Palmer vs Wasilla
A side-by-side comparison of Palmer and Wasilla: population, income, housing, and more.
Palmer and Wasilla are places in Alaska. This page compares them across population, income, housing, education, commuting, and how each has changed since 2019.
Wasilla has the higher population (9,435 vs 6,141 in Palmer). Wasilla has the higher median household income ($70,756 vs $70,550 in Palmer). Wasilla has the higher median home value ($325,000 vs $275,900 in Palmer).
Population, income & housing
| Palmer | Wasilla | |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 6,141 | 9,435 |
| Median age | 32.9 yrs | 35.3 yrs |
| Median household income | $70,550 | $70,756 |
| Median home value | $275,900 | $325,000 |
| Median gross rent | $1,134 | $1,104 |
| Housing units | 2,516 | 4,299 |
| Homeownership rate | 62.4% | 52.1% |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 23.8% | 18.5% |
| Unemployment rate | 8.4% | 8.5% |
Trends (ACS 5-year, 2019–2023)
| Palmer | Wasilla | |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 7,131 → 6,141 (-13.9%) | 10,071 → 9,435 (-6.3%) |
| Median household income | $62,339 → $70,550 (+13.2%) | $63,587 → $70,756 (+11.3%) |
| Median home value | $207,200 → $275,900 (+33.2%) | $243,400 → $325,000 (+33.5%) |
| Median gross rent | $976 → $1,134 (+16.2%) | $1,083 → $1,104 (+1.9%) |
Palmer
7,1316,141
$62,339$70,550
$207,200$275,900
$976$1,134
Wasilla
10,0719,435
$63,587$70,756
$243,400$325,000
$1,083$1,104
Age & race/ethnicity
Age distribution (share)
| Palmer | Wasilla | |
|---|---|---|
| Under 5 | 6.8% | 6.3% |
| 5 to 17 | 16.0% | 17.6% |
| 18 to 24 | 13.3% | 8.0% |
| 25 to 34 | 17.4% | 17.6% |
| 35 to 44 | 11.9% | 13.2% |
| 45 to 54 | 10.1% | 9.1% |
| 55 to 64 | 9.3% | 10.6% |
| 65 to 74 | 8.8% | 10.6% |
| 75 and over | 6.3% | 7.1% |
Race & ethnicity (share)
| Palmer | Wasilla | |
|---|---|---|
| White (non-Hispanic) | 71.1% | 74.9% |
| Black or African American | 2.7% | 0.9% |
| American Indian & Alaska Native | 8.3% | 8.2% |
| Asian | 1.4% | 2.4% |
| Native Hawaiian & Pacific Islander | 1.9% | 0.0% |
| Some other race | 0.3% | 0.0% |
| Two or more races | 9.1% | 8.8% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 5.2% | 4.9% |
Educational attainment (age 25+)
Share of adults 25+
| Palmer | Wasilla | |
|---|---|---|
| No high school diploma | 6.9% | 4.6% |
| High school graduate | 36.5% | 40.6% |
| Some college or associate's | 32.8% | 36.2% |
| Bachelor's degree | 15.3% | 12.0% |
| Graduate or professional degree | 8.5% | 6.5% |
Commute to work
How workers get to work (share)
| Palmer | Wasilla | |
|---|---|---|
| Drove alone | 76.7% | 76.1% |
| Carpooled | 10.1% | 9.3% |
| Public transit | 0.4% | 1.0% |
| Walked | 3.7% | 1.7% |
| Bicycle | 0.3% | 0.2% |
| Worked from home | 6.2% | 5.9% |
| Other means | 2.6% | 5.9% |
Housing
Units in structure (share)
| Palmer | Wasilla | |
|---|---|---|
| 1-unit, detached | 65.4% | 50.5% |
| 1-unit, attached | 3.9% | 4.0% |
| 2 to 4 units | 7.6% | 25.2% |
| 5 to 19 units | 13.6% | 11.6% |
| 20 or more units | 8.4% | 7.6% |
| Mobile home & other | 1.1% | 1.2% |
Poverty & households
| Palmer | Wasilla | |
|---|---|---|
| Poverty rate | 11.0% | 15.1% |
| Average household size | 2.54 | 2.28 |
| Mean commute (minutes) | 26 | 30 |
| Median year structure built | 1989 | 1993 |
Full profiles
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