Housing decision brief
Denali Borough, AK Housing Market
Denali Borough screens as a below-state purchase price, below-state rent, a manageable tax-rate signal market. Use the page as a decision brief, not just a price lookup, because local income, taxes, and data confidence change how affordable the county really is.
13th lowest home value out of 30 Alaska counties with data | 6th lowest rent out of 30
Median home value
$262,000
Purchase-price signal from Census ACS.
Median rent
$938/mo
Gross rent, including utilities where reported.
Monthly owner cost
$749/mo
Owner costs before individual loan terms.
Decision snapshot
Read this county in four signals.
Buy screen
2.9x
Median home value divided by local household income.
Rent burden
26.0%
Below 30% usually screens as less pressured.
Rent vs own
$189/mo
Median owner cost screens below median rent.
Data confidence
1 note
Water-quality monitoring is based on 2 active sites in recent WQP data.
What Works
Lower purchase price
$262,000 median home value is 4% below Alaska county median
Lower rent
$938/mo is 25% below Alaska county median
Rent burden below pressure line
26.00% of renter income goes to rent, below the 30% burden threshold.
Owning screens cheaper than renting
Median owner costs are $189/mo below median rent before individual mortgage terms.
What to Check
Water quality cross-check
Water quality grade is F. Review water data before treating housing cost as the full story.
Best Fit For
- Buyers comparing homes to local incomes
- Households weighing ownership against renting
- Remote earners or cash buyers looking below the state price line
Poor Fit For
- Buyers who will not investigate local water systems before moving
County vs State vs National
The county number only matters after you see the benchmark. These comparisons show where Denali Borough is genuinely cheap, where it is average, and where the hidden cost may be.
| Metric | County | State | U.S. | Signal |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Median home value Lower usually helps affordability. | $262,000 | $274,050 | $281,900 | Near state median4% below Alaska county median |
Median gross rent Lower usually helps affordability. | $938 | $1,243 | $1,163 | 25% favorable25% below Alaska county median |
Monthly owner cost Lower usually helps affordability. | $749 | $772 | $1,672 | Near state median3% below Alaska county median |
Median household income | $88,935 | $78,158 | $74,755 | 14% favorable14% above Alaska county median |
Effective property-tax rate Lower usually helps affordability. | N/A | 1.00% | 1.02% | Needs dataNo Alaska county median comparison available |
Rent burden Lower usually helps affordability. | 26.00% | 23.00% | N/A | 13% pressure26.00% of renter income goes to rent. |
Income Fit
A low price only helps if local income can carry the monthly cost. This panel compares the county income base with rent and owner-cost thresholds.
Rent cushion
+$51,415
Median income minus rent threshold.
Owner cushion
+$56,835
Median income minus owner-cost threshold.
Affordability Advisory
This turns the raw housing numbers into income and buy-versus-rent screens.
Affordability verdict
Housing in Denali Borough is affordable. The median rent is $938/month against a median household income of $88,935, putting rent at 12.7% of income.
Rent vs own
Renters in Denali Borough pay $938/month on average, compared to $749/month for homeowners. This market favors buyers by about 20%.
Income needed
To afford the median rent without exceeding 30% of gross income, a household needs to earn approximately $37,520/year. For owner costs at the 28% rule, the required income is roughly $32,100/year. With a median household income of $88,935, most households can comfortably afford rent here. Notably, 26.0% of renter households in Denali Borough are cost-burdened, spending more than 30% of income on housing.
Regional context
Within Alaska, Denali Borough is less affordable than Aleutians East Borough by roughly 10% ($938/mo vs $1,040/mo).
Better Counties to Compare
Similar counties are matched on home value, rent, income, and state context. This is more useful than a simple nearest-price list.
| County | Home Value | Rent | Why compare |
|---|---|---|---|
| Copper River Census Area, AK | $246,700 | $973/mo | Same-state comparison near $246,700 home value and $973/mo rent. |
| Harris County, GA | $278,700 | $941/mo | Out-of-state peer near $278,700 home value and $941/mo rent. |
| North Slope Borough, AK | $219,600 | $1,167/mo | Same-state comparison near $219,600 home value and $1,167/mo rent. |
| Haines Borough, AK | $318,900 | $914/mo | Same-state comparison near $318,900 home value and $914/mo rent. |
| Washington County, NE | $278,300 | $958/mo | Out-of-state peer near $278,300 home value and $958/mo rent. |
Data Confidence
- Water-quality monitoring is based on 2 active sites in recent WQP data.
Next Checks
Housing Questions for Denali Borough
Is Denali Borough affordable for buying a home?
Is renting or owning cheaper in Denali Borough?
How much income do you need for housing in Denali Borough?
What should I double-check before moving to Denali Borough?
Data: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year Estimates (2019-2023) — Informational only. Not financial or legal advice.