Nome, Alaska Population, Hospitals, Airports, and Schools

Nome, Alaska is a small city of approximately 3,800 people located on the southwestern coast of the Seward Peninsula. It lies within the boundaries of the Nome Census Area, part of the Unorganized Borough in Alaska. Geographically, it is situated on a small spit of land surrounded by water on three sides and connected to mainland Alaska via a narrow causeway. The climate in Nome is generally cool and dry with average temperatures ranging from -10°F in winter to 50°F in summer.

The history of Nome dates back to 1900 when gold was discovered in Anvil Creek. This sparked a gold rush that drew thousands of prospectors to the area for several years. During this time, Nome was officially incorporated as an independent city in 1901 and quickly grew into a bustling metropolis with over 20,000 residents. By 1913, however, much of the gold had been extracted and many people had moved away leaving only around 4,000 citizens living in Nome by 1920.

In modern times, politics in Nome are overseen by an elected City Council that holds regular public meetings throughout the year. The economy is mostly supported by fishing and tourism since there are no major industry employers located within city limits. Schools include K-12 institutions such as both public and private schools as well as post-secondary institutions like Alaska Vocational Technical Center (AVTEC).

When visiting Nome, tourists can find plenty of interesting landmarks to explore such as Anvil Mountain where gold was discovered over 100 years ago or visit one of several public parks including Fish Creek Park or Dorothy G. Page Museum which features artifacts from local Native cultures. There’s also an annual Arctic Man race where participants ski down slopes before transitioning onto snowmobiles for a wild ride across frozen tundra!

Population: 3,505. Estimated population in July 2024: 3,590 (+2.4% change)
Males: 1,876 (53.5%), Females: 1,629 (46.5%)

Zip code: 99762

Demographics

Median resident age: 32.4 years
Median household income: $59,402
Median house value: $110,600

Population by Race

Races in Nome:

• American Indian (58.7%)
• White Non-Hispanic (37.3%)
• Two or more races (8.2%)
• Hispanic (2.1%)
• Black (0.9%)
• Vietnamese (0.8%)

Ancestries: German (8.3%), English (6.0%), Irish (5.1%), Norwegian (4.5%), Swedish (3.0%), United States (2.7%).

Land area: 12.5 square miles

Population by Education

Nome, Alaska is an isolated city located in the western part of the Seward Peninsula. The population of Nome is estimated to be 3,788 people as of 2019. This population consists of a diverse mix of ethnicities including Native Alaskans, White Americans, Filipino Americans and African Americans. The majority of the population is Native Alaskan with about 68% identifying as such. White Americans make up about 28% of the population followed by Filipino Americans at 2%, and African American at 1%.

The median age for Nome is 32 years old with a slightly higher percentage (53%) of males to females (47%). Of those living in Nome, 33% are either married or living with a partner, while 67% live alone or with family members. The average household size is estimated at 2.6 people per household and the average family size is 3.2 people per family.

Education wise, 98% of residents have obtained a high school diploma or higher and 19% have obtained a Bachelor’s degree or higher level of education. Most residents are employed in trade, transportation and utilities (32%), followed by government (14%) and retail trade (13%). The median income for households was estimated at $60,898 in 2018 which was slightly above the state median income level for Alaska ($59,936).

For population 25 years and over in Nome

• High school or higher: 80.1%
• Bachelor’s degree or higher: 20.3%
• Graduate or professional degree: 5.8%
• Unemployed: 11.0%
• Mean travel time to work: 7.0 minutes

For population 15 years and over in Nome city

• Never married: 36.0%
• Now married: 45.6%
• Separated: 2.4%
• Widowed: 6.4%
• Divorced: 9.7%

3.3% Foreign born (1.3% Asia, 1.0% Europe, 0.5% North America).

Population change in the 1990s: -5 (-0.1%).

Hospitals

Hospital/medical center in Nome:

• NORTON SOUND REGIONAL HOSPITAL (PO BOX 966, 5TH AND BERING)

Other hospitals/medical centers near Nome:

• MANILAQ HEALTH CENTER (about 255 miles; KOTZEBUE, AK)
• YUKON KUSKOKWIM DELTA REG HOSPITAL (about 354 miles; BETHEL, AK)
• BRISTOL BAY AREA HEALTH CORP (about 609 miles; DILLINGHAM, AK)

Airports

Airports certified for carrier operations nearest to Nome:

• NOME (about 3 miles; NOME, AK; Abbreviation: OME)
• RALPH WIEN MEMORIAL (about 255 miles; KOTZEBUE, AK; Abbreviation: OTZ)
• RED DOG (about 297 miles; RED DOG, AK; Abbreviation: AED)

Other public-use airports nearest to Nome:

• NOME CITY FIELD (about 2 miles; NOME, AK; Abbreviation: 94Z)
• BASIN CREEK (about 14 miles; BASIN CREEK, AK; Abbreviation: Z47)
• SALMON LAKE (about 39 miles; SALMON LAKE, AK; Abbreviation: Z81)

Colleges and Universities

Colleges/universities with over 2000 students nearest to Nome:

• UNIVERSITY OF ALASKA ANCHORAGE (about 1102 miles; ANCHORAGE, AK; Full-time enrollment: 9,453)
• UNIVERSITY OF ALASKA FAIRBANKS (about 1216 miles; FAIRBANKS, AK; Full-time enrollment: 5,034)
• BRIGHAM YOUNG UNIVERSITY-HAWAII CAMPUS (about 2990 miles; LAIE, HI; Full-time enrollment: 2,273)
• LEEWARD COMMUNITY COLLEGE (about 3006 miles; PEARL CITY, HI; Full-time enrollment: 3,511)
• HONOLULU COMMUNITY COLLEGE (about 3012 miles; HONOLULU, HI; Full-time enrollment: 2,787)
• HAWAII PACIFIC UNIVERSITY (about 3014 miles; HONOLULU, HI; Full-time enrollment: 6,186)
• UNIVERSITY OF HAWAII AT MANOA (about 3014 miles; HONOLULU, HI; Full-time enrollment: 14,113)

Schools

Public high school in Nome:

• NOME-BELTZ JR/SR HIGH (Students: 287; Location: MILE 3.5 NOME-TELLER HIGHWAY; Grades: 07 – 12)

Public primary/middle schools in Nome:

• NOME ELEMENTARY (Students: 389; Location: 6TH AVENUE/K STREET; Grades: PK – 06)
• ANVIL CITY SCIENCE ACADEMY (Students: 43; Location: MILE 3.5 NOME-TELLER HIGHWAY; Grades: 05 – 08)
• NOME YOUTH FACILITY (Students: 8; Location: 4TH AVENUE/K STREET; Grades: 06 – 12)
• NOME CORRESPONDENCE (Location: BOX 131; Grades: KG – 12)

Private primary/middle school in Nome:

• NOME ADVENTIST SCHOOL (Students: 29; Location: P.O. BOX 2069; Grades: 1 – 9)

Libraries

Library in Nome:

• KEGOAYAH KOZGA LIBRARY (Operating income: $178,482; Location: 200 FRONT STREET; 19,805 books; 2,900 audio materials; 1,090 video materials; 105 serial subscriptions)