Jobs, pay and daily life in Homer, from official statistics with source and year on every table.
Click any dot to open that city: jobs, pay, rent, commute, county economy and climate. Dot size follows population; colours follow the state flag.
By AtiveSite · Published 07/11/2026 · Updated 07/11/2026 · Every figure is linked to its source below.
Homer is a city in Alaska with 5,877 residents. The median household earns $74,449 a year and the median rent is $1,238 a month, which is 20.0% of the median household income. We could not match it to a metropolitan area in the BLS wage tables, so metro pay data is not shown.
How Homer compares. Among the 30 largest places in Alaska, Homer is #22 by population, #3 for college degrees (#1 = most), #25 for household income (#1 = highest), #9 for rent (#1 = cheapest). Its county, Kenai Peninsula Borough, is #15 of 30 counties for average pay ($62,398).
Homer has 5,877 residents (ACS 2020–2024), about 0.8% of the population of Alaska. It covers 14 square miles of land, which works out to roughly 426 people per square mile. The median age is 40.0, 12% older than the state median (40.0 against 35.8).
The median gross rent is $1,238 a month (rent plus utilities), 13% below the state median ($1,238 against $1,419). Over a year that is 20.0% of the median household income. US housing guidance treats housing as affordable when it takes 30% of income or less, so the typical household is under that line. The median home value is $388,400, which is 5.2 times the median household income ($74,449); a ratio above 5 usually means buying is out of reach without savings or a second income. 66.0% of households own their home, about the same as the state average (66.0% against 66.8%).
In 2026M09 the unemployment rate of Kenai Peninsula Borough was 4.1%. 59.6% of residents aged 16 and over are in the labour force. The city lies in Kenai Peninsula Borough; its jobs, pay by industry and GDP are on the county page.
Among workers, 62.1% drive alone, 0.3% use public transit, 12.3% walk, 11.2% work from home. 3.0% of workers commute 45 minutes or more, 65% below the state average (3.0% against 8.4%).
40.1% of adults aged 25 and over hold a bachelor's degree or higher, 27% above the state share (40.1% against 31.7%). 4.3% of residents were born outside the United States, 44% below the state share (4.3% against 7.7%). The poverty rate is 11.8%, 16% above the state rate (11.8% against 10.1%).
The warmest month is Jul, averaging 53°F (11.5°C), and the coolest is Jan at 25°F (-3.8°C). About 1,627 mm (64 inches) of precipitation falls in a year; Sep is the wettest month (189 mm) and Jun the driest (86 mm). These values come from NASA satellite-based climatology on a grid of about 50 km, so they describe the wider area, not a weather station in the city.
Closest cities in this guide: Kalifornsky (57 miles, rent 13% higher); Soldotna (60 miles, rent 18% lower); Kenai (64 miles, rent 8% lower); Sterling (66 miles, similar rent). Rent differences are against Homer; use the Compare tab to put any two cities side by side.
Federal jobs in Alaska (324) →State guide: AlaskaCountry guideKenai Peninsula BoroughAlaska rankings
These links go to official sources and open in a new window. The first one is the government's or company's own site as listed in Wikidata (property "official website"); check it before relying on it.
There are 324 federal postings open in Alaska (USAJOBS, state level; we do not have a city filter for them). Private-sector jobs are not in this feed.
No metropolitan wage table is matched to this city. Employment shares of residents by industry (ACS):
| Industry ⇅ | Share of employed residents ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Education and health care | 28.3% |
| Retail trade | 11.9% |
| Transportation, warehousing, utilities | 9.7% |
| Arts, entertainment, accommodation, food | 9.1% |
| Construction | 8.5% |
| Professional, scientific, management, administrative | 6.2% |
| Other services | 6.2% |
| Public administration | 5.5% |
| Agriculture, forestry, fishing, mining | 4.6% |
| Finance, insurance, real estate | 3.8% |
| Manufacturing | 2.7% |
| Wholesale trade | 2.0% |
| Information | 1.6% |
Cities have no official GDP or payroll count of their own. These figures are for the county where Homer lies and cover the whole county, not only the city.
| County ⇅ | Population ⇅ | GDP (2024) ⇅ | GDP per resident ⇅ | Jobs (QCEW 2024) ⇅ | Employer sites ⇅ | Average annual pay ⇅ | Job change vs 2023 ⇅ | Unemployment rate ⇅ | Labour force ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kenai Peninsula Borough | 60,413 | $3,590 million | $59,429 | 21,474 | 2,368 | $62,398 | +1.9% | 4.1% | 28,608 |
| Industry ⇅ | Jobs ⇅ | Share of private jobs ⇅ | Average annual pay ⇅ | Concentration vs US (location quotient) ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Health care and social assistance | 3,223 | 19.7% | $67,533 | 1.05 |
| Retail trade | 2,903 | 17.8% | $37,926 | 1.35 |
| Accommodation and food services | 2,605 | 15.9% | $30,897 | 1.33 |
| Manufacturing | 1,227 | 7.5% | $77,066 | 0.70 |
| Construction | 1,016 | 6.2% | $68,266 | 0.90 |
| Transportation and warehousing | 1,014 | 6.2% | $55,796 | 1.12 |
| Mining, oil and gas | 880 | 5.4% | $137,363 | 10.83 |
| Other services (except public administration) | 812 | 5.0% | $44,817 | 1.26 |
| Professional and technical services | 527 | 3.2% | $79,857 | 0.35 |
| Administrative and waste services | 353 | 2.2% | $51,712 | 0.28 |
| Finance and insurance | 288 | 1.8% | $74,717 | 0.33 |
| Arts, entertainment, recreation | 285 | 1.7% | $28,957 | 0.79 |
| Wholesale trade | 222 | 1.4% | $86,996 | 0.26 |
| Real estate and rental | 216 | 1.3% | $69,840 | 0.65 |
| Utilities | 213 | 1.3% | $127,249 | 2.61 |
| Information | 191 | 1.2% | $60,664 | 0.47 |
| Educational services | 179 | 1.1% | $32,197 | 0.40 |
| Agriculture, forestry, fishing | 151 | 0.9% | $49,557 | 0.87 |
| Management of companies | 31 | 0.2% | $96,349 | 0.09 |
QCEW counts jobs covered by unemployment insurance; sectors with too few employers are withheld by BLS. Latest-month unemployment is preliminary.
| How residents get to work ⇅ | Share ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Drive alone | 62.1% |
| Public transit | 0.3% |
| Walk | 12.3% |
| Work from home | 11.2% |
| Commute of 45 minutes or more | 3.0% |
Shares are of workers aged 16 and over; they describe residents, wherever they work.
| Indicator ⇅ | Value ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Median household income | $74,449 |
| Income per person | $45,915 |
| Median gross rent per month | $1,238 |
| Yearly rent as share of median household income | 20.0% |
| Median home value | $388,400 |
| Homeowners | 66.0% |
| Poverty rate | 11.8% |
| Price level of the metro area (US = 100) | n/a |
| Metro median pay, all occupations | n/a |
Estimate for a wage earner: 2026 federal brackets and standard deduction (IRS), Social Security 6.2% up to $184,500, Medicare 1.45% (+0.9% above $200,000 single / $250,000 married), and a state rate you set. It ignores credits, pre-tax deductions, local taxes and benefits. Sources: IRS: tax year 2026 inflation adjustments · SSA wage base per Federal Register notice 2025-19763.
State tax: No state tax on wages.
| Indicator ⇅ | Value ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Median age | 40.0 |
| High school or higher (25+) | 95.7% |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (25+) | 40.1% |
| Born abroad | 4.3% |
| Labour force participation (16+) | 59.6% |
Work permits are federal: see permits and first steps.
| Month ⇅ | Mean temperature (°C) ⇅ | Mean temperature (°F) ⇅ | Precipitation (mm) ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | -3.8 | 25 | 150 |
| Feb | -2.9 | 27 | 130 |
| Mar | -3.0 | 27 | 94 |
| Apr | 1.0 | 34 | 108 |
| May | 5.2 | 41 | 89 |
| Jun | 9.0 | 48 | 86 |
| Jul | 11.5 | 53 | 110 |
| Aug | 11.4 | 53 | 143 |
| Sep | 8.2 | 47 | 189 |
| Oct | 3.7 | 39 | 186 |
| Nov | -1.3 | 30 | 163 |
| Dec | -2.8 | 27 | 179 |
Satellite-reanalysis climatology on a grid of roughly 50 km, so it smooths local effects (hills, coast, city heat). It is not a weather-station record.
| City ⇅ | State ⇅ | Distance (straight line) ⇅ | Population ⇅ | Median household income ⇅ | Median rent ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kalifornsky | AK | 57 mi | 8,663 | $93,508 | $1,394 |
| Soldotna | AK | 60 mi | 4,485 | $56,280 | $1,020 |
| Kenai | AK | 64 mi | 7,641 | $87,083 | $1,138 |
| Sterling | AK | 66 mi | 6,323 | $102,415 | $1,248 |
| Nikiski | AK | 75 mi | 4,773 | $65,863 | $996 |
| Anchorage | AK | 130 mi | 288,976 | $103,284 | $1,489 |
| Kodiak | AK | 132 mi | 5,447 | $90,292 | $1,571 |
| Knik-Fairview | AK | 144 mi | 19,972 | $96,437 | $1,588 |
| Wasilla | AK | 151 mi | 9,720 | $67,234 | $1,153 |
| Meadow Lakes | AK | 152 mi | 8,689 | $81,699 | $1,377 |
Straight-line distance in miles, not driving distance.
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vs
5,877 (Census Bureau ACS 2020–2024 5-year estimate).
$1,238 a month (ACS 2020–2024), which is 20.0% of the median household income.
$74,449 (ACS 2020–2024, in 2024 dollars).
4.1% (BLS county, Kenai Peninsula Borough (latest month 2026M09)).
Alaska. See the state guide for minimum wage, taxes and pay.