Total monthly cost of ownership
Cost to Own a Home in Kotzebue, Alaska
A $265,000 home here costs
$1,991per month, all in, with 20% down at today's 7.24% 30-year fixed rate. By the 28% rule that takes a household income of about $85,500 a year.
A standard mortgage calculator would have told you $1,445. The real number is $546 higher every month, 38% more than the payment most buyers budget for.
Compare Northwest Arctic Borough with anywhere in America · full county breakdown
Small-place caveat: the Census publishes these figures for Kotzebue from a five-year rolling sample, and with about 3,046 residents that sample is small. The median home value here carries a much wider margin of error than a big-city figure does, so treat it as indicative rather than exact. The Northwest Arctic Borough figures are drawn from a far larger sample if you want a steadier number.
Where every dollar goes
Only the first line is a mortgage payment. Change any assumption above and every figure below recalculates.
Kotzebue against Northwest Arctic Borough and Alaska
| Measure | Kotzebue | Northwest Arctic Borough |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $264,500 | $162,500 |
| Median property tax | $199 | $199 |
| Effective tax rate | 0.075% | 0.122% |
| Median gross rent | $1,610 | $1,336 |
| Population | 3,046 | 7,611 |
The weather behind that power bill
Kotzebue sits in Northwest Arctic Borough, which averages a high of 60.1°F in its hottest month and a low of -8.4°F in its coldest, with 11.36" of precipitation a year and 45% of it in a single three-month stretch. That climate drives 5 cooling and 14,907 heating degree days, which is what sets the $170 electricity line above.
See the full climate breakdown for Northwest Arctic Borough , month by month temperatures, rainy season timing, snowfall and heating and cooling costs.
Other cities in Northwest Arctic Borough
No other places of this size are published in Northwest Arctic Borough.
Full Northwest Arctic Borough cost breakdown · Every county in Alaska
Talk to someone who works this market
These are Kotzebue averages. What one specific house costs to own, or what it would sell for today, depends on the street and the condition of the place. We will connect you with one licensed local agent who works Kotzebue every week. Free, no obligation, and we never sell your details to a list.
I'm looking to buy in Kotzebue I already own here and may sell
Common questions
How much does it cost to own a home in Kotzebue?
A $265,000 home in Kotzebue, Alaska costs approximately $1,991 per month with 20% down at 7.24%. That is $1,445 principal and interest, $17 property tax, $71 homeowners insurance, $238 utilities and $221 set aside for maintenance.
What is the property tax rate in Kotzebue?
Kotzebue has an effective property tax rate of 0.075%, based on a median home value of $264,500 and median real estate taxes of $199. That is lower than the Northwest Arctic Borough average of 0.122%.
What is the average home price in Kotzebue?
The median owner-occupied home value in Kotzebue, Alaska is $264,500, against $162,500 across Northwest Arctic Borough.
Is it cheaper to rent or buy in Kotzebue?
Median gross rent in Kotzebue is $1,610 a month, against $1,991 to own the median home all in. Renting costs less month to month here, though renting builds no equity.
What salary do you need to buy a home in Kotzebue?
Using the standard 28% rule, housing costs at no more than 28% of gross income, buying the median home in Kotzebue, Alaska at today's rate takes a household income of roughly $85,500 a year. That covers the full $1,991 monthly cost, not just the mortgage payment.
Sources & methodology
- Median home value, real estate taxes, gross rent and population for Kotzebue, US Census Bureau, American Community Survey ACS 2023 5-Year, place-level tables.
- Homeowners insurance, NAIC average premium for Alaska.
- Electricity price, EIA Electric Power Monthly Table 5.6.A.
- Mortgage rate, Freddie Mac PMMS, refreshed weekly.
- Maintenance (1%/yr) and water and sewer ($68/mo) are national estimates. Every assumption above is editable.