County FMR · HUD FY2026

North Slope Borough Fair Market Rent

HUD's FY2026 Fair Market Rent for North Slope Borough, AK - 29% above the US average.

$1,239
1-bedroom FMR
$1,625
2-bedroom FMR
-10.0%
YoY change
+29%
vs US avg

The verdict

North Slope is the 9th most expensive of 30 counties in Alaska by 2-bedroom FMR; nationally it ranks #377 most expensive of 3,145 HUD counties; rent here has fallen 10.0% since FY 2025, a modest shift relative to most counties.

#377
most expensive of 3,145 US counties (2BR)
#9
most expensive of 30 in Alaska (2BR)
+4%
vs the state average
$49,560
income to afford it (30% rule)

General and Operations Managers spend the smallest share of income on rent here (12.3%), while Teaching Assistants, Except Postsecondary spend the most (48.7%); nearby Alaska counties range as much as 72% apart in 1-bedroom FMR, so the county line itself can matter for renters comparing options.

FY 2026 HUD Fair Market Rent for North Slope Borough, AK. Verify with HUD →

North Slope Borough, Alaska carries an FY 2026 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent of $1,239 per month, the federal benchmark HUD publishes for this county. A 2-bedroom costs $1,625/mo and a studio is $1,115/mo. That's 29% above the national benchmark of $959 and 4% above the Alaska average of $1,194.

Rent decreased10.0% from FY 2025 ($1,376), declining against the trend. A household needs about $49,560/year to stay under the 30% rent-to-income line.

Observed renter burden: 20.2% of the 1,113 renter households counted by ACS paid at least 30% of income in gross rent. This ACS 2023 household measure is distinct from HUD's FY2026 Fair Market Rent benchmark above.

FY 2026 HUD Fair Market Rents in Alaska. Population: 10,924. Population grew 11.2% over the past five years (Census ACS) - among the faster-growing counties nationally, a trend that typically adds upward pressure on rents. That's faster than Alaska's statewide growth of -0.6% over the same period.

FMR filing desk

Area NORTH·SLOPE·BOROUGH·AK·AK

North Slope Borough, AK: $1,239/mo 1BR · #377 of 3145 counties (2BR) · FY2026

  • FMR-AREA AK
  • 1BR-FMR $1,239
  • 2BR-FMR $1,625
  • RANK-MID #377
  • YOY-DOWN -10.0%
  • VSUS-HIGH +29%
  • VS-ST-NEAR +4% AK
  • INC-ROOM 17%
  • POP-SMALL 11K
  • PHOTO-FINISH Anchorage Municipa
  • VOUCH-90-110 $1,115–$1,363
  • FY-2026 FY2026

Photo-finish peer: Anchorage Municipality ($4 1BR gap)

Read with: Understanding rent burden

Fair Market Rents (2026)

Studio
State avg: $1,061 · US avg: $893
$1,115/mo
↓ 9.9% YoY +5% vs state +25% vs US
1 Bedroom
State avg: $1,194 · US avg: $959
$1,239/mo
↓ 10.0% YoY +4% vs state +29% vs US
2 Bedroom
State avg: $1,467 · US avg: $1,175
$1,625/mo
↓ 10.0% YoY +11% vs state +38% vs US
3 Bedroom
State avg: $1,941 · US avg: $1,525
$1,958/mo
↓ 10.0% YoY +1% vs state +28% vs US
4 Bedroom
State avg: $2,304 · US avg: $1,756
$2,664/mo
↑ 11.3% YoY +16% vs state +52% vs US

Year-over-Year Comparison

Bedrooms FY 2025 FY 2026 Change
Studio $1,238
$1,115
$-123 (-9.9%)
1 Bedroom $1,376
$1,239
$-137 (-10.0%)
2 Bedroom $1,805
$1,625
$-180 (-10.0%)
3 Bedroom $2,175
$1,958
$-217 (-10.0%)
4 Bedroom $2,393
$2,664
+$271 (+11.3%)

Rent Burden Analysis

How much of household income goes to rent in North Slope Borough. The 30% threshold indicates cost burden.

Studio
15.5%
Affordable
Need $44,600/yr for 30% rule
1 Bedroom
17.2%
Affordable
Need $49,560/yr for 30% rule
2 Bedroom
22.6%
Affordable
Need $65,000/yr for 30% rule
3 Bedroom
27.2%
Affordable
Need $78,320/yr for 30% rule
4 Bedroom
37%
Burdened
Need $106,560/yr for 30% rule
How we calculate this

Rent burden = (FMR × 12) ÷ county median household income. Required income = (FMR × 12) ÷ 0.3, the federal 30%-of-gross-income rule HUD uses to define cost burden. Median household income is from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey; FMR is from HUD's FY2026 release. See methodology.

0%100%National avg22%22.6%
North Slope Borough 2-bedroom rent burden
County median income: $86,313 · National avg burden: 21.7% ·View Alaska rent burden →

Where North Slope sits among every US county

2-bedroom Fair Market Rent vs. all 3,145 HUD counties

$1,625 Top 12% higher than 88% of 3,145 counties

$600–$800: 23 counties (1%). Below this entry. $800–$1,000: 1,406 counties (45%). Below this entry. $1,000–$1,200: 723 counties (23%). Below this entry. $1,200–$1,400: 417 counties (13%). Below this entry. $1,400–$1,600: 181 counties (6%). Below this entry. $1,600–$1,800: 172 counties (5%). This entry sits in this band. $1,800–$2,000: 108 counties (3%). Above this entry. $2,000–$2,200: 29 counties (1%). Above this entry. $2,200–$2,400: 40 counties (1%). Above this entry. $2,400–$2,600: 13 counties (0%). Above this entry. $2,600–$2,800: 9 counties (0%). Above this entry. $2,800–$3,000: 15 counties (0%). Above this entry. $3,000–$3,200: 3 counties (0%). Above this entry. $3,200–$3,400: 1 counties (0%). Above this entry. $3,400–$3,600: 1 counties (0%). Above this entry. $3,600–$3,800: 3 counties (0%). Above this entry. $3,800–$4,000: 0 counties (0%). Above this entry. $4,000–$4,200: 0 counties (0%). Above this entry. $4,200–$4,400: 1 counties (0%). Above this entry. This county $600 $4,400 every US county, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $0.2K-wide band; taller bars hold more counties. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, Fair Market Rents · FY2026

How North Slope compares on 1-bedroom rent

1-bedroom FMR vs other Alaska counties

1BR FMR / mo

What this shows North Slope is highlighted. Nearby Alaska counties by 1-bedroom FMR, highest to lowest: Bethel Census Area ($1,719), Juneau City and Borough ($1,340), Fairbanks North Star Borough ($1,277), Anchorage Municipality ($1,243), North Slope Borough (this county) ($1,239), Matanuska-Susitna Borough ($1,049), Kenai Peninsula Borough ($1,000).

Source U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) As of FY2026

Can Common Jobs Afford Rent Here?

Against a high local FMR of $1,239/mo, which of 15 common occupations still clear the 30% line using Alaska BLS wages?

Occupation AK Salary Rent Burden Verdict
General & Operations Managers $120,470 12.3% Affordable
Software Developers $119,600 12.4% Affordable
Registered Nurses $110,690 13.4% Affordable
Police & Sheriff's Patrol Officers $100,300 14.8% Affordable
Accountants & Auditors $81,950 18.1% Affordable
Electricians $81,860 18.2% Affordable
Elementary School Teachers $76,290 19.5% Affordable
Heavy & Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers $64,890 22.9% Affordable
Paralegals & Legal Assistants $61,120 24.3% Affordable
Pharmacy Technicians $50,440 29.5% Affordable
Customer Service Representatives $44,760 33.2% Stretched
Janitors & Cleaners $39,040 38.1% Stretched
Retail Salespersons $36,940 40.2% Stretched
Fast Food & Counter Workers $34,430 43.2% Stretched
Teaching Assistants $30,560 48.7% Stretched
Salaries: BLS OES (Alaska) median · 30% = affordable threshold · Try the salary calculator →

Rent Trends (2020–2026)

7-year Fair Market Rent history for North Slope Borough. Shows how HUD rental rates have changed over time.

Over the 6-year span HUD has tracked for North Slope (FY 2020-2026), the 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent has risen 4.1% overall, from $1,190 to $1,239. The path there hasn't been smooth: year-over-year moves have swung by as much as 13.6% (FY 2022), a volatility pattern that makes single-year comparisons a poor guide to the underlying trend.

$1,000$1,100$1,200$1,300$1,400$1,500 FY2020FY2021FY2022FY2023FY2024FY2025FY2026 $1,239
North Slope Borough 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent, FY2020–FY2026
Year Studio 1 BR 2 BR
FY 2026 ↓10.0% $1,115 $1,239 $1,625
FY 2025 ↓4.9% $1,238 $1,376 $1,805
FY 2024 ↑7.3% $1,288 $1,447 $1,901
FY 2023 ↑10.2% $1,188 $1,349 $1,776
FY 2022 ↑13.6% $1,074 $1,224 $1,611
FY 2021 ↓9.5% $1,070 $1,077 $1,419
FY 2020 $1,111 $1,190 $1,482
Total change (6yr): +4.1%
Annualized: +0.7%/yr
1 BR: $1,190 → $1,239

Where North Slope Borough Ranks in Alaska

North Slope Borough is not part of any federally-designated metropolitan or micropolitan statistical area -- an independent rental market not administratively tied to a larger urban core. By 2-bedroom FMR, it ranks #22 of 30 counties in Alaska. Nearest by rank: Petersburg Borough ($1,463), Chugach Census Area ($1,506), Nome Census Area ($1,533), Sitka City and Borough ($1,566), Ketchikan Gateway Borough ($1,625), North Slope Borough (this county) ($1,625), Anchorage Municipality ($1,631), Skagway Municipality ($1,644), Fairbanks North Star Borough ($1,676), Juneau City and Borough ($1,758), Northwest Arctic Borough ($1,930).

Petersburg Borough
2 BR: $1,463/mo
Chugach Census Area
2 BR: $1,506/mo
Nome Census Area
2 BR: $1,533/mo
Sitka City and Borough
2 BR: $1,566/mo
Ketchikan Gateway Borough
2 BR: $1,625/mo
North Slope Borough (this county)
2 BR: $1,625/mo
Anchorage Municipality
2 BR: $1,631/mo
Skagway Municipality
2 BR: $1,644/mo
Fairbanks North Star Borough
2 BR: $1,676/mo
Juneau City and Borough
2 BR: $1,758/mo
Northwest Arctic Borough
2 BR: $1,930/mo

Nationwide peers by 2BR FMR & rent burden

Two PlainRent-derived comparison paths for North Slope Borough, both outside Alaska so the link neighborhoods are not the same-state geography lattice above. Axes stay disjoint: burden peers exclude the FMR peer set.

Similar 2-bedroom FMR

Nearest HUD 2BR Fair Market Rents outside AK (FY2026).

Butte County
CA · 2 BR $1,625/mo
Berkshire County
MA · 2 BR $1,626/mo
Benton County
OR · 2 BR $1,622/mo
Lehigh County
PA · 2 BR $1,634/mo

Similar rent burden

Nearest 2BR FMR as a share of median household income (outside AK).

Texas County
OK · 22.6% of income · 2 BR $1,116/mo
Clarke County
MS · 22.6% of income · 2 BR $867/mo
Nash County
NC · 22.6% of income · 2 BR $1,143/mo
Ray County
MO · 22.6% of income · 2 BR $1,358/mo

Nearby Counties in Alaska

Largest counties by population in Alaska

Showing the 8 largest of 29 other counties in Alaska.

Anchorage Municipality
1 BR: $1,243/mo Pop: 290,674
Matanuska-Susitna Borough
1 BR: $1,049/mo Pop: 108,661
Fairbanks North Star Borough
1 BR: $1,277/mo Pop: 96,299
Kenai Peninsula Borough
1 BR: $1,000/mo Pop: 59,235
Juneau City and Borough
1 BR: $1,340/mo Pop: 32,108
Bethel Census Area
1 BR: $1,719/mo Pop: 18,538
Ketchikan Gateway Borough
1 BR: $1,238/mo Pop: 13,910
Kodiak Island Borough
1 BR: $1,581/mo Pop: 13,065
View all counties in Alaska →

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the average rent in North Slope Borough? ▼
The FY 2026 Fair Market Rent for a 1-bedroom in North Slope Borough is $1,239 per month. A 2-bedroom is $1,625 and a studio is $1,115.
How does North Slope Borough rent compare to the national average? ▼
Rent in North Slope Borough is 29% above the national average. A 1-bedroom here costs $1,239 compared to $959 nationally.
Where does North Slope Borough rank nationally for Fair Market Rent? ▼
According to HUD's FY 2026 Fair Market Rent schedule, North Slope Borough's 2-bedroom FMR of $1,625 ranks #377 most expensive among 3,145 HUD counties, placing it in the upper-rent quarter of HUD counties.
What income do I need to afford rent in North Slope Borough? ▼
Based on the 30% affordability rule, you need an annual income of at least $49,560 ($4,130/month) to afford a 1-bedroom at Fair Market Rent in North Slope Borough.
Is rent going up or down in North Slope Borough? ▼
The 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent in North Slope Borough decreased by 10.0% from FY 2025 to FY 2026, going from $1,376 to $1,239.
Which jobs can afford rent in North Slope Borough? ▼
Based on Alaska BLS salary data and the 30% affordability rule, jobs like General and Operations Managers, Software Developers, Registered Nurses can afford a 1-bedroom at $1,239/mo. 10 of 15 common occupations are affordable here.
How much has rent changed in North Slope Borough over time? ▼
The 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent in North Slope Borough went from $1,190 in FY 2020 to $1,239 in FY 2026, a total change of +4.1% over 6 years.
How does Fair Market Rent affect Section 8 vouchers in North Slope Borough? ▼
In North Slope Borough, the FY 2026 FMR of $1,239/mo for a 1-bedroom sets the baseline that local housing authorities use for Section 8 payment standards.
What does Fair Market Rent mean for North Slope Borough? ▼
For North Slope Borough, it's the specific 40th-percentile rent HUD publishes each year ($1,239/mo for a 1-bedroom in FY 2026).

Disclaimer: This information is provided for informational purposes only and does not constitute professional advice. Data is sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau and HUD Fair Market Rents. Consult a qualified professional before making decisions based on this data.

All federal data sources used on this page
  • HUD Fair Market Rents (FMR) - county-level fair-market rent estimates by bedroom count. huduser.gov/datasets/fmr
  • HUD Income Limits - area median income for affordability calculations. huduser.gov/datasets/il
  • HUD Comprehensive Housing Affordability Strategy (CHAS) - rent burden and housing-cost distribution. huduser.gov/datasets/cp
  • U.S. Census Bureau ACS - county and metro housing characteristics + median rent. census.gov/programs-surveys/acs
  • BLS Consumer Price Index, Rent of Primary Residence - rent inflation by metro. bls.gov/cpi
  • IRS Migration Data (SOI) - interstate migration aggregates affecting county demand. irs.gov/statistics/migration
  • BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics - state-level median wages by occupation, used for job affordability analysis. bls.gov/oes

Every figure on PlainRent is rendered directly from HUD's published Fair Market Rent records, no number is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of FY 2026.