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Buying a home in Kotzebue, Alaska

The typical owner-occupied home in Kotzebue is worth about $288,400, 18% below the Alaska median of $352,900 and 13% below the national median of $332,700. Owners pay a median $199 a year in property taxes, about 0.07% of their home's value, lower than the Alaska rate of 1.11%. The median household earns $110,357 a year, so the median home costs 2.6 times the median income (3.8 times for Alaska). 48% of occupied homes here are lived in by their owners, and 38% of those owners still have a mortgage.

Kotzebue at a glance

Kotzebue Alaska U.S.
Median home value $288,400 $352,900 $332,700
Median property tax paid per year $199 $3,901 $3,119
Property tax as a share of value 0.07% 1.11% 0.94%
Median household income $110,357 $92,788 $80,734
Homes lived in by their owners 48% 67% 65%
Owner homes with a mortgage 38% 60% 61%
Median monthly costs, owners with a mortgage $2,164 $2,229 $1,963
Those costs as a share of the owners' income 15.3% 21.6% 21.0%
Median rent $1,565 $1,419 $1,413
Rent as a share of renters' income 17.0% 27.7% 30.6%
Median year homes were built 1985 1986 1980
Vacant homes 20.6% 17.6% 10.1%
Population 2,984 735,706 334,922,499

What a typical home costs per month in Kotzebue

At this week's average 30-year rate of 7.11%, buying the median Kotzebue home of $288,400 with 20% down costs about $1,689 a month, including property taxes and insurance. With an FHA loan and 3.5% down, it's about $2,170, 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 $72,388 for the 20%-down payment. That payment is 18% of the median Kotzebue household income of $110,357; at that income and 20% down, the 28% guideline points to a home of about $440,000.

The median rent here is $1,565 a month, so owning the median home costs about $124 a month more than renting, before you count the equity you build and any tax benefits.

20% down, 30-year conventional loan
Down payment$57,680
Loan amount$230,720
Principal and interest$1,552
Property taxes (0.07% a year)$17
Homeowners insurance (our estimate, 0.5% a year)$120
PMI$0
Total per month$1,689

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3.5% down, 30-year FHA loan
Down payment$10,094
Loan amount$283,176
Principal and interest$1,905
Property taxes (0.07% a year)$17
Homeowners insurance (our estimate, 0.5% a year)$120
FHA mortgage insurance$128
Total per month$2,170

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Questions about home buying in Kotzebue

What is the median home value in Kotzebue?

About $288,400 for owner-occupied homes, according to the Census Bureau's 2020–2024 American Community Survey.

How much are property taxes in Kotzebue?

Homeowners pay a median $199 a year, which is about 0.07% 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 Kotzebue?

For the median home with 20% down at 7.11%, the payment is about $1,689 a month. Keeping that under 28% of gross income takes about $72,388 a year.

More about Kotzebue

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