Subarctic (dry summer)
North Lakes, Alaska
Matanuska-Susitna Borough, Alaska · Population 11k · 325 ft elevation
Living in North Lakes
North Lakes has a subarctic (dry summer) climate: cool summers (July highs around 67°F) and cold winters (January lows around 11°F).
Precipitation is dry at about 19″ a year, and it is a snowy place (62″ a season).
Skies are gray (45% of possible sunshine). It never gets truly muggy.
Air quality is excellent: a median AQI of 9, with about 2 unhealthy-air days in the latest year.
North Lakes is an outdoor hub: about 21% of the land within 30 miles is public (parks, national forest and the like), and the terrain rises and falls about 5,200 ft around town.
North Lakes at a glance
- Population
- 11k
- Elevation
- 325 ft
- Average daily high
- 45°F0th percentile
- Average daily low
- 30°F1th percentile
- Annual precipitation
- 19″13th percentile
- Annual snowfall
- 62″92th percentile
- Sunshine hours per year
- 2,107 hrs0th percentile
- Median AQI
- 90th percentile
- Median home value
- $339k64th percentile
- Median rent
- $1,459/mo66th percentile
- Median household income
- $103k75th percentile
- Property tax rate
- 1.11%57th percentile
- Top state income-tax rate
- 0.0%
- Sales tax (state + local)
- 1.8%
- Unemployment rate
- 7.2%
- Homes with broadband
- 94%69th percentile
- Walkability index
- 5.810th percentile
- Average commute
- 30 min
- Math proficiency (8th grade)
- 28%22th percentile
- Reading proficiency (8th grade)
- 41%
- Overall natural-hazard risk
- 9357th percentile
- Outdoor access
- 9493th percentile
- Public land within 10 miles
- 17%
- Public land within 30 miles
- 21%
- Mountain relief within 30 miles
- 5,184 ft
Climate by month
| Month | High | Low | Precipitation | Snow | Sunshine |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 24°F | 11°F | 0.7″ | 10.9″ | 77 hrs |
| Feb | 29°F | 15°F | 0.9″ | 9.0″ | 100 hrs |
| Mar | 34°F | 19°F | 0.6″ | 8.7″ | 198 hrs |
| Apr | 47°F | 29°F | 0.4″ | 2.3″ | 251 hrs |
| May | 59°F | 38°F | 1.1″ | 0.3″ | 283 hrs |
| Jun | 64°F | 45°F | 1.8″ | — | 287 hrs |
| Jul | 67°F | 50°F | 2.6″ | — | 270 hrs |
| Aug | 64°F | 47°F | 3.4″ | — | 231 hrs |
| Sep | 55°F | 40°F | 2.9″ | 0.1″ | 168 hrs |
| Oct | 43°F | 29°F | 1.8″ | 4.4″ | 107 hrs |
| Nov | 30°F | 17°F | 1.1″ | 11.3″ | 74 hrs |
| Dec | 26°F | 14°F | 1.5″ | 15.0″ | 62 hrs |
Near North Lakes
- South Lakes, AK · 6.1k
- Gateway, AK · 6.7k
- Tanaina, AK · 9.7k
- Farm Loop, AK · 2.9k
- Wasilla, AK · 9.4k
- Palmer, AK · 6.1k
- Fishhook, AK · 5.5k
- Meadow Lakes, AK · 9k
Largest places in Alaska
- Anchorage, AK · 289k
- Fairbanks, AK · 32k
- Juneau, AK · 32k
- Badger, AK · 19k
- Knik-Fairview, AK · 19k
- College, AK · 12k
- Sitka, AK · 8.4k
- Ketchikan, AK · 8.2k
Sources: NOAA climate normals, NASA POWER, EPA air quality, U.S. Census Bureau, FEMA, FBI, EPA walkability and EDFacts. Methodology