Subarctic (dry summer)
South Lakes, Alaska
Matanuska-Susitna Borough, Alaska · Population 6.1k · 325 ft elevation
Living in South Lakes
South Lakes has a subarctic (dry summer) climate: cool summers (July highs around 67°F) and bitterly cold winters (January lows around 6°F).
Precipitation is dry at about 14″ a year, and it gets a fair bit of snow (49″ 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.
South Lakes is an outdoor hub: about 22% 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.
South Lakes at a glance
- Population
- 6.1k
- Elevation
- 325 ft
- Average daily high
- 45°F0th percentile
- Average daily low
- 28°F0th percentile
- Annual precipitation
- 14″8th percentile
- Annual snowfall
- 49″87th percentile
- Sunshine hours per year
- 2,107 hrs0th percentile
- Median AQI
- 90th percentile
- Median home value
- $368k68th percentile
- Median rent
- $1,191/mo50th percentile
- Median household income
- $90k66th percentile
- Property tax rate
- 1.19%61th percentile
- Top state income-tax rate
- 0.0%
- Sales tax (state + local)
- 1.8%
- Unemployment rate
- 7.1%
- Homes with broadband
- 94%69th percentile
- Walkability index
- 7.431th 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
- 15%
- Public land within 30 miles
- 22%
- Mountain relief within 30 miles
- 5,151 ft
Climate by month
| Month | High | Low | Precipitation | Snow | Sunshine |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 22°F | 6°F | 0.8″ | 9.2″ | 77 hrs |
| Feb | 28°F | 11°F | 0.8″ | 9.0″ | 100 hrs |
| Mar | 34°F | 15°F | 0.5″ | 7.6″ | 198 hrs |
| Apr | 47°F | 28°F | 0.3″ | 1.4″ | 251 hrs |
| May | 59°F | 37°F | 0.7″ | 0.5″ | 283 hrs |
| Jun | 65°F | 46°F | 1.2″ | — | 287 hrs |
| Jul | 67°F | 50°F | 1.9″ | — | 270 hrs |
| Aug | 65°F | 47°F | 2.5″ | — | 231 hrs |
| Sep | 56°F | 39°F | 2.3″ | — | 168 hrs |
| Oct | 43°F | 27°F | 1.4″ | 3.8″ | 107 hrs |
| Nov | 29°F | 14°F | 0.8″ | 8.1″ | 75 hrs |
| Dec | 24°F | 9°F | 1.0″ | 9.9″ | 62 hrs |
Near South Lakes
- North Lakes, AK · 11k
- Gateway, AK · 6.7k
- Wasilla, AK · 9.4k
- Tanaina, AK · 9.7k
- Farm Loop, AK · 2.9k
- 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