Jobs, pay and daily life in Unalaska, 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.
Unalaska is a city in Alaska with 4,556 residents. The median household earns $131,964 a year and the median rent is $2,034 a month, which is 18.5% 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 Unalaska compares. Among the 30 largest places in Alaska, Unalaska is #28 by population, #30 for rent (#1 = cheapest), #30 for homeownership (#1 = highest), #1 for long commutes (#1 = fewest). Its county, Aleutians West Census Area, is #4 of 30 counties for average pay ($83,204).
Unalaska has 4,556 residents (ACS 2020–2024), about 0.6% of the population of Alaska. It covers 102 square miles of land, which works out to roughly 45 people per square mile. The median age is 40.4, 13% older than the state median (40.4 against 35.8).
The median gross rent is $2,034 a month (rent plus utilities), 43% above the state median ($2,034 against $1,419). Over a year that is 18.5% 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 $462,400, which is 3.5 times the median household income ($131,964); a ratio under 4 usually means ownership is within reach for many households. 30.1% of households own their home, 55% below the state average (30.1% against 66.8%). A low ownership share points to a rental-heavy market with more apartments and shorter stays.
In 2026M09 the unemployment rate of Aleutians West Census Area was 2.3%. 88.5% of residents aged 16 and over are in the labour force. The city lies in Aleutians West Census Area; its jobs, pay by industry and GDP are on the county page.
Among workers, 43.8% drive alone, 0.0% use public transit, 36.6% walk, 8.3% work from home. 0.1% of workers commute 45 minutes or more, 99% below the state average (0.1% against 8.4%).
17.9% of adults aged 25 and over hold a bachelor's degree or higher, 43% below the state share (17.9% against 31.7%). 49.3% of residents were born outside the United States, 539% above the state share (49.3% against 7.7%). The poverty rate is 9.6%, 5% below the state rate (9.6% against 10.1%).
The warmest month is Aug, averaging 50°F (10.2°C), and the coolest is Mar at 33°F (0.6°C). About 1,312 mm (52 inches) of precipitation falls in a year; Dec is the wettest month (168 mm) and Mar the driest (80 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: Bethel (507 miles, rent 18% lower); Kodiak (608 miles, rent 23% lower); Homer (691 miles, rent 39% lower); Kalifornsky (727 miles, rent 31% lower). Rent differences are against Unalaska; use the Compare tab to put any two cities side by side.
Federal jobs in Alaska (324) →State guide: AlaskaCountry guideAleutians West Census AreaAlaska 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 ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Manufacturing | 38.3% |
| Transportation, warehousing, utilities | 17.2% |
| Public administration | 9.2% |
| Wholesale trade | 8.9% |
| Finance, insurance, real estate | 7.0% |
| Retail trade | 6.8% |
| Education and health care | 3.3% |
| Agriculture, forestry, fishing, mining | 2.3% |
| Other services | 2.0% |
| Arts, entertainment, accommodation, food | 1.7% |
| Professional, scientific, management, administrative | 1.4% |
| Construction | 1.0% |
| Information | 0.8% |
Cities have no official GDP or payroll count of their own. These figures are for the county where Unalaska 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 ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aleutians West Census Area | 5,235 | $1,346 million | $257,133 | 3,267 | 158 | $83,204 | +2.9% | 2.3% | 3,922 |
| Industry ⇅ | Jobs ⇅ | Share of private jobs ⇅ | Average annual pay ⇅ | Concentration vs US (location quotient) ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Manufacturing | 1,823 | 70.3% | $81,564 | 6.79 |
| Transportation and warehousing | 434 | 16.7% | $117,854 | 3.14 |
| Retail trade | 129 | 5.0% | $43,799 | 0.40 |
| Health care and social assistance | 93 | 3.6% | $83,036 | 0.20 |
| Construction | 33 | 1.3% | $101,002 | 0.19 |
| Other services (except public administration) | 32 | 1.2% | $85,553 | 0.33 |
| Information | 26 | 1.0% | $91,812 | 0.42 |
| Administrative and waste services | 22 | 0.8% | $53,859 | 0.11 |
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 | 43.8% |
| Public transit | 0.0% |
| Walk | 36.6% |
| Work from home | 8.3% |
| Commute of 45 minutes or more | 0.1% |
Shares are of workers aged 16 and over; they describe residents, wherever they work.
| Indicator ⇅ | Value ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Median household income | $131,964 |
| Income per person | $57,609 |
| Median gross rent per month | $2,034 |
| Yearly rent as share of median household income | 18.5% |
| Median home value | $462,400 |
| Homeowners | 30.1% |
| Poverty rate | 9.6% |
| 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 | 40.4 |
| High school or higher (25+) | 89.9% |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (25+) | 17.9% |
| Born abroad | 49.3% |
| Labour force participation (16+) | 88.5% |
Work permits are federal: see permits and first steps.
| Month ⇅ | Mean temperature (°C) ⇅ | Mean temperature (°F) ⇅ | Precipitation (mm) ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 0.8 | 33 | 120 |
| Feb | 1.1 | 34 | 108 |
| Mar | 0.6 | 33 | 80 |
| Apr | 2.1 | 36 | 81 |
| May | 4.2 | 40 | 100 |
| Jun | 7.0 | 45 | 93 |
| Jul | 9.2 | 49 | 93 |
| Aug | 10.2 | 50 | 94 |
| Sep | 8.7 | 48 | 117 |
| Oct | 6.0 | 43 | 140 |
| Nov | 3.5 | 38 | 118 |
| Dec | 1.8 | 35 | 168 |
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 ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bethel | AK | 507 mi | 6,312 | $117,255 | $1,678 |
| Kodiak | AK | 608 mi | 5,447 | $90,292 | $1,571 |
| Homer | AK | 691 mi | 5,877 | $74,449 | $1,238 |
| Kalifornsky | AK | 727 mi | 8,663 | $93,508 | $1,394 |
| Kenai | AK | 731 mi | 7,641 | $87,083 | $1,138 |
| Soldotna | AK | 733 mi | 4,485 | $56,280 | $1,020 |
| Nikiski | AK | 737 mi | 4,773 | $65,863 | $996 |
| Sterling | AK | 742 mi | 6,323 | $102,415 | $1,248 |
| Anchorage | AK | 809 mi | 288,976 | $103,284 | $1,489 |
| Knik-Fairview | AK | 811 mi | 19,972 | $96,437 | $1,588 |
Straight-line distance in miles, not driving distance.
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vs
4,556 (Census Bureau ACS 2020–2024 5-year estimate).
$2,034 a month (ACS 2020–2024), which is 18.5% of the median household income.
$131,964 (ACS 2020–2024, in 2024 dollars).
2.3% (BLS county, Aleutians West Census Area (latest month 2026M09)).
Alaska. See the state guide for minimum wage, taxes and pay.