The Town FilesNuiqsut, Alaska
City in North Slope Borough · population 512 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $140,400
- Household income
- $78,438
- Jan low / Jul high
- -23° / 58°
- Snow a year
- 58 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 0
- Median age
- 29.6
Nuiqsut is a city of 512 people in North Slope Borough, Alaska. The median home is worth $140,400, below the typical Alaska town ($289,500). It ranks more seaside character than 71% of Alaska towns.
How Nuiqsut 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.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Nuiqsut is worth $140,400, below the typical Alaska town ($289,500). Homes cost about 1.8 times the median household income of $78,438, which is more affordable than 87% of Alaska towns. Median rent is $1,167 a month. 57.9% of households own their home.
| Housing | Nuiqsut | Typical Alaska town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $140,400 | $289,500 |
| Median rent | $1,167 | $1,146 |
| Median household income | $78,438 | $78,155 |
| Home value ÷ income | 1.8× | 3.3× |
| Homeownership | 57.9% | 72.6% |
| Median year built | 1982 | 1989 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 1.1% | — |
Who lives in Nuiqsut
| People | Nuiqsut | Typical Alaska town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 29.6 | 37.2 |
| Age 65 and over | 9.7% | 13.2% |
| Under 18 | 38.1% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 6.8% | 22.4% |
| Below the poverty line | 21.1% | 11.9% |
| Veterans | 2.6% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 4.9% | — |
| Work from home | 8.4% | 7.4% |
| Average commute | 8.0 min | 12.5 min |
| Homes with broadband | 71.7% | 88.6% |
Weather in Nuiqsut
July highs average 57.9°F and January lows -23.0°F. About 5.7 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 57.6 inches of snow (typical Alaska town: 64.0 in). Expect about 0 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 281 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
NOAA's Storm Events Database has no tornado within 10 miles of Nuiqsut since 1950.
Severe weather in North Slope Borough since 1996
North Slope Borough has been included in 8 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, biological, severe storm.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| April 9, 2020 | Biological | DR-4533: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3446: Covid-19 |
| December 20, 2017 | Severe Storm | DR-4351: Severe Storm |
| October 30, 2015 | Coastal Storm | DR-4244: Severe Storm |
| December 22, 2011 | Severe Storm | DR-4050: Severe Winter Storms And Flooding |
Jobs and pay in North Slope Borough
North Slope Borough had 11,794 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $128,567 a year. Unemployment was 4.9% in 2023; in Nuiqsut itself the ACS puts it at 24.9%.
Public schools in Nuiqsut
1 public school with 163 students, about 10.9 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nuiqsut Trapper School | PK-12 | 163 | 10.9 |
Nuiqsut questions
Is Nuiqsut, Alaska a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Nuiqsut scores better for retirees than 11% of Alaska towns and quieter than 19%. 9.7% of residents are 65 or older (median age 29.6).
How much does a house cost in Nuiqsut?
The median owner-occupied home in Nuiqsut is valued at $140,400 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $78,438, so homes cost about 1.8 times income. Median rent is $1,167 a month.
What is the weather like in Nuiqsut?
July highs average 57.9°F and January lows -23.0°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 5.7 inches of precipitation a year and 57.6 inches of snow.
Does Nuiqsut get tornadoes?
No tornado has been recorded within 10 miles of Nuiqsut in NOAA's Storm Events Database since 1950.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)