Housing decision brief
Kenai Peninsula Borough, AK Housing Market
Kenai Peninsula Borough screens as a higher 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.
19th lowest home value out of 30 Alaska counties with data | 12th lowest rent out of 30
Median home value
$297,500
Purchase-price signal from Census ACS.
Median rent
$1,163/mo
Gross rent, including utilities where reported.
Monthly owner cost
$1,011/mo
Owner costs before individual loan terms.
Decision snapshot
Read this county in four signals.
Buy screen
3.8x
Median home value divided by local household income.
Rent burden
29.0%
Below 30% usually screens as less pressured.
Rent vs own
$152/mo
Median owner cost screens below median rent.
Data confidence
1 note
Crime coverage is partial, so safety comparisons need source context.
What Works
Lower rent
$1,163/mo is 6% below Alaska county median
Rent burden below pressure line
29.00% of renter income goes to rent, below the 30% burden threshold.
Owning screens cheaper than renting
Median owner costs are $152/mo below median rent before individual mortgage terms.
What to Check
Lower income base
$77,722 median income is 1% below Alaska county median
Water quality cross-check
Water quality grade is F. Review water data before treating housing cost as the full story.
Crime data coverage
Crime data coverage is partial. Treat zero or low crime rates as incomplete until you check the source coverage.
Best Fit For
- Households weighing ownership against renting
Poor Fit For
- Households dependent on a deep local wage market
- Buyers who will not investigate local water systems before moving
- Anyone treating reported crime rates as complete without source context
County vs State vs National
The county number only matters after you see the benchmark. These comparisons show where Kenai Peninsula 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. | $297,500 | $274,050 | $281,900 | 9% pressure9% above Alaska county median |
Median gross rent Lower usually helps affordability. | $1,163 | $1,243 | $1,163 | 6% favorable6% below Alaska county median |
Monthly owner cost Lower usually helps affordability. | $1,011 | $772 | $1,672 | 31% pressure31% above Alaska county median |
Median household income | $77,722 | $78,158 | $74,755 | Near state median1% below Alaska county median |
Effective property-tax rate Lower usually helps affordability. | 0.66% | 1.00% | 1.02% | 34% favorable34% below Alaska county median |
Rent burden Lower usually helps affordability. | 29.00% | 23.00% | N/A | 26% pressure29.00% 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
+$31,202
Median income minus rent threshold.
Owner cushion
+$34,393
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 Kenai Peninsula Borough is affordable. The median rent is $1,163/month against a median household income of $77,722, putting rent at 18.0% of income.
Rent vs own
The median rent in Kenai Peninsula Borough is $1,163/month, while owner costs run $1,011/month. Owning saves approximately $152/month.
Income needed
To afford the median rent without exceeding 30% of gross income, a household needs to earn approximately $46,520/year. For owner costs at the 28% rule, the required income is roughly $43,329/year. With a median household income of $77,722, most households can comfortably afford rent here. Notably, 29.0% of renter households in Kenai Peninsula Borough are cost-burdened, spending more than 30% of income on housing.
Regional context
Within Alaska, Kenai Peninsula Borough is less affordable than Skagway Municipality by roughly 5% ($1,163/mo vs $1,228/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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Petersburg Borough, AK | $301,300 | $1,208/mo | Same-state comparison near $301,300 home value and $1,208/mo rent. |
| Southeast Fairbanks Census Area, AK | $262,800 | $1,304/mo | Same-state comparison near $262,800 home value and $1,304/mo rent. |
| Matanuska-Susitna Borough, AK | $319,200 | $1,258/mo | Same-state comparison near $319,200 home value and $1,258/mo rent. |
| Wrangell City and Borough, AK | $289,700 | $1,047/mo | Same-state comparison near $289,700 home value and $1,047/mo rent. |
| Fairbanks North Star Borough, AK | $282,500 | $1,424/mo | Same-state comparison near $282,500 home value and $1,424/mo rent. |
Data Confidence
- Crime coverage is partial, so safety comparisons need source context.
Next Checks
Housing Questions for Kenai Peninsula Borough
Is Kenai Peninsula Borough affordable for buying a home?
Is renting or owning cheaper in Kenai Peninsula Borough?
How much income do you need for housing in Kenai Peninsula Borough?
What should I double-check before moving to Kenai Peninsula Borough?
Data: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year Estimates (2019-2023) — Informational only. Not financial or legal advice.