Nome Census Area, Alaska

AK · FIPS 02180

Located in Alaska, Nome Census Area has a population of 9,866 residents and a median age of 29.4 years, making it the #2,491 most populous county out of 3,222 nationwide. In terms of economic indicators, the county has a poverty rate of 21.5%. The median home value is $211,200, and the median household income is $78,681, which is 5% above the national median.

9,866
Population
#2,491 of 3,222
$78,681
Median Income
+4.7% #638 of 3,222
29.4 years
Median Age
-24.4% #3,182 of 3,222
21.5%
Poverty Rate
+70.7% #2,797 of 3,222

Demographics

Nome Census Area has a population of 9,866, making it the #2,491 most populous county in the US. The median age is 29.4 years, which is 24.4% below the national median.

Population Trend

Rankings →

Year-over-Year Population Growth

Age & Sex Distribution

Race & Ethnicity

Nativity

97.8%
Native Born
2.2%
Foreign Born

Geographic Mobility (Past Year)

Economy

The median household income in Nome Census Area is $78,681, ranking #638 out of 3,222 counties — 4.7% above the national median. The poverty rate is 21.5% and unemployment stands at 16.7%.

Income#638
$78,681
+4.7%
vs nation
80th percentile
Per Capita#2,062
$32,238
-21.9%
vs nation
36th percentile
Poverty#2,797
21.5%
+70.7%
vs nation
13th percentile
Unemployment#3,204
16.7%
+215.5%
vs nation
1th percentile

Income Distribution

Industry of Employment

Occupation

Housing

The median home value in Nome Census Area is $211,200 (-25.1% vs national). Renters pay a median of $1,394/mo and the homeownership rate is 66.8%.

Home Value#1,296
$211,200
-25.1%
vs nation
60th percentile
Rent#322
$1,394
+19.9%
vs nation
90th percentile
Homeownership#2,584
66.8%
+3.8%
vs nation
20th percentile

Household Type

Education

In Nome Census Area, 14.0% of adults age 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher, which is 58.6% below the national average, ranking #2,937 out of 3,222 counties.

Bachelor's Degree or Higher
14.0% −58.6% vs nation
Rank #2,937 of 3,222
9th percentile

Bachelor's Degree or Higher Trend

Rankings →

Health & Wellbeing

Life expectancy in Nome Census Area is 68.9 years. 28.8% of adults report poor or fair health and 14.5% lack health insurance. Data from County Health Rankings (2025).

Life Expectancy#2,945
68.9
-8.3%
vs nation
4th percentile
Poor/Fair Health#3,028
28.8%
+47.2%
vs nation
4th percentile
Diabetes#2,716
13.7%
+23.1%
vs nation
14th percentile
Insufficient Sleep#3,012
44.0%
+17.9%
vs nation
4th percentile
Poor Mental Health Days#2,573
6.2
+9.4%
vs nation
18th percentile
Poor Physical Health Days#2,938
5.5
+24.0%
vs nation
7th percentile
Uninsured Rate#2,601
14.5%
+38.8%
vs nation
17th percentile
Physical Inactivity#2,546
31.0%
+17.5%
vs nation
19th percentile
Food Insecurity#2,566
17.5%
+21.5%
vs nation
18th percentile

Substance Use

32.9% of adults in Nome Census Area smoke , 37.2% are obese , and 19.9% report excessive drinking.

Adult Smoking#3,138
32.9%
+83.2%
vs nation
0th percentile
Adult Obesity#1,183
37.2%
-1.9%
vs nation
62th percentile
Excessive Drinking#1,532
19.9%
+0.1%
vs nation
51th percentile

Safety

The suicide rate is 87.9 per 100,000. Motor vehicle deaths occur at a rate of 14.4 per 100,000.

Suicide Rate#2,556
87.9
+345.5%
vs nation
0th percentile
Firearm Fatalities#2,387
36.3
+102.9%
vs nation
3th percentile
Motor Vehicle Deaths#876
14.4
-28.9%
vs nation
69th percentile

Families & Children

23.0% of children in Nome Census Area live in poverty . The teen birth rate is 55.0 per 1,000 females age 15–19.

Teen Birth Rate#2,976
55.0
+152.0%
vs nation
1th percentile
Child Poverty#2,304
23.0%
+21.1%
vs nation
27th percentile

Civic & Transportation

The mean commute time is 7.7 min, which is 72.2% below the national average.

Mean Commute Time
7.7 min −72.2% vs nation
Rank #3,216 of 3,222
0th percentile

Mean Commute Time Trend

Rankings →

About Nome Census Area, Alaska

Nome Census Area, Alaska has a total population of 9,866, making it the 2,491st most populous county in the United States. The median age in Nome Census Area is 29.4 years, which is 24.4% below the national median of 38.9 years.

The median household income in Nome Census Area is $78,681, which ranks #638 of 3,222 counties nationwide. This is 4.7% above the national median of $75,149. The poverty rate is 21.5%, higher than the national rate of 12.6%. The unemployment rate stands at 16.7%.

The median home value in Nome Census Area is $211,200, 25.1% below the national median. Renters in Nome Census Area pay a median gross rent of $1,394 per month. The homeownership rate is 66.8%, compared to the national rate of 64.4%.

In Nome Census Area, 14.0% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher, 58.6% below the national average of 33.7%. Health insurance coverage stands at 86.0% of the population. The average commute time for workers is 7.7 min.

Nome Census Area is a diverse community. The largest racial or ethnic group is American Indian (non-Hispanic) at 73.5% of the population, followed by White (non-Hispanic) (13.4%) and Two or More Races (8.5%).

All data for Nome Census Area, Alaska comes from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year Estimates. These figures are estimates based on survey sampling and are subject to margin of error. For the most detailed and up-to-date data, visit the Census Bureau's official data portal.