Census-designated place · Alaska
Tanaina, Alaska
Tanaina, census-designated place, in Matanuska-Susitna Borough, Alaska. Tanaina had 9,646 people in the ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates (±836). GEOID 0275077.
Residents, 2020-2024
9,646
±836 (90% margin)
2020 Census count: 8,817
Median household income
$105,536
±$11,246 (90% margin)
Alaska: $92,788
Median home value
$328,500
±$15,147 (90% margin)
Alaska: $352,900
Median gross rent
$1,398
±$75 (90% margin)
Alaska: $1,419
Where is Tanaina and what county is it in?
Tanaina is a census-designated place: an unincorporated community the Census Bureau draws for counting, with no city government of its own, in Matanuska-Susitna Borough, Alaska. It covers 30.3 square miles of land, 291 residents per square mile in 2020.
Tanaina is in the Anchorage, AK metropolitan statistical area, which takes in 2 counties (Census Bureau delineation, July 2023).
Source: 2024 Gazetteer and 2020 place-by-county files, U.S. Census Bureau · Census reference files
How many people live in Tanaina, and is it growing?
The 2020-2024 American Community Survey puts Tanaina's population at 9,646 (±836). The 2020 Census counted 8,817 residents.
The Census Bureau publishes yearly population estimates for incorporated places only; Tanaina is a census-designated place, so its figures come from the ACS and the 2020 Census.
| Measure | Tanaina | Matanuska-Susitna Borough | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total population | 9,646 ±836 | 112,988 | no clear change |
| Households | 3,290 ±233 | 39,869 | +479 |
| Average household size | 2.93 ±0.17 | 2.77 | −0.79 |
| Housing units | 3,546 ±234 | 51,170 | +518 |
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 Tanaina?
The median resident of Tanaina is 35.0 years old; 26.0% are under 18 and 10.0% are 65 or older. The largest group is non-Hispanic white residents at 77.7%, then non-Hispanic residents of two or more races at 10.9%. 3.2% of residents were born outside the United States.
| Measure | Tanaina | Matanuska-Susitna Borough | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 35.0 ±1.4 | 36.7 | +4.5 |
| Under 18 years | 26.0% ±2.7 pts | 25.7% | – |
| 65 years and over | 10.0% ±1.6 pts | 13.7% | – |
| Male | 52.9% ±2.1 pts | 52.4% | – |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 4.1% ±1.7 pts | 5.4% | −4.0 pts |
| White alone, not Hispanic | 77.7% ±4.0 pts | 75.7% | no clear change |
| Black or African American alone, not Hispanic | 0.1% ±0.2 pts | 1.1% | – |
| Asian alone, not Hispanic | 2.0% ±1.2 pts | 1.6% | +1.3 pts |
| American Indian and Alaska Native alone, not Hispanic | 4.1% ±1.8 pts | 5.4% | – |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, not Hispanic | 0.5% ±0.6 pts | 0.4% | – |
| Two or more races, not Hispanic | 10.9% ±2.6 pts | 9.8% | – |
| Some other race alone, not Hispanic | 0.5% ±0.8 pts | 0.6% | – |
| Born outside the United States | 3.2% ±1.1 pts | 2.9% | no clear change |
| Speak a language other than English at home (age 5+) | 6.2% ±2.3 pts | 5.7% | – |
| Civilian veterans (age 18+) | 12.0% ±2.4 pts | 13.3% | – |
| With a disability | 10.8% ±2.3 pts | 14.0% | – |
| No health insurance coverage | 12.3% ±2.2 pts | 11.9% | −5.9 pts |
| High school graduate or higher (age 25+) | 95.1% ±1.5 pts | 94.1% | – |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (age 25+) | 24.5% ±3.5 pts | 24.4% | +4.4 pts |
| Graduate or professional degree (age 25+) | 9.9% ±3.0 pts | 8.7% | – |
| Lived in the same house a year earlier | 87.0% ±3.3 pts | 88.1% | – |
| Moved from another state in the past year | 1.3% ±0.8 pts | 2.8% | – |
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 Tanaina earn?
Half of Tanaina's 3,290 households earn less than $105,536 a year (±$11,246), against $94,031 in Matanuska-Susitna Borough and $92,788 in Alaska. In 2015-2019 it was $94,936 in 2024 dollars; the margins of error cannot tell the two periods apart. 8.6% of residents live below the poverty line.
| Measure | Tanaina | Matanuska-Susitna Borough | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $105,536 ±$11,246 | $94,031 | no clear change |
| Mean household income | $128,114 ±$11,569 | $115,954 | – |
| Per capita income | $45,455 ±$4,733 | $42,386 | +$9,711 |
| People below the poverty line | 8.6% ±2.8 pts | 10.0% | no clear change |
| Children under 18 below the poverty line | 8.4% ±5.5 pts | 11.0% | no clear change |
| Households receiving SNAP | 10.2% ±3.8 pts | 9.4% | – |
| Households with a computer | 98.2% ±1.1 pts | 97.2% | – |
| Households with a broadband subscription | 95.6% ±2.1 pts | 93.2% | – |
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 Tanaina?
Owners occupy 80.5% of Tanaina's occupied homes and renters 19.5%. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $328,500 by its owner (±$15,147). The median renter pays $1,398 a month including utilities, and 29.7% of renters pay 35% or more of their income on rent.
| Measure | Tanaina | Matanuska-Susitna Borough | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value (owner-occupied) | $328,500 ±$15,147 | $346,600 | no clear change |
| Median gross rent | $1,398 ±$75 | $1,299 | no clear change |
| Renters paying 35% or more of income on rent | 29.7% ±10.8 pts | 41.1% | −14.7 pts |
| Median monthly owner costs, with a mortgage | $2,062 ±$161 | $2,112 | – |
| Owner-occupied homes | 80.5% ±4.3 pts | 77.2% | no clear change |
| Renter-occupied homes | 19.5% ±4.3 pts | 22.8% | – |
| Housing units | 3,546 ±234 | 51,170 | +518 |
| Homeowner vacancy rate | 0.6% ±0.7 pts | 0.6% | – |
| Rental vacancy rate | 2.9% ±3.4 pts | 3.9% | – |
| Single-family detached homes | 80.5% ±4.5 pts | 83.0% | – |
| Mobile homes | 0.3% ±0.4 pts | 2.6% | – |
| Built 2020 or later | 1.0% ±1.0 pts | 1.9% | – |
| Built 2010 to 2019 | 18.4% ±3.7 pts | 17.3% | – |
| Built 1939 or earlier | 0.0% ±0.7 pts | 0.4% | – |
| Households with no vehicle | 0.4% ±0.5 pts | 3.8% | – |
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 Tanaina work and get to work?
78.4% of Tanaina's workers drive alone and 7.4% work from home. The average trip to work takes 37.9 minutes. The unemployment rate in 2020-2024 averaged 4.9%.
| Measure | Tanaina | Matanuska-Susitna Borough | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| In the labor force (age 16+) | 68.8% ±3.6 pts | 60.3% | – |
| Unemployment rate | 4.9% ±2.3 pts | 5.8% | −5.6 pts |
| Drove alone to work | 78.4% ±4.5 pts | 71.0% | – |
| Carpooled | 6.9% ±2.4 pts | 9.7% | – |
| Public transportation | 0.3% ±0.4 pts | 0.4% | – |
| Walked | 0.6% ±0.9 pts | 1.7% | – |
| Worked from home | 7.4% ±2.7 pts | 11.7% | no clear change |
| Mean travel time to work | 37.9 min ±4.4 | 34.8 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 Tanaina?
2 census tracts lie mostly in Tanaina, and 1 more reaches into it (2020 census blocks). Their median household incomes run from $89,573 (Tract 7.05) to $108,333 (Tract 7.06).
| Tract | Residents, 2020-2024 | Median household income |
|---|---|---|
| Tract 7.06Matanuska-Susitna Borough | 6,570 | $108,333 |
| Tract 7.05Matanuska-Susitna Borough | 4,806 | $89,573 |
| Tract 10.01Matanuska-Susitna Borough | 4,896 | $102,266 |
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 Tanaina) · Census block assignment files
How does Tanaina compare with other places in Alaska?
Tanaina ranks 12th 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) | 9th | 71 |
| Residents per square mile | 17th | 71 |
| Median household income | 12th | 69 |
| Per capita income | 29th | 71 |
| Median home value | 30th | 66 |
| Median gross rent | 23rd | 62 |
| Poverty rate | 39th | 57 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 41st | 69 |
| Median age | 54th | 71 |
| Owner-occupied share | 24th | 68 |
| Work from home | 34th | 50 |
| Travel time to work | 9th | 69 |
Tanaina's figures with every place in Alaska (CSV)
Every place in Alaska, sortable · Compare Tanaina 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 Tanaina?
11 of the 57 figures for Tanaina 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 Tanaina 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.