years | 23.1% ±6.7 pts | 22.0% | – |
| 65 years and over | 15.0% ±6.7 pts | 20.0% | – |
| Male | 58.6% ±7.1 pts | 52.1% | – |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 2.0% ±2.2 pts | 4.4% | – |
| White alone, not Hispanic | 83.8% ±3.8 pts | 77.5% | +24.6 pts |
| Black or African American alone, not Hispanic | 2.7% ±1.3 pts | 0.6% | no clear change |
| Asian alone, not Hispanic | 0.5% ±0.7 pts | 1.8% | – |
| American Indian and Alaska Native alone, not Hispanic | 8.0% ±2.2 pts | 6.1% | – |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, not Hispanic | 1.0% ±0.8 pts | 0.3% | – |
| Two or more races, not Hispanic | 2.0% ±1.8 pts | 8.4% | – |
| Some other race alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±0.9 pts | 0.8% | – |
| Born outside the United States | 6.7% ±4.7 pts | 3.7% | – |
| Speak a language other than English at home (age 5+) | 7.4% ±6.7 pts | 6.4% | – |
| Civilian veterans (age 18+) | 5.2% ±3.2 pts | 10.0% | – |
| With a disability | 6.7% ±4.8 pts | 17.3% | – |
| No health insurance coverage | 9.0% ±4.6 pts | 11.5% | −8.5 pts |
| High school graduate or higher (age 25+) | 94.3% ±2.9 pts | 94.7% | – |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (age 25+) | 43.0% ±7.9 pts | 29.8% | +26.1 pts |
| Graduate or professional degree (age 25+) | 16.6% ±9.4 pts | 10.3% | – |
| Lived in the same house a year earlier | 84.8% ±6.0 pts | 88.2% | – |
| Moved from another state in the past year | 1.0% ±1.0 pts | 2.5% | – |
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 Seward earn?
Half of Seward's 925 households earn less than $85,481 a year (±$29,246), against $80,538 in Kenai Peninsula Borough and $92,788 in Alaska. In 2015-2019 it was $90,593 in 2024 dollars; the margins of error cannot tell the two periods apart. 9.3% of residents live below the poverty line.
| Measure | Seward | Kenai Peninsula Borough | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $85,481 ±$29,246 | $80,538 | no clear change |
| Mean household income | $95,245 ±$19,867 | $105,973 | – |
| Per capita income | $34,368 ±$5,294 | $44,190 | no clear change |
| People below the poverty line | 9.3% ±5.5 pts | 11.8% | no clear change |
| Children under 18 below the poverty line | 0.0% ±3.8 pts | 14.4% | – |
| Households receiving SNAP | 8.3% ±9.2 pts | 9.6% | – |
| Households with a computer | 87.6% ±8.4 pts | 95.7% | – |
| Households with a broadband subscription | 82.7% ±9.5 pts | 89.3% | – |
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 Seward?
Owners occupy 68.5% of Seward's occupied homes and renters 31.5%. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $338,100 by its owner (±$29,761). The median renter pays $1,132 a month including utilities.
| Measure | Seward | Kenai Peninsula Borough | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value (owner-occupied) | $338,100 ±$29,761 | $323,200 | no clear change |
| Median gross rent | $1,132 ±$198 | $1,184 | no clear change |
| Renters paying 35% or more of income on rent | 25.5% ±24.3 pts | 38.4% | – |
| Median monthly owner costs, with a mortgage | $2,188 ±$549 | $1,904 | – |
| Owner-occupied homes | 68.5% ±12.9 pts | 77.0% | +18.7 pts |
| Renter-occupied homes | 31.5% ±12.9 pts | 23.0% | – |
| Housing units | 1,195 ±221 | 32,836 | no clear change |
| Homeowner vacancy rate | 0.0% ±3.8 pts | 0.8% | – |
| Rental vacancy rate | 23.2% ±16.4 pts | 6.9% | – |
| Single-family detached homes | 69.4% ±10.1 pts | 82.5% | – |
| Mobile homes | 0.0% ±2.1 pts | 4.0% | – |
| Built 2020 or later | 1.8% ±3.1 pts | 1.4% | – |
| Built 2010 to 2019 | 8.9% ±6.9 pts | 13.0% | – |
| Built 1939 or earlier | 6.4% ±6.0 pts | 0.8% | – |
| Households with no vehicle | 7.6% ±7.3 pts | 4.9% | – |
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 many new homes is Seward building?
Builders took permits for 23 new housing units in Seward in 2025 (19 in single-family houses), 8.0 per 1,000 residents against 1.2 across Alaska.
Counts of units in permits a local office issued; not every permitted unit is built. A year marked with months was reported for part of the year.
Source: Building Permits Survey, annual place files 2019-2025, U.S. Census Bureau · Census Building Permits Survey
How do people in Seward work and get to work?
57.8% of Seward's workers drive alone. The average trip to work takes 12.3 minutes.
| Measure | Seward | Kenai Peninsula Borough | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| In the labor force (age 16+) | 49.2% ±7.4 pts | 56.0% | – |
| Unemployment rate | 2.3% ±2.6 pts | 7.0% | – |
| Drove alone to work | 57.8% ±14.7 pts | 65.9% | – |
| Carpooled | 7.4% ±7.3 pts | 12.3% | – |
| Public transportation | 0.0% ±2.3 pts | 0.4% | – |
| Walked | 19.0% ±9.4 pts | 5.4% | – |
| Worked from home | 7.6% ±7.3 pts | 10.5% | – |
| Mean travel time to work | 12.3 min ±6.7 | 20.7 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 Seward?
No census tract lies mostly in Seward; 1 tract reaches into it (2020 census blocks).
| Tract | Residents, 2020-2024 | Median household income |
|---|---|---|
| Tract 13Kenai Peninsula Borough | 4,544 | $87,308 |
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 Seward) · Census block assignment files
How does Seward compare with other places in Alaska?
By the Census Bureau's July 2025 estimates, Seward is the 6,445th-most populous of the 19,476 U.S. incorporated places that have one and the 17th-most populous of 149 in Alaska.
Seward ranks 39th 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 | 17th | 149 |
| Growth 2020-2025 (PEP) | 7th | 26 |
| Residents per square mile | 23rd | 71 |
| Median household income | 39th | 69 |
| Per capita income | 62nd | 71 |
| Median home value | 28th | 66 |
| Median gross rent | 45th | 62 |
| Poverty rate | 31st | 57 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 5th | 69 |
| Median age | 44th | 71 |
| Owner-occupied share | 40th | 68 |
| Travel time to work | 46th | 69 |
Seward's figures with every place in Alaska (CSV)
Every place in Alaska, sortable · Compare Seward 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 Seward?
23 of the 57 figures for Seward 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 Seward 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 Seward.