City profile · Alaska · Census ACS 2023

Seward, AK

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

2,735
Residents
$71,016
Median income
$290,300
Median home
$1,631
Median rent (state)

Seward - the verdict

Measured against every US city with at least 1,000 residents, Seward lands in the 51st percentile for household income and the 28th percentile for safety. Source: Census ACS + FBI UCR.

51st
percentile, household income
63rd
percentile, home value
64th
percentile, median rent
28th
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: Seward, AK

Seward is a small town in Alaska, home to 2,735 residents per U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. The typical household in Seward brings in $71,016 a year, above the median for U.S. cities on this measure, with a poverty rate of 0.0%. Typical homes in Seward are valued around $290,300, and the median resident age is 42.6 years. About 36.9% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, while 45.6% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

In 2024, 21 residential building permits were authorized in Seward (Construction Slowdown), down 57% from five years earlier, per Census BPS data. Crime here tracks close to the national norm: FBI UCR reporting places total crime at 2158.0 incidents per 100,000 residents, near the national average (voluntary agency reporting, reflects reporting activity, not a definitive danger score). NOAA puts Seward's yearly average temperature at 40.4°F with 69.7 inches of precipitation per year.

Alaska tracks close to the national cost-of-living baseline: on BEA's 100-equals-national-average cost index, Alaska scores 102.4 (Near Average), per the 2024 Regional Price Parities release. HUD Fair Market Rent for a typical two-bedroom in this state is $1,631 per month. Statewide, average monthly utility bills in Alaska run around $271, per EIA 2023 residential energy data. Commute times here average 12.1 minutes, with 51.6% driving alone and 7.9% working from home, per Census ACS commuting data. On FEMA's National Risk Index, this area rates 97.4 out of 100 for natural-hazard exposure (Very High).

Population

2,735 residents

Census ACS 2023 - Alaska

Median Household Income

$71,016 /yr

Poverty 0.0%

Cost of Living Index (state)

102.4 (US=100)

Near Average - BEA RPP 2024, Alaska average

How does Seward compare to other US cities?

Here's how Seward stacks up against the full field of US cities (population 1,000+), computed live from Census and FBI data.

Household income 51% higher than other cities
Home value 63% pricier than other cities
Median rent 64% pricier than other cities
Safety 28% safer than other cities

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

Zoom in to just Alaska and the picture shifts: Seward ranks #15 of 20 Alaska cities by lowest crime rate, a different read than the national percentile above.

How we calculate these percentiles & ranks

Each percentile compares Seward against every qualifying US city; each in-state rank narrows that to Alaska only. Full formula and direction notes: methodology.

Alaska-relative analysis

Poverty Rate places Seward near the bottom of Alaska's cities

Among the 225 Alaska cities PlainCities tracks with reported poverty rate data, Seward ranks #190 - the 0th percentile within the state. This is a different, narrower cut than the nationwide percentiles above: it compares Seward only against its own state's cities, not the full US field.

Median Household Income
#94 of 215
56th percentile in Alaska
Median Gross Rent
#67 of 228
60th percentile in Alaska
Median Home Value
#56 of 200
72nd percentile in Alaska
Poverty Rate
#190 of 225
0th percentile in Alaska
Bachelor's Degree or Higher
#26 of 228
89th percentile in Alaska

Ranked by raw value (highest first); a higher rank is not automatically "better" for every measure, see each metric's own context above. This is a comparison within Alaska only, not a livability score. See the methodology for the source and calculation.

51stIncome percentile
28thSafety percentile

51st percentile nationally for median household income · 28th percentile for safety (lower crime rate). Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

Seward's profile vs. every US city

Income, affordability, and safety percentile

Seward'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 39 Avg. percentile National median
Seward'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 Seward's home value compares nationally

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

$290,300 37th percentile more affordable than 37% 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. Seward $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 - Seward, AK Seward, AK's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Seward, 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 Seward, AK median $71,016/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%
Seward, 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 Seward, AK. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 36.9%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 0.0%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 45.6%

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

Population
2,735
Median Income
$71,016
Median Home Value
$290,300
Median Age
42.6
Poverty Rate
0.0%
Labor force participation
45.6%
Bachelor's Degree+
36.9%

Safety & Crime

Total Crime Rate
2158.0
per 100,000 residents
Violent Crime
256.0
per 100,000 residents
Property Crime
1902.0
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
40.4°F
Annual Precipitation
69.7"
Annual Snowfall
N/A

Schools

Total Schools
3
Public schools in this city

Population Change

Annual U.S. Census Bureau Population Estimates Program (PEP) estimates, 2020–2025

See the fastest-growing cities →
2,600 residents2,700 residents2,800 residents2,900 residents3,000 residents 202020212022202320242025 2,735 residents 2,892 residents ▲ +5.7%
Seward's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Housing Supply

Census Bureau Building Permits Survey (BPS) - annual residential permits authorized

📉 Construction Slowdown
Total Permits (2024)
21
housing units authorized
Single-Family
7
detached homes
Multifamily
14
apartments & condos
Supply Intensity
7.7
permits per 1,000 residents

5-Year Permit Trend (2019–2024)

Year Total
2019 49
2020 11
2021 22
2022 24
2023 21
2024 21

Permit volume decreased 57% from 2019 to 2024.

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Average Commute Time
12.1 minutes
Drive Alone
51.6%
Carpool
14.0%
Public Transit
0.0%
Walk
17.5%
Work from Home
7.9%
Other
9.0%

Based on 1,003 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 Seward sits in

Cost of Living Index
102.4
Near Average
US average = 100 · BEA RPP 2024
Typical 2-BR Rent
$1,631/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent
County-level FMR estimate
Natural Hazard Risk
97.4 / 100
Very High
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in Alaska

Ester
2,784 people
North Pole
2,663 people
Farm Loop
2,940 people
Fritz Creek
2,432 people
Kotzebue
3,046 people
Cordova
2,405 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Seward's 2,735 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Kulpmont, PA
2,735 people
Westmoreland, TN
2,735 people
Beechwood, MI
2,736 people
Thomaston, NY
2,734 people
LaGrange, OH
2,736 people
Burns, OR
2,736 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Seward's $71,016 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Rye, AR
$71,016 median income
Beresford, SD
$71,017 median income
Palmyra, PA
$71,018 median income
Sun City Center, FL
$71,012 median income
Chain-O-Lakes, IN
$71,010 median income
Cressona, PA
$71,010 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Seward, 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 Seward, AK - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 72.2% 13.7% 7.2% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 3.7% White 72.2% Black or African American 2.5% Asian 0.8% American Indian 13.7% Native Hawaiian 1.0% Some other race 2.5% Two or more races 7.2% 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 Seward 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
Seward (this city) 2,735 $71,016
Ester 2,784 $67,640
North Pole 2,663 $93,355
Farm Loop 2,940 $110,332
Census ACS 5-year FIPS AK FBI UCR NOAA Normals NCES CCD Census BPS 2024 OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Seward, AK?

What is the population of Seward, AK? +

Seward, AK has a population of 2,735 according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

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

Seward households earn a median of $71,016 annually, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Seward? +

BEA does not publish a city-level cost-of-living figure for Seward; 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 Seward, AK safe? +

Seward has a total crime rate of 2158.0 per 100,000 residents, which is near 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 Seward, AK? +

Seward's median home value sits at $290,300, according to Census ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the climate like in Seward? +

Seward has an average annual temperature of 40.4°F, 69.7 inches of precipitation. Source: NOAA Climate Normals.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year 2023, FBI UCR, NOAA Climate Normals, NCES CCD, Census BPS 2024, 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

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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.