The Town FilesShishmaref, Alaska
City in Nome Census Area · population 576 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $109,400
- Household income
- $61,458
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 0
- Median age
- 33.0
Shishmaref is a city of 576 people in Nome Census Area, Alaska. The median home is worth $109,400, below the typical Alaska town ($289,500). It ranks more seaside character than 77% of Alaska towns, better for cycling than 76% of Alaska towns.
How Shishmaref 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 Shishmaref is worth $109,400, below the typical Alaska town ($289,500). Homes cost about 1.8 times the median household income of $61,458, which is more affordable than 87% of Alaska towns. Median rent is $950 a month. 75.7% of households own their home.
| Housing | Shishmaref | Typical Alaska town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $109,400 | $289,500 |
| Median rent | $950 | $1,146 |
| Median household income | $61,458 | $78,155 |
| Home value ÷ income | 1.8× | 3.3× |
| Homeownership | 75.7% | 72.6% |
| Median year built | 1986 | 1989 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.8% | — |
Who lives in Shishmaref
| People | Shishmaref | Typical Alaska town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 33.0 | 37.2 |
| Age 65 and over | 10.3% | 13.2% |
| Under 18 | 32.6% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 7.1% | 22.4% |
| Below the poverty line | 24.9% | 11.9% |
| Veterans | 2.9% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 1.1% | — |
| Work from home | 6.9% | 7.4% |
| Average commute | 4.4 min | 12.5 min |
| Homes with broadband | 94.6% | 88.6% |
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
NOAA's Storm Events Database has no tornado within 10 miles of Shishmaref since 1950.
Severe weather in Nome Census Area since 1996
Nome Census Area has been included in 11 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, freezing, biological.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| October 22, 2025 | Flood | DR-4893: Severe Storms, Flooding, And Remnants Of Typhoon Halong |
| January 15, 2025 | Severe Storm | DR-4859: Severe Storm And Flooding |
| August 23, 2023 | Flood | DR-4730: Flooding |
| September 23, 2022 | Severe Storm | DR-4672: Severe Storm, Flooding, And Landslides |
| April 9, 2020 | Biological | DR-4533: Covid-19 Pandemic |
Jobs and pay in Nome Census Area
Nome Census Area had 3,893 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $75,229 a year. Unemployment was 7.7% in 2023; in Shishmaref itself the ACS puts it at 29.4%.
Public schools in Shishmaref
1 public school with 184 students, about 11.5 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Shishmaref School | PK-12 | 184 | 11.5 |
Shishmaref questions
Is Shishmaref, Alaska a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Shishmaref scores better for retirees than 3% of Alaska towns and quieter than 47%. 10.3% of residents are 65 or older (median age 33.0).
How much does a house cost in Shishmaref?
The median owner-occupied home in Shishmaref is valued at $109,400 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $61,458, so homes cost about 1.8 times income. Median rent is $950 a month.
Does Shishmaref get tornadoes?
No tornado has been recorded within 10 miles of Shishmaref 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)