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Buying a home in Big Lake, Alaska

The typical owner-occupied home in Big Lake is worth about $298,700, 15% below the Alaska median of $352,900 and 10% below the national median of $332,700. Owners pay a median $3,174 a year in property taxes, about 1.06% of their home's value, close to the Alaska rate of 1.11%. The median household earns $81,406 a year, so the median home costs 3.7 times the median income (3.8 times for Alaska). 82% of occupied homes here are lived in by their owners, and 58% of those owners still have a mortgage.

Big Lake at a glance

Big Lake Alaska U.S.
Median home value $298,700 $352,900 $332,700
Median property tax paid per year $3,174 $3,901 $3,119
Property tax as a share of value 1.06% 1.11% 0.94%
Median household income $81,406 $92,788 $80,734
Homes lived in by their owners 82% 67% 65%
Owner homes with a mortgage 58% 60% 61%
Median monthly costs, owners with a mortgage $1,728 $2,229 $1,963
Those costs as a share of the owners' income 20.7% 21.6% 21.0%
Median rent $1,235 $1,419 $1,413
Rent as a share of renters' income 33.0% 27.7% 30.6%
Median year homes were built 1993 1986 1980
Vacant homes 47.3% 17.6% 10.1%
Population 3,585 735,706 334,922,499

What a typical home costs per month in Big Lake

At this week's average 30-year rate of 7.11%, buying the median Big Lake home of $298,700 with 20% down costs about $1,996 a month, including property taxes and insurance. With an FHA loan and 3.5% down, it's about $2,493, because the loan is bigger and FHA adds mortgage insurance.

Lenders usually want housing costs under about 28% of gross income, which means an income of roughly $85,535 for the 20%-down payment. That payment is 29% of the median Big Lake household income of $81,406; at that income and 20% down, the 28% guideline points to a home of about $284,000.

The median rent here is $1,235 a month, so owning the median home costs about $761 a month more than renting, before you count the equity you build and any tax benefits.

20% down, 30-year conventional loan
Down payment$59,740
Loan amount$238,960
Principal and interest$1,608
Property taxes (1.06% a year)$264
Homeowners insurance (our estimate, 0.5% a year)$124
PMI$0
Total per month$1,996

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3.5% down, 30-year FHA loan
Down payment$10,454
Loan amount$293,290
Principal and interest$1,973
Property taxes (1.06% a year)$264
Homeowners insurance (our estimate, 0.5% a year)$124
FHA mortgage insurance$132
Total per month$2,493

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Questions about home buying in Big Lake

What is the median home value in Big Lake?

About $298,700 for owner-occupied homes, according to the Census Bureau's 2020–2024 American Community Survey.

How much are property taxes in Big Lake?

Homeowners pay a median $3,174 a year, which is about 1.06% of the median home value. Your bill depends on your home's assessed value and local rates.

What income do you need to buy a home in Big Lake?

For the median home with 20% down at 7.11%, the payment is about $1,996 a month. Keeping that under 28% of gross income takes about $85,535 a year.

More about Big Lake

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020–2024 5-year estimates; Freddie Mac Primary Mortgage Market Survey, week of November 12, 2026. Estimates for small places have wide margins of error. About our data