The Town Files

Kotlik, Alaska

City in Kusilvak Census Area · population 655 (2020 Census)

Map: where Kotlik is in AlaskaKotlik
Median home
$75,600
Household income
$58,043
Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
0
Median age
18.0

Kotlik is a city of 655 people in Kusilvak Census Area, Alaska. The median home is worth $75,600, below the typical Alaska town ($289,500).

Kotlik in our rankings:

How Kotlik 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.

Kotlik 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 Kotlik is worth $75,600, below the typical Alaska town ($289,500). Homes cost about 1.3 times the median household income of $58,043, which is more affordable than 92% of Alaska towns. Median rent is $775 a month. 61.8% of households own their home.

Kotlik vs Kusilvak Census Area vs typical Alaska townKotlikKusilvak Census AreaTypical Alaska townHome value$75,600$84,300$289,500Household income$58,043$51,471$78,155Monthly rent$775$833$1,146
Census ACS 5-year estimates, 2020–2024. "Typical town" = median of Alaska towns with 500+ people.
HousingKotlikTypical Alaska town
Median home value$75,600$289,500
Median rent$775$1,146
Median household income$58,043$78,155
Home value ÷ income1.3×3.3×
Homeownership61.8%72.6%
Median year built19841989
Seasonal / vacation homes1.5%—

Who lives in Kotlik

PeopleKotlikTypical Alaska town
Median age18.037.2
Age 65 and over3.6%13.2%
Under 1849.9%—
Bachelor's degree or higher3.0%22.4%
Below the poverty line33.3%11.9%
Veterans2.5%—
Born outside the U.S.0.3%—
Work from home2.6%7.4%
Average commute5.8 min12.5 min
Homes with broadband78.5%88.6%

Tornadoes, storms and disasters

NOAA's Storm Events Database has no tornado within 10 miles of Kotlik 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 Kotlik itself the ACS puts it at 17.1%.

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 Kotlik

1 public school with 172 students, about 17.2 students per teacher.

SchoolGradesStudentsPer teacher
Kotlik SchoolPK-1217217.2

Kotlik questions

Is Kotlik, Alaska a good place to retire?

On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Kotlik scores better for retirees than 21% of Alaska towns and quieter than 40%. 3.6% of residents are 65 or older (median age 18.0).

How much does a house cost in Kotlik?

The median owner-occupied home in Kotlik is valued at $75,600 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $58,043, so homes cost about 1.3 times income. Median rent is $775 a month.

Does Kotlik get tornadoes?

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

How this page is made. Every number comes from public data, matched to Kotlik's Census boundary (GEOID 0241720). 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.