City · Alaska
Shishmaref, Alaska
Shishmaref, city, in Nome Census Area, Alaska. Shishmaref had 555 residents on July 1, 2025 by the Census Bureau's estimate, down 3.0% since 2020; the 2020 Census counted 576 and the ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates put it at 466 (±92). GEOID 0269770.
Residents, July 2025 estimate
555
Census Bureau estimate (no margin published)
2020 Census count: 576 · ACS 2020-2024: 466 ±92
Median household income
$61,458
±$6,158 (90% margin)
Alaska: $92,788
Median home value
$109,400
±$15,627 (90% margin)
Alaska: $352,900
Median gross rent
$950
±$144 (90% margin)
Alaska: $1,419
Where is Shishmaref and what county is it in?
Shishmaref is a city in Nome Census Area, Alaska. It covers 2.3 square miles of land, 249 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 Shishmaref, and is it growing?
The Census Bureau estimates that 555 people lived in Shishmaref on July 1, 2025, down 3.0% since 2020, while Alaska grew 0.5%. The 2020 Census counted 576 residents. The 2020-2024 American Community Survey, a five-year sample, puts the population at 466 (±92).
| Measure | Shishmaref | Nome Census Area | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total population | 466 ±92 | 9,866 | no clear change |
| Households | 111 ±30 | 2,816 | no clear change |
| Average household size | 4.20 ±0.85 | 3.33 | no clear change |
| Housing units | 127 ±29 | 4,102 | no clear change |
Shishmaref's population since 2000
From 562 in 2000 to 555 in 2025: down 1.2%. The 2000, 2010 and 2020 figures are census counts, each for Shishmaref 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 Shishmaref?
The median resident of Shishmaref is 33.0 years old; 32.6% are under 18 and 10.3% are 65 or older. The largest group is non-Hispanic American Indian and Alaska Native residents at 97.4%, then non-Hispanic white residents at 1.5%.
| Measure | Shishmaref | Nome Census Area | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 33.0 ±3.7 | 29.4 | +5.7 |
| Under 18 years | 32.6% ±5.4 pts | 33.7% | – |
| 65 years and over | 10.3% ±3.7 pts | 8.9% | – |
| Male | 61.6% ±4.1 pts | 52.7% | – |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 0.0% ±5.2 pts | 2.2% | – |
| White alone, not Hispanic | 1.5% ±1.3 pts | 13.4% | – |
| Black or African American alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±5.2 pts | 0.6% | – |
| Asian alone, not Hispanic | 1.1% ±2.0 pts | 1.7% | – |
| American Indian and Alaska Native alone, not Hispanic | 97.4% ±2.0 pts | 73.5% | – |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±5.2 pts | 0.0% | – |
| Two or more races, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±5.2 pts | 8.5% | – |
| Some other race alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±5.2 pts | 0.0% | – |
| Born outside the United States | 1.1% ±2.0 pts | 2.2% | – |
| Speak a language other than English at home (age 5+) | 27.6% ±7.3 pts | 24.3% | – |
| Civilian veterans (age 18+) | 2.9% ±1.9 pts | 4.8% | – |
| With a disability | 8.6% ±2.8 pts | 11.2% | – |
| No health insurance coverage | 20.2% ±6.3 pts | 14.0% | no clear change |
| High school graduate or higher (age 25+) | 85.5% ±4.9 pts | 89.9% | – |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (age 25+) | 7.1% ±4.1 pts | 14.0% | no clear change |
| Graduate or professional degree (age 25+) | 4.9% ±3.0 pts | 6.1% | – |
| Lived in the same house a year earlier | 96.3% ±3.5 pts | 89.7% | – |
| Moved from another state in the past year | 0.0% ±5.3 pts | 2.0% | – |
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 Shishmaref earn?
Half of Shishmaref's 111 households earn less than $61,458 a year (±$6,158), against $78,681 in Nome Census Area and $92,788 in Alaska. In 2015-2019 the median was $46,920 in 2024 dollars, so it rose by $14,538 after inflation. 24.9% of residents live below the poverty line.
| Measure | Shishmaref | Nome Census Area | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $61,458 ±$6,158 | $78,681 | +$14,538 |
| Mean household income | $76,040 ±$10,769 | $99,441 | – |
| Per capita income | $17,409 ±$3,226 | $32,238 | no clear change |
| People below the poverty line | 24.9% ±9.6 pts | 21.5% | −15.1 pts |
| Children under 18 below the poverty line | 29.6% ±14.0 pts | 24.3% | no clear change |
| Households receiving SNAP | 46.8% ±9.7 pts | 29.4% | – |
| Households with a computer | 96.4% ±3.7 pts | 96.4% | – |
| Households with a broadband subscription | 94.6% ±6.3 pts | 88.2% | – |
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 Shishmaref?
Owners occupy 75.7% of Shishmaref's occupied homes and renters 24.3%. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $109,400 by its owner (±$15,627). The median renter pays $950 a month including utilities.
| Measure | Shishmaref | Nome Census Area | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value (owner-occupied) | $109,400 ±$15,627 | $211,200 | no clear change |
| Median gross rent | $950 ±$144 | $1,394 | no clear change |
| Renters paying 35% or more of income on rent | 0.0% ±100.0 pts | 25.2% | – |
| Median monthly owner costs, with a mortgage | $910 ±$82 | $2,005 | – |
| Owner-occupied homes | 75.7% ±9.9 pts | 66.8% | no clear change |
| Renter-occupied homes | 24.3% ±9.9 pts | 33.2% | – |
| Housing units | 127 ±29 | 4,102 | no clear change |
| Homeowner vacancy rate | 0.0% ±25.3 pts | 0.6% | – |
| Rental vacancy rate | 0.0% ±50.1 pts | 5.0% | – |
| Single-family detached homes | 96.9% ±3.4 pts | 81.4% | – |
| Mobile homes | 0.8% ±2.2 pts | 0.9% | – |
| Built 2020 or later | 0.0% ±17.8 pts | 0.4% | – |
| Built 2010 to 2019 | 5.5% ±6.1 pts | 5.5% | – |
| Built 1939 or earlier | 0.0% ±17.8 pts | 3.3% | – |
| Households with no vehicle | 91.0% ±6.3 pts | 55.9% | – |
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 do people in Shishmaref work and get to work?
The average trip to work takes 4.4 minutes. The unemployment rate in 2020-2024 averaged 29.4%.
| Measure | Shishmaref | Nome Census Area | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| In the labor force (age 16+) | 47.2% ±7.9 pts | 63.5% | – |
| Unemployment rate | 29.4% ±10.7 pts | 16.9% | no clear change |
| Drove alone to work | 0.0% ±21.7 pts | 29.7% | – |
| Carpooled | 1.0% ±3.5 pts | 10.5% | – |
| Public transportation | 0.0% ±21.7 pts | 0.2% | – |
| Walked | 55.4% ±18.6 pts | 33.2% | – |
| Worked from home | 6.9% ±6.9 pts | 4.5% | – |
| Mean travel time to work | 4.4 min ±0.9 | 6.3 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 Shishmaref?
No census tract lies mostly in Shishmaref; 1 tract reaches into it (2020 census blocks).
| Tract | Residents, 2020-2024 | Median household income |
|---|---|---|
| Tract 1Nome Census Area | 5,918 | $54,403 |
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 Shishmaref) · Census block assignment files
How does Shishmaref compare with other places in Alaska?
By the Census Bureau's July 2025 estimates, Shishmaref is the 12,765th-most populous of the 19,476 U.S. incorporated places that have one and the 55th-most populous of 149 in Alaska.
Shishmaref is not ranked by income or the other survey measures: those rankings include places of 1,000 or more residents (2020 Census) with a reliable estimate.
| Measure | Rank | Of |
|---|---|---|
| Population, July 2025 estimate | 55th | 149 |
Shishmaref's figures with every place in Alaska (CSV)
Every place in Alaska, sortable · Compare Shishmaref 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 Shishmaref?
20 of the 57 figures for Shishmaref 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 Shishmaref 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 Shishmaref.