Median Income
$77,850
household / year
Median Home Value
$271,000
owner-occupied
Median Rent
$1,125
gross / month
Cost of Living
101
national avg = 100

Is Seward, AK a Good Place to Live?

Seward is a small town of 2,768 in Alaska, with a median household income of $77,850 and a 4.8% unemployment rate. Its cost of living index is 101 (US average = 100), which is 1% above the national average.

Strengths: Seward stands out for lower-than-average crime, solid school ratings (B-), short average commutes.

Trade-offs: No major red flags stand out in the available data. Whether Seward is right for you depends on your priorities — the full breakdown is below.

All Seward 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: 100.8

Seward's overall cost of living index is 100.8, where 100 represents the US national average. Living in Seward costs roughly 1% more than the average American city.

Metric Seward, AK National Avg
Median Home Value $271,000 $244,900
Median Monthly Rent $1,125 $1,163
Homeownership Rate 65.1% 65.9%
Median Household Income $77,850 $74,755

Crime & Safety

Safer than Average

Seward's violent crime rate is 256.0 per 100,000 residents — 33% lower than the national average of ~380 per 100,000.

Violent Crime
256.0 /100k
Property Crime
1902.0 /100k

Vertical marker = national average. Source: FBI UCR Program.

Schools & Education

Seward is served primarily by Kenai Peninsula Borough School District. The student-to-teacher ratio is 16.6:1 (slightly above the national average of ~16:1).

Metric Seward, AK National Avg
School District Kenai Peninsula Borough School District —
Elementary Schools 17 —
Middle Schools 4 —
High Schools 9 —
Student/Teacher Ratio 16.6:1 16:1
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 31.0% 35.4%
High School Diploma or Higher 95.0% 91.1%

Weather & Climate

Seward sees average highs of 31.3°F in January and 62.2°F in July, with 69.7 inches of annual precipitation and 90.1 inches of snow per year.

MetricSeward, AK
Average High — January31.3°F
Average High — July62.2°F
Annual Precipitation69.7"
Annual Snowfall90.1"

Demographics

MetricSeward, AKNational Avg
Population2,768—
Median Age43.838.9
Unemployment Rate4.8%3.7%
Avg Commute Time9.5 min26 min
White (non-Hispanic)70.7%59.3%
Black or African American3.0%13.6%
Hispanic or Latino1.4%18.9%
Asian1.6%6.3%
Under 1820.7%22.2%
65 and over17.2%16.8%

Nearby Cities

Lowell Point, AK 5 mi Bear Creek, AK 6 mi Primrose, AK 15 mi Crown Point, AK 21 mi Moose Pass, AK 26 mi

Seward vs Other Cities

Seward, AK vs Lowell Point, AK Seward, AK vs Bear Creek, AK Seward, AK vs Primrose, AK Seward, AK vs Crown Point, AK Seward, AK vs Moose Pass, AK

Frequently Asked Questions

Seward's cost of living index is 101, where 100 is the national average. That puts Seward roughly 1% above the national average in cost. The median home price is $271,000 and median rent is $1,125/month.
Seward's violent crime rate is 256.0 per 100,000 residents — the national average is ~380 per 100,000. Property crime is 1902.0 per 100,000 (national avg ~2,100). Data from the FBI Uniform Crime Reporting Program.
Public schools in Seward are operated by Kenai Peninsula Borough School District. The district has 17 elementary, 4 middle, and 9 high schools. The student-to-teacher ratio is 16.6:1. 31.0% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Seward, AK has a population of 2,768, a median household income of $77,850, and an unemployment rate of 4.8%. Whether it's right for you depends on your priorities — use the compare tool above to stack it against another city you're considering.
Seward averages 31.3°F in January and 62.2°F in July. Annual rainfall is 69.7 inches with about 90.1 inches of snow per year. Based on NOAA 30-year climate normals (1991–2020).
The population of Seward, Alaska is 2,768 with a median age of 43.8. Source: US Census ACS 5-Year Estimates.
Key numbers for living in Seward: cost of living index 101 (100 = US average), median home $271,000, median household income $77,850, crime index 77 (100 = US average, lower is safer), schools rated B-. Whether these are benefits or drawbacks depends on where you're coming from — compare Seward side by side with your current city to see the trade-offs.