Alaska · 11 places of 5,000+

Fastest-growing cities in Alaska, 2020 to 2024

Short answer

Wasilla is the fastest-growing city of 5,000+ in Alaska, +13.2% from 2020 to 2024. Palmer (+11.6%) is second.
Fastest
+13.2%
Growing
5
Shrinking
6

The 11 fastest-growing

Wasilla grew fastest, from 9,115 in July 2020 to 10,318 in July 2024, +13.2%. It is the 4th largest of the 11 places ranked. 5 places grew and 6 shrank or held flat; the median change was -0.4%.

By raw numbers the biggest gain was in Wasilla, +1,203 people. At the other end, Kodiak changed by -2.8%. Growth is measured between the July 2020 and July 2024 estimates for places with 5,000 or more residents in 2024, so fast growth from a small base can outrank larger absolute gains.

  1. 01Wasilla+13.2%
  2. 02Palmer+11.6%
  3. 03Homer+10.6%
  4. 04Kenai+4.4%
  5. 05Bethel+0.0%
  6. 06Anchorage-0.4%
  7. 07Sitka-0.9%
  8. 08Ketchikan-1.7%
  9. 09Juneau-2.0%
  10. 10Fairbanks-2.1%
  11. 11Kodiak-2.8%
Change in population, July 2020 to July 2024, places of 5,000+ in 2024.

Dots: the 11 places in the chart. Orange pin: Wasilla, ranked first.

All 11 places of 5,000+ ranked

#Place2024Since 2020County
1Wasilla10,318+13.2%Matanuska-Susitna
2Palmer6,626+11.6%Matanuska-Susitna
3Homer6,136+10.6%Kenai Peninsula
4Kenai7,770+4.4%Kenai Peninsula
5Bethel6,335+0.0%Bethel
6Anchorage289,600-0.4%Anchorage
7Sitka8,355-0.9%Sitka
8Ketchikan8,033-1.7%Ketchikan Gateway
9Juneau31,572-2.0%Juneau
10Fairbanks31,732-2.1%Fairbanks North Star
11Kodiak5,399-2.8%Kodiak Island
Census Vintage 2024 subcounty estimates. Counties from the SUMLEV 157 county parts.

Questions people ask

What is the fastest-growing city in Alaska?

Wasilla, up 13.2% from July 2020 to July 2024 among places of 5,000+, to 10,318 residents.

Which Alaska city added the most people?

Wasilla, which gained 1,203 residents from July 2020 to July 2024.

How many Alaska cities are shrinking?

6 of 11 places of 5,000+ had the same or fewer residents in July 2024 than in July 2020.

Why use places of 5,000 or more?

Small towns can swing by double-digit percentages from a few new homes, and Census estimates for them carry more uncertainty. The 5,000 floor keeps the ranking to places where a percentage means something.

Sources and data as of

Data as of: Census Vintage 2024 population estimates, 2024 Gazetteer land area and internal points, SAIPE 2023 median household income.

  1. 01Census Vintage 2024 subcounty population estimates
  2. 02Census 2024 Gazetteer, places

How every number is computed: methodology. Spotted a wrong figure? Report an error.