Department of Numbers

Anchorage Municipality Alaska Residential Rent and Rental Statistics

The median monthly gross residential rent in Anchorage Municipality AK was $1,230 in 2019 according to the Census ACS survey.1 Average gross rent in Anchorage Municipality was $1,306 in 2019. The median rent more accurately depicts rental rates in the middle of the distribution of rents and is thus preferred in the analysis below. 2020 Anchorage Municipality median and average rent data will be released in September of 2021.

Data is also available below for Anchorage Municipality rental vacancy rates, Anchorage Municipality rent as a percent of median income and the fraction of renters in Anchorage Municipality.

Show dollars as: Nominal Real

Real Gross Rent in Anchorage Municipality Alaska (2019 dollars)2

2019 1 Year Change 3 Year Change
US Median Gross Rent $1,097 +1.86% +6.82%
Alaska Median Gross Rent $1,201 +0.25% -5.06%
Anchorage Municipality AK Median Gross Rent $1,230 -2.38% -9.36%

Anchorage Municipality AK Real Gross Rent Trends

Median gross rent for Anchorage Municipality peaked in real terms in 2016 at $1,357 and is now $127 (9.36%) lower. Average gross rent for Anchorage Municipality peaked in real terms in 2016 at $1,410 and is now $104 (7.38%) lower.

Real Gross Rent: Anchorage Municipality AK Median, Anchorage Municipality AK Average, Alaska Median, US Median

Lower quartile, median and upper quartile real gross rent

Real Gross Rent History for Anchorage Municipality

Date US
Median
Alaska
Median
Anchorage Municipality AK
Median
Anchorage Municipality AK
Average
2019 $1,097 $1,201 $1,230 $1,306
2018 $1,077 $1,198 $1,260 $1,309
2017 $1,043 $1,238 $1,331 $1,381
2016 $1,027 $1,265 $1,357 $1,410
2015 $1,017 $1,234 $1,316 $1,347
2014 $986 $1,249 $1,321 $1,398
2013 $953 $1,176 $1,229 $1,284
2012 $940 $1,191 $1,260 $1,310
2011 $941 $1,133 $1,158 $1,188
2010 $955 $1,096 $1,112 $1,146
2009 $960 $1,148 $1,231 $1,286

more history ...

Anchorage Municipality Rental Vacancy Rate

The rental vacancy rate is the fraction of homes for rent that are not occupied.3 In 2019 the rental vacancy rate for Anchorage Municipality Alaska was 11.25% according to Census ACS data.

Rental Vacancy Rate in Anchorage Municipality Alaska

2019 1 Year Change 3 Year Change
US 5.97% -0.18% +0.08%
Alaska 9.22% +0.66% +3.41%
Anchorage Municipality AK 11.25% +0.34% +6.27%

Trends in Anchorage Municipality AK Rental Vacancy Rate

At 11.25%, Anchorage Municipality residential rental vacancy rate in 2019 is at the highest point since 2005, the beginning of our reporting for this series.

Rental Vacancy Rate: Anchorage Municipality AK, Alaska, US

Rental vacancy rate in Alaska

Historical Rental Vacancy Rate data for Anchorage Municipality

Date US Alaska Anchorage Municipality AK
2019 5.97% 9.22% 11.25%
2018 6.15% 8.56% 10.91%
2017 6.18% 8.12% 6.86%
2016 5.89% 5.81% 4.98%
2015 5.85% 5.74% 4.51%
2014 6.32% 5.89% 5.18%
2013 6.49% 7.74% 5.06%
2012 6.77% 5.62% 4.41%
2011 7.40% 5.94% 4.20%
2010 8.17% 3.73% 2.65%
2009 8.43% 6.82% 4.88%

more history ...

Rent as a Fraction of Income

Using median household income data for Anchorage Municipality, we can calculate the fraction of income the median household would use to pay rent at the median monthly gross rent rate. For Anchorage Municipality, median monthly gross rent as a fraction of median household income was 17.84% in 2019 according to the ACS.

Anchorage Municipality Alaska Median Annual Rent as a Fraction of Median Household Income

2019 1 Year Change 3 Year Change
US 20.03% -0.47% -0.40%
Alaska 19.10% +0.10% +0.13%
Anchorage Municipality AK 17.84% +0.08% -0.32%

Trends in Anchorage Municipality AK Rent as a Fraction of Income

The fraction of median Anchorage Municipality household income required to pay median monthly gross rent peaked in 2014 (relative to the 2005 series origin) at 19.67%. Since then it has fallen by 1.82% to 17.84%.

Fraction of Income towards Rent: Anchorage Municipality AK, Alaska, US

Percent of median household income going towards median monthly gross rent in Anchorage Municipality Alaska

Historical Data for Annual Rent as a Fraction of Income in Anchorage Municipality Alaska

Date US Alaska Anchorage Municipality AK
2019 20.03% 19.10% 17.84%
2018 20.50% 19.00% 17.76%
2017 20.13% 19.69% 19.57%
2016 20.43% 18.96% 18.16%
2015 20.63% 19.03% 18.93%
2014 20.89% 19.83% 19.67%
2013 20.78% 18.56% 17.72%
2012 20.65% 19.85% 19.58%
2011 20.70% 18.56% 17.67%
2010 20.50% 18.23% 16.55%
2009 20.12% 18.05% 17.79%

more history ...

Renter Fraction in Anchorage Municipality Alaska

You can calculate the renter fraction in Anchorage Municipality in at least two ways: by housing units or by population. I've gone with the housing units measure here. This measure looks at the number of renting households in Anchorage Municipality as a fraction of total Anchorage Municipality households. In 2019 38.96% of households were renters according to Census ACS data.

Anchorage Municipality Fraction of Renters by Household Units

2019 1 Year Change 3 Year Change
US 35.89% -0.16% -0.99%
Alaska 35.26% +0.91% -0.26%
Anchorage Municipality AK 38.96% +3.20% +0.07%

Trends in the Anchorage Municipality AK Renter Fraction

The Anchorage Municipality household renter fraction peaked in in 2014 at 41.58% and is now 2.62% below that level. From a recent low of 35.76% in 2018, the household based renter fraction has now grown by 3.20%. The origin year for the series is 2005.

Fraction of Renting Households: Anchorage Municipality AK, Alaska, US

Fraction of renters in Anchorage Municipality

History of Anchorage Municipality Renter Fraction

Date US Alaska Anchorage Municipality AK
2019 35.89% 35.26% 38.96%
2018 36.05% 34.35% 35.76%
2017 36.13% 36.45% 41.49%
2016 36.88% 35.52% 38.89%
2015 36.97% 36.08% 38.63%
2014 36.90% 37.51% 41.58%
2013 36.50% 36.55% 40.67%
2012 36.09% 36.65% 39.99%
2011 35.42% 36.92% 40.64%
2010 34.65% 36.06% 39.03%
2009 34.13% 34.77% 38.12%

more history ...

1. Gross rent is defined as contract rent plus the estimated average monthly cost of utilities (electricity, gas, water, and sewer) and fuel (oil, coal, kerosene, wood, etc.). Because some rentals include utilities and others don't, gross rent is a way of normalizing the variability.

2. Real dollars are calculated using the CPI-U less shelter series.

3. The rental vacancy rate is computed by dividing the number of vacant units for rent by the sum of the renter-occupied units, vacant units that are for rent, and vacant units that have been rented but not yet occupied.