Ketchikan Gateway Borough, Alaska

County Distress Index: Normal · 41.4 | 13,738 people · 10th most distressed in Alaska
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Ketchikan Gateway Borough, AK falls within the normal range for household financial distress at 41.4 — 2099th nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Housing Cost Burden, where a large share of households spend more than 30% of income on housing. Within Alaska, it ranks 10th of 30 counties. Its score is in the middle of its 2 neighboring counties.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Ketchikan Gateway Borough's primary driver is Housing Cost Burden at 80.8 — worse than roughly 81% of U.S. counties.

Housing Cost Burden Primary driver 80.8
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 84
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 80
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 75
Homeownership Rate 79
Economic Vitality 68.5
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 83
Rent-to-Income Ratio 60
Business Formation Rate 30
House Price Change (YoY) 95
Structural Poverty 28.7
Unemployment Rate 74
Poverty Rate 15
Income vs. State Median 26
Child Poverty Rate 17
Disability Rate 30
Transfer Income Dependency 21
Consumer Credit Distress 26.6
Debt in Collections 29
Medical Debt 32
Auto Loan Delinquency 5
Credit Card Delinquency 25
Uninsured Rate 61
Subprime Credit Population 26
Legal Distress 7.4
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 7

Scores are percentile-based: 50 = national median, higher = more distressed.

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Ketchikan Gateway Borough
Ketchikan Gateway Borough, AK 41.4 Normal —
Prince of Wales-Hyder Census Area, AK 44.7 Normal +3.3
Wrangell City and Borough, AK 31.6 Healthy -9.9

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Ketchikan Gateway Borough
Jackson County, WI 41.5 Normal +0.0
Muscatine County, IA 41.4 Normal -0.0
Montrose County, CO 41.5 Normal +0.0
Amador County, CA 41.5 Normal +0.1
Talbot County, MD 41.5 Normal +0.1

Download Data

Export all distress indicators for Ketchikan Gateway Borough as a CSV file.

Find Help in Ketchikan Gateway Borough

Find an Attorney

Alaska Bar Association Lawyer Referral Service offers a lawyer referral service for bankruptcy, foreclosure defense, and consumer rights.

Alaska Bar Association Lawyer Referral Service 907-272-7469

Free Legal Aid

Legal aid organizations serving Ketchikan Gateway Borough residents at no cost.

Alaska Legal Services Corporation (ALSC) 1-888-478-2572

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Frequently Asked Questions

  • What is the distress score for Ketchikan Gateway Borough, Alaska?

    Ketchikan Gateway Borough has a County Distress Index score of 41.4 out of 100, placing it in the Normal zone. It ranks 2,099th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 10th in Alaska out of 30 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Ketchikan Gateway Borough?

    The primary driver of distress in Ketchikan Gateway Borough is Housing Cost Burden, where the county scores 80.8 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Rent-Burdened (30%+), Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+), Mortgage-Burdened (30%+).

  • How does Ketchikan Gateway Borough compare to neighboring counties?

    Ketchikan Gateway Borough (41.4) can be compared to its 2 neighboring counties: Prince of Wales-Hyder Census Area, AK (44.7); Wrangell City and Borough, AK (31.6).

  • How is the County Distress Index calculated?

    The County Distress Index uses PCA-weighted percentile scoring across five statistically derived factors: Consumer Credit Distress (47.5%), Housing Cost Burden (22.3%), Structural Poverty (13.6%), Economic Vitality (9.2%), and Legal Distress (7.4%). Each county's indicators are ranked against all 3,144 U.S. counties. A score of 50 means the county is at the national median; higher scores indicate greater distress.

  • How often is the CDI updated?

    Annually, aligned to Census American Community Survey and Urban Institute Debt in America release windows — the slowest-moving source inputs. Between annual refreshes, faster-cadence indicators (BLS unemployment, QCEW wages) may drive light mid-year updates if a specific component moves meaningfully. Current data compiled April 14, 2026; next full refresh early 2027.

  • What does the Normal zone mean?

    The CDI divides counties into five zones: Healthy (below 46), Normal (46–55), Elevated (55–71), Serious (71–86), and Crisis (86 and above). Ketchikan Gateway Borough's score of 41.4 sits in the Normal zone (46–55).

  • What data sources power Ketchikan Gateway Borough's CDI score?

    Ketchikan Gateway Borough's CDI score draws on Urban Institute Debt in America (Equifax credit-bureau panel), U.S. Census Bureau (American Community Survey 5-year, Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates), Bureau of Labor Statistics (LAUS, QCEW), U.S. Courts Administrative Office (F-5A bankruptcy filings), and HUD Fair Market Rents. Every number on this page traces to one of these public sources.

  • What is the population of Ketchikan Gateway Borough?

    Ketchikan Gateway Borough, Alaska has a population of approximately 13,738 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.