Is Copper Center, AK a Good Place to Live?
Copper Center is a small town of 329 in Alaska, with a median household income of $65,556 and a 17.1% unemployment rate. Its cost of living index is 96 (US average = 100), which is 4% below the national average.
Strengths: Copper Center stands out for an affordable cost of living, below-average home prices, short average commutes.
Trade-offs: Potential downsides include an elevated unemployment rate. Whether Copper Center is right for you depends on your priorities — the full breakdown is below.
All Copper Center city data on this page comes from official government sources — the US Census Bureau, FBI, NCES, BEA, and NOAA — updated annually.
Cost of Living
Index: 96.3Copper Center's overall cost of living index is 96.3, where 100 represents the US national average. Living in Copper Center costs roughly 4% less than the average American city.
| Metric | Copper Center, AK | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| Median Home Value | $151,600 | $244,900 |
| Median Monthly Rent | $913 | $1,163 |
| Homeownership Rate | 59.8% | 65.9% |
| Median Household Income | $65,556 | $74,755 |
Crime & Safety
Very SafeCopper Center's violent crime rate is 108.7 per 100,000 residents — 71% lower than the national average of ~380 per 100,000.
Vertical marker = national average. Source: FBI UCR Program.
Schools & Education
Copper Center is served primarily by Copper River School District. The student-to-teacher ratio is 17.3:1 (slightly above the national average of ~16:1).
| Metric | Copper Center, AK | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| School District | Copper River School District | — |
| Elementary Schools | 1 | — |
| Middle Schools | N/A | — |
| High Schools | 1 | — |
| Student/Teacher Ratio | 17.3:1 | 16:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 11.6% | 35.4% |
| High School Diploma or Higher | 89.4% | 91.1% |
Weather & Climate
Copper Center sees average highs of 4.1°F in January and 69.9°F in July, with 12.1 inches of annual precipitation and 71.8 inches of snow per year.
| Metric | Copper Center, AK |
|---|---|
| Average High — January | 4.1°F |
| Average High — July | 69.9°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 12.1" |
| Annual Snowfall | 71.8" |
Demographics
| Metric | Copper Center, AK | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 329 | — |
| Median Age | 35.1 | 38.9 |
| Unemployment Rate | 17.1% | 3.7% |
| Avg Commute Time | 14.2 min | 26 min |
| White (non-Hispanic) | 30.4% | 59.3% |
| Black or African American | 0.3% | 13.6% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 0.0% | 18.9% |
| Asian | 0.3% | 6.3% |
| Under 18 | 31.0% | 22.2% |
| 65 and over | 13.7% | 16.8% |