Is South Lakes, AK a Good Place to Live?
South Lakes is a small town of 6,414 in Alaska, with a median household income of $88,682 and a 7.5% unemployment rate. Its cost of living index is 104 (US average = 100), which is 4% above the national average.
Strengths: South Lakes's profile is close to national averages across most measures.
Trade-offs: Potential downsides include an elevated unemployment rate. Whether South Lakes is right for you depends on your priorities — the full breakdown is below.
All South Lakes 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: 104.5South Lakes's overall cost of living index is 104.5, where 100 represents the US national average. Living in South Lakes costs roughly 4% more than the average American city.
| Metric | South Lakes, AK | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| Median Home Value | $347,700 | $244,900 |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,183 | $1,163 |
| Homeownership Rate | 65.9% | 65.9% |
| Median Household Income | $88,682 | $74,755 |
Crime & Safety
Crime data for South Lakes is not currently available from the FBI's Uniform Crime Reporting program. Not all local agencies report to the UCR each year.
Schools & Education
| Metric | South Lakes, AK | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| School District | N/A | — |
| Elementary Schools | N/A | — |
| Middle Schools | N/A | — |
| High Schools | N/A | — |
| Student/Teacher Ratio | N/A | 16:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 21.9% | 35.4% |
| High School Diploma or Higher | 97.3% | 91.1% |
Weather & Climate
South Lakes sees average highs of 22.6°F in January and 67.9°F in July, with 14.4 inches of annual precipitation and 49.5 inches of snow per year.
| Metric | South Lakes, AK |
|---|---|
| Average High — January | 22.6°F |
| Average High — July | 67.9°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 14.4" |
| Annual Snowfall | 49.5" |
Demographics
| Metric | South Lakes, AK | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 6,414 | — |
| Median Age | 32.8 | 38.9 |
| Unemployment Rate | 7.5% | 3.7% |
| Avg Commute Time | 29.1 min | 26 min |
| White (non-Hispanic) | 83.2% | 59.3% |
| Black or African American | 1.3% | 13.6% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 3.3% | 18.9% |
| Asian | 1.1% | 6.3% |
| Under 18 | 25.7% | 22.2% |
| 65 and over | 11.2% | 16.8% |