Deering, Alaska — Trends and Changes

How has Deering, Alaska changed since 2009?

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The population has grown about 191 percent, from 78 to 227 people; the median household income has risen from $21,563 to $58,333 (not adjusted for inflation); the typical home has gone from $55,000 to $110,900. Figures come from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey 5-year releases, so each point is a rolling five-year estimate.

Relative Growth Since 2009
Each line starts at 100 in 2009; a line reaching 200 means that measure doubled. Exact values for each measure are in the charts and tables below. Source: ACS 5-year estimates.
At a Glance: Then and Now
Measure20092024Change
Population78227+191%
Median household income$21,563$58,333+171%
Median home value$55,000$110,900+102%
Median rent$390$675+73%
Median age39.0 yrs29.2 yrs-9.8 yrs
Average commute5.5 min9.9 min+4.4 min
College educated26.7%15.8%-10.9 points
Working from home0.0%0.0%+0.0 points
Poverty rate10.3%15.4%+5.1 points
Unemployment27.3%17.0%-10.3 points
Homeownership54.1%81.0%+26.9 points
Rent as share of income8.0%11.7%+3.7 points
Foreign-born residents0.7%1.8%+1.1 points
Broadband at home83.7%79.3%-4.4 points
Dollar figures are not adjusted for inflation. Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates.
Median Household Income

A typical household in Deering earned $21,563 a year in 2009. By 2024 that figure had climbed to $58,333, a change of +171 percent before inflation.

Year Income Alaska average
2009 $21,563 $64,363
2010 $33,750 $67,516
2011 $36,250 $69,983
2012 $37,250 $70,860
2013 $47,000 $71,339
2014 $51,250 $72,263
2015 $50,000 $72,684
2016 $43,750 $74,527
2017 $44,375 $75,897
2018 $41,667 $77,173
2019 $42,500 $77,934
2020 $40,000 $78,567
2021 $44,375 $81,687
2022 $49,375 $87,342
2023 $55,625 $90,539
2024 $58,333 $94,424
Median Home Value

The median home in Deering was worth $55,000 in 2009. Since then values have risen, and by 2024 the typical home was worth $110,900.

Year Home Value Alaska average
2009 $55,000 $219,557
2010 $57,500 $229,113
2011 $54,200 $234,839
2012 $75,000 $237,084
2013 $56,300 $241,205
2014 $65,000 $245,022
2015 $75,000 $248,350
2016 $63,800 $253,984
2017 $62,000 $260,239
2018 $67,000 $263,444
2019 $60,000 $268,967
2020 $65,000 $274,691
2021 $104,200 $282,133
2022 $108,800 $316,270
2023 $106,300 $331,130
2024 $110,900 $349,158
Population

Deering counted 78 residents in 2009 and 227 in 2024.

Year Residents
2009 78
2010 65
2011 68
2012 87
2013 97
2014 128
2015 144
2016 150
2017 152
2018 154
2019 143
2020 150
2021 163
2022 189
2023 205
2024 227
Median Gross Rent

Renters here paid a median of $390 a month in 2009 and $675 by 2024. Local incomes have grown faster than rents over that stretch.

Year Rent
2009 $390
2010 $669
2011 $738
2012 $950
2013 $850
2014 $817
2015 $900
2016 $1,125
2017 $1,208
2018 $1,188
2019 $1,083
2020 $1,000
2021 $1,000
2023 $625
2024 $675
College Degrees, Remote Work and Broadband

The share of adults holding a college degree went from 26.7% to 15.8%. Meanwhile remote work went from 0.0% of workers to 0.0%. Broadband reached 79.3% of households, from 83.7% in 2017.

Year College educated Working from home Broadband at home
2009 26.7%
2010 22.9%
2011 35%
2012 22.2%
2013 20.8%
2014 13.4%
2015 13.3%
2016 8.6% 3.6%
2017 12.2% 3.8% 83.7%
2018 10.6% 4.4% 77.3%
2019 8.1% 7.3% 79.4%
2020 7.8% 4.5% 77.8%
2021 8.1% 85.7%
2022 8.7% 77.8%
2023 14.6% 82.4%
2024 15.8% 79.3%
Percent of adults with a college degree; percent of workers who work from home; percent of households with a broadband subscription (tracked since 2017).
Median Age

The median resident of Deering was 39.0 years old in 2009. The town has been getting younger since: the median age reached 29.2 by 2024.

Year Median age
2009 39
2010 47.6
2011 32.7
2012 30.3
2013 30.8
2014 27.5
2015 28.4
2016 26.4
2017 27.3
2018 26.8
2019 26.1
2020 26
2021 27.5
2022 24.5
2023 28.1
2024 29.2
Average Commute (Minutes)

Getting to work took an average of 5.5 minutes in 2010; it now takes about 9.9 minutes.

Year Minutes
2010 5.5
2011 5.6
2012 8.8
2013 11.9
2014 14.9
2015 13.6
2016 12.3
2017 12
2018 12.6
2019 4.1
2020 4
2021 4.2
2022 5.1
2023 8.6
2024 9.9
Poverty and Unemployment

About 15.4% of residents live below the poverty line, up from 10.3% in 2009. Unemployment stands at 17.0%.

Year Poverty rate Unemployment
2009 10.3%
2011 14.7% 27.3%
2012 16.5% 26.8%
2013 13.5% 14.9%
2014 16.5% 23.2%
2015 14% 19.7%
2016 13.4% 15.2%
2017 13.2% 14.3%
2018 14.9% 19.3%
2019 14.7% 22.2%
2020 24% 20%
2021 17.2% 20.3%
2022 12.7% 23.2%
2023 18.5% 20.5%
2024 15.4% 17%
Income Inequality (Gini Index)

The Gini index measures income inequality: 0 would mean every household earns the same, 1 would mean a single household earns everything. Deering scores 0.43, up from 0.27 - incomes here have grown more unequal.

Year Gini index
2010 0.3
2011 0.3
2012 0.2
2013 0.3
2014 0.3
2015 0.3
2016 0.3
2017 0.3
2018 0.4
2019 0.4
2020 0.4
2021 0.4
2022 0.4
2023 0.4
2024 0.4
Housing: Ownership, Vacancy, Rent Burden

81.0% of occupied homes are owned by the people living in them, up from 54.1% in 2009. The typical renter puts 11.7% of household income toward rent. About 20.5% of housing units sit vacant, a level that usually signals seasonal or vacation homes.

Year Homeownership Rent as share of income Vacant units
2009 54.1% 8% 44.8%
2010 61.1% 16.9% 47.1%
2011 43.3% 17.5% 55.9%
2012 56.7% 26.7% 53.8%
2013 44.1% 21.3% 46.9%
2014 61.1% 19.4% 42.9%
2015 61.4% 17.5% 29%
2016 62.5% 23.8% 24.5%
2017 60.5% 27.5% 18.9%
2018 75% 28.8% 22.8%
2019 64.7% 45% 33.3%
2020 72.2% 50% 33.3%
2021 77.1% 50% 35.2%
2022 91.1% 31.8%
2023 78.4% 13.3% 27.1%
2024 81% 11.7% 20.5%
Who Lives Here

1.8% of residents were born outside the United States, compared with 0.7% in 2017. Residents identifying as something other than non-Hispanic white make up 95.6% of the town, up from 89.7% at the start of the period.

Year Foreign-born Nonwhite or Hispanic
2009 89.7%
2010 90.8%
2011 82.4%
2012 89.7%
2013 89.7%
2014 92.2%
2015 91%
2016 98.7%
2017 0.7% 98.7%
2018 0.6% 99.4%
2019 1.4% 99.3%
2020 0.7% 100%
2021 1.8% 98.8%
2022 0.5% 99.5%
2023 1.5% 95.6%
2024 1.8% 95.6%