Census-designated place · Alaska
Willow, Alaska
Willow, census-designated place, in Matanuska-Susitna Borough, Alaska. Willow had 2,196 residents in the 2020 Census, a full count; the ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates put it at 1,815 (±328). GEOID 0285280.
Residents, 2020 Census
2,196
Census count or controlled total
ACS 2020-2024 estimate: 1,815 ±328
Median household income
$89,000
±$14,385 (90% margin)
Alaska: $92,788
Median home value
$313,800
±$25,856 (90% margin)
Alaska: $352,900
Median gross rent
$1,375
±$278 (90% margin)
Alaska: $1,419
Where is Willow and what county is it in?
Willow 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 690.4 square miles of land, 3 residents per square mile in 2020.
Willow 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 Willow, and is it growing?
The 2020 Census counted 2,196 residents in Willow, a full count rather than a sample. The 2020-2024 American Community Survey, a sample, estimates 1,815 (±328).
The Census Bureau publishes yearly population estimates for incorporated places only; Willow is a census-designated place, so its figures come from the ACS and the 2020 Census.
| Measure | Willow | Matanuska-Susitna Borough | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total population | 1,815 ±328 | 112,988 | no clear change |
| Households | 786 ±104 | 39,869 | no clear change |
| Average household size | 2.30 ±0.30 | 2.77 | −0.44 |
| Housing units | 1,965 ±84 | 51,170 | +202 |
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 Willow?
The median resident of Willow is 45.9 years old; 25.1% are under 18 and 20.9% are 65 or older. The largest group is non-Hispanic white residents at 87.6%, then non-Hispanic residents of two or more races at 6.6%.
| Measure | Willow | Matanuska-Susitna Borough | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 45.9 ±4.0 | 36.7 | no clear change |
| Under 18 years | 25.1% ±8.0 pts | 25.7% | – |
| 65 years and over | 20.9% ±5.8 pts | 13.7% | – |
| Male | 50.3% ±4.7 pts | 52.4% | – |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 2.1% ±1.8 pts | 5.4% | – |
| White alone, not Hispanic | 87.6% ±4.7 pts | 75.7% | no clear change |
| Black or African American alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±1.4 pts | 1.1% | – |
| Asian alone, not Hispanic | 0.9% ±1.0 pts | 1.6% | – |
| American Indian and Alaska Native alone, not Hispanic | 2.8% ±2.5 pts | 5.4% | – |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±1.4 pts | 0.4% | – |
| Two or more races, not Hispanic | 6.6% ±3.1 pts | 9.8% | – |
| Some other race alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±1.4 pts | 0.6% | – |
| Born outside the United States | 1.9% ±1.6 pts | 2.9% | – |
| Speak a language other than English at home (age 5+) | 6.5% ±2.9 pts | 5.7% | – |
| Civilian veterans (age 18+) | 20.4% ±6.4 pts | 13.3% | – |
| With a disability | 13.8% ±4.7 pts | 14.0% | – |
| No health insurance coverage | 11.1% ±3.5 pts | 11.9% | no clear change |
| High school graduate or higher (age 25+) | 94.5% ±2.8 pts | 94.1% | – |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (age 25+) | 29.8% ±8.3 pts | 24.4% | no clear change |
| Graduate or professional degree (age 25+) | 10.2% ±3.7 pts | 8.7% | – |
| Lived in the same house a year earlier | 93.3% ±4.0 pts | 88.1% | – |
| Moved from another state in the past year | 1.7% ±2.1 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 Willow earn?
Half of Willow's 786 households earn less than $89,000 a year (±$14,385), against $94,031 in Matanuska-Susitna Borough and $92,788 in Alaska. In 2015-2019 the median was $64,941 in 2024 dollars, so it rose by $24,059 after inflation. 13.2% of residents live below the poverty line.
| Measure | Willow | Matanuska-Susitna Borough | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $89,000 ±$14,385 | $94,031 | +$24,059 |
| Mean household income | $111,683 ±$25,003 | $115,954 | – |
| Per capita income | $48,621 ±$11,728 | $42,386 | +$18,289 |
| People below the poverty line | 13.2% ±8.3 pts | 10.0% | no clear change |
| Children under 18 below the poverty line | 19.6% ±20.9 pts | 11.0% | – |
| Households receiving SNAP | 4.3% ±5.6 pts | 9.4% | – |
| Households with a computer | 95.4% ±3.5 pts | 97.2% | – |
| Households with a broadband subscription | 83.2% ±6.2 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 Willow?
Owners occupy 94.5% of Willow's occupied homes and renters 5.5%. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $313,800 by its owner (±$25,856). The median renter pays $1,375 a month including utilities.
| Measure | Willow | Matanuska-Susitna Borough | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value (owner-occupied) | $313,800 ±$25,856 | $346,600 | +$76,030 |
| Median gross rent | $1,375 ±$278 | $1,299 | no clear change |
| Renters paying 35% or more of income on rent | 0.0% ±54.2 pts | 41.1% | – |
| Median monthly owner costs, with a mortgage | $1,757 ±$174 | $2,112 | – |
| Owner-occupied homes | 94.5% ±4.2 pts | 77.2% | +11.5 pts |
| Renter-occupied homes | 5.5% ±4.2 pts | 22.8% | – |
| Housing units | 1,965 ±84 | 51,170 | +202 |
| Homeowner vacancy rate | 1.2% ±1.7 pts | 0.6% | – |
| Rental vacancy rate | 0.0% ±39.7 pts | 3.9% | – |
| Single-family detached homes | 98.7% ±1.1 pts | 83.0% | – |
| Mobile homes | 0.3% ±0.4 pts | 2.6% | – |
| Built 2020 or later | 2.0% ±1.4 pts | 1.9% | – |
| Built 2010 to 2019 | 12.4% ±3.3 pts | 17.3% | – |
| Built 1939 or earlier | 0.0% ±1.3 pts | 0.4% | – |
| Households with no vehicle | 3.6% ±2.8 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 Willow work and get to work?
62.9% of Willow's workers drive alone and 18.8% work from home. The average trip to work takes 65.2 minutes.
| Measure | Willow | Matanuska-Susitna Borough | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| In the labor force (age 16+) | 51.9% ±7.7 pts | 60.3% | – |
| Unemployment rate | 6.6% ±4.8 pts | 5.8% | – |
| Drove alone to work | 62.9% ±8.9 pts | 71.0% | – |
| Carpooled | 6.4% ±5.0 pts | 9.7% | – |
| Public transportation | 0.0% ±3.7 pts | 0.4% | – |
| Walked | 1.3% ±1.9 pts | 1.7% | – |
| Worked from home | 18.8% ±8.6 pts | 11.7% | no clear change |
| Mean travel time to work | 65.2 min ±11.4 | 34.8 min | +19.7 min |
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 Willow?
1 census tract lies mostly in Willow, and 1 more reaches into it (2020 census blocks).
| Tract | Residents, 2020-2024 | Median household income |
|---|---|---|
| Tract 4.02Matanuska-Susitna Borough | 1,829 | $88,625 |
| Tract 5.02Matanuska-Susitna Borough | 1,935 | $83,750 |
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 Willow) · Census block assignment files
How does Willow compare with other places in Alaska?
Willow ranks 34th 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) | 52nd | 71 |
| Residents per square mile | 69th | 71 |
| Median household income | 34th | 69 |
| Per capita income | 20th | 71 |
| Median home value | 34th | 66 |
| Median gross rent | 26th | 62 |
| Poverty rate | 17th | 57 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 27th | 69 |
| Median age | 14th | 71 |
| Owner-occupied share | 1st | 68 |
| Work from home | 7th | 50 |
| Travel time to work | 1st | 69 |
Willow's figures with every place in Alaska (CSV)
Every place in Alaska, sortable · Compare Willow 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 Willow?
22 of the 57 figures for Willow 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 Willow 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.