The Town Files

Hooper Bay, Alaska

City in Kusilvak Census Area · population 1,375 (2020 Census)

Map: where Hooper Bay is in AlaskaHooper Bay
Median home
$150,000
Household income
$49,688
Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
0
Median age
27.8

Hooper Bay is a city of 1,375 people in Kusilvak Census Area, Alaska. The median home is worth $150,000, below the typical Alaska town ($289,500).

How Hooper Bay ranks

Percentile among Alaska towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of Alaska towns.

Hooper Bay lifestyle rankings vs other Alaska townsRetirement21st pctFamilies54th pctQuiet40th pctWalkability15th pctFirst-time buyers46th pctYoung professionals30th pctVibrancy35th pctHip & trendy10th pctCollege town22nd pctUpscale7th pctVacation homesbottomSeaside character45th pctCycling53rd pctTransitbottomDriving5th pcttypical
The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025).

Homes and cost of living

The median home in Hooper Bay is worth $150,000, below the typical Alaska town ($289,500). Homes cost about 3.0 times the median household income of $49,688, which is more affordable than 62% of Alaska towns. Median rent is $725 a month. 66.0% of households own their home.

Hooper Bay vs Kusilvak Census Area vs typical Alaska townHooper BayKusilvak Census AreaTypical Alaska townHome value$150,000$84,300$289,500Household income$49,688$51,471$78,155Monthly rent$725$833$1,146
Census ACS 5-year estimates, 2020–2024. "Typical town" = median of Alaska towns with 500+ people.
HousingHooper BayTypical Alaska town
Median home value$150,000$289,500
Median rent$725$1,146
Median household income$49,688$78,155
Home value ÷ income3.0×3.3×
Homeownership66.0%72.6%
Median year built19931989
Seasonal / vacation homes5.3%—

Who lives in Hooper Bay

PeopleHooper BayTypical Alaska town
Median age27.837.2
Age 65 and over6.5%13.2%
Under 1843.1%—
Bachelor's degree or higher3.2%22.4%
Below the poverty line22.7%11.9%
Veterans5.8%—
Born outside the U.S.4.3%—
Work from home18.1%7.4%
Average commute5.0 min12.5 min
Homes with broadband87.8%88.6%

Tornadoes, storms and disasters

NOAA's Storm Events Database has no tornado within 10 miles of Hooper Bay since 1950.

Severe weather in Kusilvak Census Area since 1996

Storm events in Kusilvak Census Area since 1996 by typeBlizzard19High Wind4Winter Storm3Coastal Flood3
NOAA Storm Events Database, Kusilvak Census Area, 1996–2026 (all event types recorded since 1996).

Kusilvak Census Area has been included in 2 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, biological.

DeclaredIncidentDeclaration
August 23, 2023FloodDR-4730: Flooding
April 9, 2020BiologicalDR-4533: Covid-19 Pandemic

Jobs and pay in Kusilvak Census Area

Kusilvak Census Area had 1,959 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $38,914 a year. Unemployment was 15.1% in 2023; in Hooper Bay itself the ACS puts it at 14.3%.

Largest industries in Kusilvak Census AreaRetail349 jobs · $22,424Other services85 jobs · $24,418
BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024, private-sector jobs and average annual pay.
Unemployment rate in Kusilvak Census Area, 2000–20230%4%8%12%16%20%24%2000200420082012201620202023Kusilvak Census Area 15.1%
Annual average unemployment rate (BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics via USDA ERS).

Public schools in Hooper Bay

2 public schools with 467 students, about 18.0 students per teacher.

SchoolGradesStudentsPer teacher
Hooper Bay SchoolPK-1239919.0
Hooper Bay Charter School (charter)4-86813.6

Towns near Hooper Bay

Hooper Bay questions

Is Hooper Bay, Alaska a good place to retire?

On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Hooper Bay scores better for retirees than 21% of Alaska towns and quieter than 40%. 6.5% of residents are 65 or older (median age 27.8).

How much does a house cost in Hooper Bay?

The median owner-occupied home in Hooper Bay is valued at $150,000 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $49,688, so homes cost about 3.0 times income. Median rent is $725 a month.

Does Hooper Bay get tornadoes?

No tornado has been recorded within 10 miles of Hooper Bay in NOAA's Storm Events Database since 1950.

How this page is made. Every number comes from public data, matched to Hooper Bay's Census boundary (GEOID 0233470). Comparisons use the median of Alaska towns with at least 500 people. Weather comes from the nearest NOAA normals station; storm counts use NOAA tornado tracks within 10 miles of the town center. Data snapshot 2026-11-13.