Moving to Barrow, Alaska

Barrow is located at 1,205 km north of Anchorage. North America’s northernmost settlement, Barrow lies on Alaska’s northern coast, overlooking the Arctic Ocean. Barrow has the country’s longest day and longest night -three months of darkness starting around 18 November. Most visitors take a quick day tour from Anchorage or Fairbanks allows them to say that they crossed the Arctic Circle.

Population: 4,581. Estimated population in July 2024: 4,218 (-7.9% change)
Males: 2,369 (51.7%), Females: 2,212 (48.3%)

Zip code: 99723

Demographics

Median resident age: 28.8 years
Median household income: $67,097
Median house value: $145,700

Population by Race

Races in Barrow:

• American Indian (64.0%)
• White Non-Hispanic (21.2%)
• Two or more races (8.5%)
• Filipino (7.0%)
• Hispanic (3.3%)
• Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander (1.4%)
• Other Asian (1.2%)
• Black (1.0%)
• Korean (0.8%)
• Other race (0.7%)

Ancestries: German (7.1%), Irish (4.3%), English (3.5%), United States (1.7%), Norwegian (1.6%), Scottish (1.3%).

Land area: 18.4 square miles

Population by Education

For population 25 years and over in Barrow

• High school or higher: 81.9%
• Bachelor’s degree or higher: 20.4%
• Graduate or professional degree: 6.7%
• Unemployed: 12.7%
• Mean travel time to work: 8.7 minutes

For population 15 years and over in Barrow city

• Never married: 40.0%
• Now married: 43.0%
• Separated: 2.6%
• Widowed: 3.7%
• Divorced: 10.7%

8.4% Foreign born (6.9% Asia).

Population change in the 1990s: +1,078 (+30.8%).

Hospitals

Hospital/medical center in Barrow:

• SAMUEL SIMMONDS MEMORIAL HOSPITAL (1296 AGVIK ST, BOX 29)

Other hospitals/medical centers near Barrow:

• MANILAQ HEALTH CENTER (about 506 miles; KOTZEBUE, AK)
• NORTON SOUND REGIONAL HOSPITAL (about 743 miles; NOME, AK)
• FAIRBANKS MEMORIAL HOSPITAL (about 766 miles; FAIRBANKS, AK)

Airports

Airports certified for carrier operations nearest to Barrow:

• WILEY POST-WILL ROGERS MEM (about 2 miles; BARROW, AK; Abbreviation: BRW)
• RED DOG (about 483 miles; RED DOG, AK; Abbreviation: AED)
• UGNU-KUPARUK (about 500 miles; KUPARUK, AK; Abbreviation: UBW)

Other public-use airports nearest to Barrow:

• ATQASUK EDWARD BURNELL SR MEMORIAL (about 75 miles; ATQASUK, AK; Abbreviation: ATK)
• WAINWRIGHT (about 230 miles; WAINWRIGHT, AK; Abbreviation: AWI)
• AMBLER (about 299 miles; AMBLER, AK; Abbreviation: AFM)

Colleges and Universities

College/University in Barrow:

• ILISAGVIK COLLEGE (Full-time enrollment: 136; Location: UIC/NARL; Public; Website: ilisagvik.co.north-slope.ak.us)

Colleges and Universities

Colleges/universities with over 2000 students nearest to Barrow:

• UNIVERSITY OF ALASKA FAIRBANKS (about 759 miles; FAIRBANKS, AK; Full-time enrollment: 5,034)
• UNIVERSITY OF ALASKA ANCHORAGE (about 843 miles; ANCHORAGE, AK; Full-time enrollment: 9,453)
• PENINSULA COLLEGE (about 2803 miles; PORT ANGELES, WA; Full-time enrollment: 2,374)
• WESTERN WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY (about 2831 miles; BELLINGHAM, WA; Full-time enrollment: 11,889)
• WHATCOM COMMUNITY COLLEGE (about 2834 miles; BELLINGHAM, WA; Full-time enrollment: 2,656)
• SKAGIT VALLEY COLLEGE (about 2851 miles; MT VERNON, WA; Full-time enrollment: 3,420)
• OLYMPIC COLLEGE (about 2868 miles; BREMERTON, WA; Full-time enrollment: 3,889)

Schools

Public high school in Barrow:

• BARROW HIGH SCHOOL (Students: 308; Location: 1684 OKPIK ST.; Grades: 09 – 12)

Public primary/middle schools in Barrow:

• FRED IPALOOK ELEMENTARY (Students: 598; Location: 2070 AHKOVAK ST.; Grades: PK – 05)
• EBEN HOPSON MIDDLE SCHOOL (Students: 271; Location: 6501 TRANSIT ST.; Grades: 06 – 08)

Private primary/middle school in Barrow:

• NORTH SLOPE MONTESSORI (Students: 18; Location: P O BOX 469; Grades: PK – 5)

Libraries

Library in Barrow:

• TUZZY CONSORTIUM LIBRARY (Operating income: $788,088; Location: 5421 NORTH STAR STREET; 40,967 books; 1,137 audio materials; 3,465 video materials; 117 serial subscriptions)