CitytisticsShortlist

Cost of living, pay and housing

61.73° N · 149.28° W · GEOID 0225550

Fishhook

Matanuska-Susitna Borough, Alaska · part of the Anchorage, AK metro

AlaskaFishhook, AKFishhookFishhook

The short answer

Fishhook is home to 5,819 people. Median household income is $111,375 a year and median rent is $1,837 a month, 19.8% of income (a ratio of two medians, not any one household's burden). Rent pressure is lighter than in most places. The median home is valued at $416,300, about 3.7x annual median household income.

The story in Fishhook is how fast things are changing. Housing became less affordable between 2019 and 2024: rent went from 12.7% to 19.8% of income. Also notable: About 64 km of named paths and bike trails are mapped in and around the city, more than in 99% of places its size.

32OF 100

CTXCitytistics Index

Below average

Fishhook scores better than 32% of the 6,612 places we rate, and ranks 19th of 24 in Alaska.

How the CTX is built

Category ratings · 0 to 100, typical place 50

Affordability 20%53
Economy 20%68
Safety 20%n/a
Amenities 15%18
Education 10%45
Commute 10%7
Growth 5%n/a

Not rated: safety, growth, for want of data (the city police department does not report a full year to the FBI). The other weights are spread over the categories rated.

Median gross rent
$1,837
35% above the median place
Median household income
$111,375
39% above the median place
Median home value
$416,300
30% above the median place
Unemployment
4.5%
8% below the median place

Compared with the median of the 6,645 places we track. The bundle was checked 2026-11-14; each measure may refer to an older release.

What stands out about Fishhook

  • Value for moneyRent is about 24% higher than we would expect for a place with these incomes, education levels, housing age and household types in the same metro area. The premium usually reflects location, amenities or schools that these figures do not capture. Experimental
01

Moving to Fishhook

Matanuska-Susitna Borough gains about 10.7 residents per 1,000 a year to moves between counties.

Moved in6,134
Moved out5,138
Net+996

Where people come from and where they go, top counties

Within Alaska, other states or abroad

Arrivals
Leavers
Within AlaskaOther statesAbroad

Income per tax return

Arrivals$77K
Leavers$64K

People on tax returns who moved between counties, from IRS migration data, 2022 to 2023. Figures are for all of Matanuska-Susitna Borough; flows under 20 returns are not published.

Who moves here
6.8% of residents arrived from another county in the past year, 2.8% from another state.
Who arrives and who leaves
Households moving into Matanuska-Susitna Borough report $76,600 a year in income on average; those leaving, $63,600, so newcomers earn more than leavers.
Income you would need
$73,500 a year to rent the median home at the 30% line. From your city
Rent or buy
Median rent is $1,837 a month; owners with a mortgage pay $2,504 a month including taxes and insurance, on a median home of $416,300.
Getting to work
35 minutes each way on average; 5.1% work from home.
If it is close but not quite
Steele Creek, AK matches it on character for less of your income. Compare the two
Moved here in the past year1
6.8%
18% above the median place
Net movers per 1,000 people7
10.7
above the median place (median -0.6)
Moved from another state1
2.8%
42% above the median place
All 5 moving measures
MeasureFishhookAmong 6,645 placesVs median
Moved here in the past year16.8%18% above
Moved from another state1County figure2.8%42% above
Net movers per 1,000 people7County figure10.7above (median -0.6)
Income of households moving in7County figure$76,6329% above
Income of households moving out7County figure$63,58010% below
02

What it costs to live here

Half the homes were built after 2006, newer housing than in 97% of the 2,479 places under 10,000 people we track. It is the highest of 24 Alaska places we track.

Fishhook19.8%
Typical place20.4%

Share of the median household income that goes to the median rent. Above 30% is the usual stress line.

Income needed to rent
$73,480
a year, at the 30% line
Rent to income
19.8%
3% below the median place
Home price to income
3.7x
2% below the median place

Could you afford it?

The median rent would take
20%
comfortably under the 30% line
Left after rent, in US prices
$85,100
a year
Vs the typical household here
Same
as the median household

Uses the median rent in Fishhook, $1,837 a month, and local prices for everything else (104.5 against a US average of 100). It runs in your browser and stores nothing.

Like Fishhook, but easier on the budget

Places that match Fishhook on character (size, age, education, homeownership, household size, housing age, remote work and climate) but where rent takes a clearly smaller share of income. Cost was left out of the match on purpose.

PlaceMatchRent to incomeMore left a year
Steele Creek, AK8212.1% vs 19.8%$15,700Compare
Kenai, AK7315.7% vs 19.8%n/aCompare
Sterling, AK7214.6% vs 19.8%n/aCompare
Chena Ridge, AK6810.0% vs 19.8%$28,800Compare

Moving from somewhere else? Work out the salary you would need in Fishhook.

Sponsored · exampleMoving to Fishhook? Compare quotes from licensed movers. No partner is signed yet. Sponsored offers are always labelled and never change the data.
Median year built1
2006
1% above the median place
Homeownership1
85.9%
29% above the median place
Owner costs with a mortgage1
$2,504
34% above the median place
All 16 cost and housing measures
MeasureFishhookAmong 6,645 placesVs median
Median gross rent1$1,83735% above
Rent to income119.8%3% below
Property tax rate10.9%5% below
Home price to income13.7x2% below
Prices vs US average2Metro figure105.44% above
Fair market rent, 2 bedrooms3County figure$1,29320% below
HUD area median income4County figure$119,30011% above
Property tax paid (median)1$3,5669% above
Median home value1$416,30030% above
Home prices, 1-year change5County figure5.3%66% above
Home prices, 5-year change5County figure50.1%3% below
Homeownership185.9%29% above
Renters paying 30%+1County figure52.6%4% above
Owner costs with a mortgage1$2,50434% above
Vacant homes110.3%46% above
Median year built120061% above
03

Work and pay

Counting remote workers as zero, the average worker spends about 255 hours a year commuting, more than in 96% of the 2,101 places under 10,000 people we track.

Mean commute1
35 min
39% above the median place
Works from home1
5.1%
59% below the median place
Median household income1
$111,375
39% above the median place

More on work and pay, against the typical place

Income per person$48,007 +20%
Commutes by transit0.3% −64%
Unemployment4.5% −8%
Poverty rate9.2% −15%
All 10 work and pay measures
MeasureFishhookAmong 6,645 placesVs median
Median household income1$111,37539% above
Income per person1$48,00720% above
Unemployment14.5%8% below
Average annual pay6County figure$61,2127% below
Pay growth, 1 year6County figure4.9%32% above
Jobs6County figure29,97880% below
Poverty rate19.2%15% below
Mean commute135 min39% above
Works from home15.1%59% below
Commutes by transit10.3%64% below
04

Who lives here

High school or higher is 96.9%, 5% above the median place.

High school or higher1
96.9%
5% above the median place
Born abroad1
3.1%
65% below the median place
No health insurance1
10.8%
69% above the median place

More about who lives here, against the typical place

Household size2.8 +12%
Homes with broadband95.2% +3%
Bachelor's or higher29.8% −7%
Median age39.4 +1%
All 8 people measures
MeasureFishhookAmong 6,645 placesVs median
Population15,8196074th largest
Median age139.41% above
Bachelor's or higher129.8%7% below
High school or higher196.9%5% above
Household size12.812% above
Born abroad13.1%65% below
No health insurance110.8%69% above
Homes with broadband195.2%3% above
05

Life in Fishhook

The nearest National Park Service site is Denali National Park and Preserve, about 108 miles away.

29 sites are on the National Register of Historic Places. Its history on Wikipedia

Out the door, against the typical place

Parks per 10k residents1.7 −83%
Playgrounds per 10k0.0 −100%
Grocery stores per 10k0.0 −100%
Restaurants, cafes and bars per 10k0.0 −100%
Libraries per 10k0.0 −100%
Named paths and bike trails64 km 32.1×
Bus and rail stops per sq mi0.0 −100%

Mapped by volunteers in OpenStreetMap inside the city limits (Census boundaries), so coverage is fuller in some places than others. Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL.

National Park Service sites nearby

  • Denali National Park and Preserve 108 miles
  • Kenai Fjords National Park 127 miles
  • Lake Clark National Park and Preserve 147 miles

Businesses per 10,000 residents (county figures)

Restaurants and bars18.5 −11%
Shops24.4 −19%
Arts, recreation and fitness6.7 +63%
Doctors' offices and clinics24.8 +23%
Child care centers2.4 +4%

Counts businesses with paid staff, so small owner-run shops are not included.

Nearest National Park Service site10
107.5
249% above the median place
Arts, recreation and fitness per 10k8
6.7
63% above the median place
Shops per 10k8
24.4
19% below the median place
All 18 schools and local life measures
MeasureFishhookAmong 6,645 placesVs median
Public schools12County figure49above (median 9)
Public school students12County figure19,495298% above
Students per teacher12County figure19.325% above
Restaurants and bars per 10k8County figure18.511% below
Shops per 10k8County figure24.419% below
Arts, recreation and fitness per 10k8County figure6.763% above
Doctors' offices and clinics per 10k8County figure24.823% above
Child care centers per 10k8County figure2.44% above
Parks per 10k91.783% below
Playgrounds per 10k90.0below (median 9.4)
Grocery stores per 10k90.0below (median 2.1)
Restaurants, cafes and bars per 10k90.0below (median 11.2)
Libraries per 10k90.0below (median 0.9)
Named paths and bike trails964.2above (median 2.0)
Transit stops per sq mi90.0below (median 0.2)
Nearest National Park Service site10107.5249% above
National Park Service sites within 60 miles100below (median 2)
National Register listings11County figure29123% above
06

Safety, weather and risk

Median air quality index is 9, 79% below the median place.

No crime figure yet. Either the city police department did not report to the FBI for the latest year, or our monthly fetch has not reached Fishhook. Larger places are fetched first.

Median air quality index15
9
79% below the median place
Average temperature13
29°F
46% below the median place
July average high13
60°F
31% below the median place
All 9 weather and risk measures
MeasureFishhookAmong 6,645 placesVs median
July average high13County figure60°F31% below
January average low13County figure3°F87% below
Average temperature13County figure29°F46% below
Annual precipitation13County figure34.8 in21% below
Natural hazard risk14County figure93.31% above
Tornado risk14County figure0.999% below
Wildfire risk14County figure94.755% above
Median air quality index15County figure979% below
Good air days15County figure91.5%34% above
08

Fishhook in 2030: where the trends point

If recent trends hold, the median rent will take about 21% of the median income in 2030, up from 20% now.

Citytistics projections to 2030: each figure's own trend, blended with the typical trend across the places we rate, eased toward long-run US growth and carried forward from the latest release. The range is where 80% of places landed when we tested the same method on past releases. On projected 2030 affordability, Fishhook does better than 52% of places. Its projected home value growth beats 11%.

MeasureLatest2030 projectionLikely rangeAvg. per year
Median rent$1,837/mo (2024)$2,400/mo$1,970 to $2,920/mo+4.5%
Median household income$111,375 (2024)$139,500$118,000 to $165,000+3.8%
Median home value$416,300 (2024)$579,000$421,000 to $798,000+5.7%

The median home would be worth 4.2 years of the median income in 2030, against 3.7 now.

A projection of recent trends, not a prediction of the economy or advice to buy or sell. How we project.

09

Places like Fishhook

The closest matches on income, rent, home value, education and age, and the places nearby.

PlaceRentIncome
Pleasant View, TN$1,802$109,213Compare
Vauxhall, NJ$1,830$111,421Compare
Moyock, NC$1,710$115,244Compare
Avenel, NJ$1,906$101,670Compare
Avenel, NJMoyock, NCVauxhall, NJPleasant View, TNFishhook, AKFishhookPleasant ViewVauxhallMoyockAvenelFishhookPleasant ViewVauxhallMoyockAvenel

Places built like Fishhook

Its statistical peers: the closest matches on size, age, education, homeownership, household size, housing age, origin and remote work, in the same part of the country. Cost and outcomes are left out of the match, so the table shows how Fishhook performs against places like it.

PlaceRent to incomeIncome growthPop. change
Fishhook, AK19.8%0.9%/yrn/a
Tanaina, AK15.9%6.5%/yrn/aCompare
Rochester, WA14.0%3.2%/yrn/aCompare
Eagle Point, OR18.6%1.5%/yr1.8%Compare
Kalifornsky, AK17.9%1.6%/yrn/aCompare
Ione, CA19.4%4.6%/yr4.4%Compare
Meadow Lakes, AK20.2%3.5%/yrn/aCompare

Common questions

Is Fishhook a good place to live?

It depends on what you need, so here is what the numbers say. Its Citytistics Index is 32 out of 100, better than 32% of the places we rate and 19th of 24 in Alaska. Rent is about 24% higher than we would expect for a place with these incomes, education levels, housing age and household types in the same metro area. The premium usually reflects location, amenities or schools that these figures do not capture. On cost, space and class size it scores 82 out of 100 for families. See how it ranks with your own weights.

Is Fishhook expensive to live in?

The median rent takes 19.8% of the median household income, against 20.4% in the typical place we track. Housing is a lighter load here than usual. The median home is valued at $416,300.

What salary do you need to live in Fishhook?

To rent the median home without spending more than 30% of income on rent, a household needs about $73,480 a year. Work it out from your current city.

What places are similar to Fishhook?

On income, rent, home value, education and age, the closest matches are Pleasant View, TN, Vauxhall, NJ, Moyock, NC and Avenel, NJ.

Sources and methods

The small numbers beside each measure point here. Every dataset is public; links go to the publisher.

  1. American Community Survey 5-year estimates · US Census Bureau · 2020 to 2024 estimatesTables B01002, B01003, B05002, B07003, B08013, B08301, B15003, B17001, B19013, B19301, B23025, B25002, B25003, B25010, B25035, B25064, B25070, B25077, B25088, B25103, B28002, S2701
  2. Regional Price Parities · US Bureau of Economic Analysis · Latest release, retrieved 2026-11-14
  3. Fair Market Rents · US Department of Housing and Urban Development · Fiscal year 2027
  4. Income Limits · US Department of Housing and Urban Development · Fiscal year 2026
  5. House Price Index · Federal Housing Finance Agency · Latest release, retrieved 2026-11-14
  6. Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages · US Bureau of Labor Statistics · 2025 annual averages
  7. SOI Tax Stats, county-to-county migration · Internal Revenue Service · Tax years 2022 to 2023Counts tax returns and the people on them; flows under 20 returns are suppressed.
  8. County Business Patterns · US Census Bureau · 2023 data
  9. OpenStreetMap · © OpenStreetMap contributors, available under the Open Database License (ODbL) · Map data as of 2026-11
  10. National Park Service sites · Wikidata (CC0), units operated by the National Park Service · Retrieved 2026-11
  11. National Register of Historic Places · National Park Service · Listings through 2026-05-22
  12. Common Core of Data · National Center for Education Statistics · 2024 release
  13. 1991-2020 climate normals · NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information · Series updated 2026-11-05Averages for 1991 to 2020 computed from NOAA's county climate series (nClimDiv).nClimDiv county series
  14. National Risk Index · Federal Emergency Management Agency · Latest release, retrieved 2026-11-14NRI data and maps
  15. Air Quality System, annual AQI by county · US Environmental Protection Agency · 2025 dataAirData download files

Derived by Citytistics from the tables above: rent to income (B25064, B19013); property tax rate (B25103, B25077); home price to income (B25077, B19013).

What stands out compares Fishhook with places of a similar size, using only figures measured for Fishhook itself; county and metro figures never count. Survey figures are estimates with margins of error. Formulas and definitions: methodology. API: /api/v1/places/fishhook-alaska

Citytistics. “Fishhook, Alaska.” Data as of 2026-11-14. https://www.citytistics.com/city/fishhook-alaska/

This product uses the Census Bureau Data API but is not endorsed or certified by the Census Bureau.