ZIP Code 99686 — Valdez city, AK Demographics & Data

ZIP code 99686 covers Valdez, AK in Chugach Census Area with a population of about 3,935.

At a glance, the area shows median age of 39.3 (near the U.S. median).

It sits in telephone area code 907; U.S. House district AK-00.

Median household income in ZIP 99686 is about $97,212 — about 29% above the U.S. median ($75,149).

On socioeconomic markers, US5 shows a poverty rate of 5.2%; unemployment rate near 7.7%; 30.8% of adults with a bachelor’s degree or higher (about 2.9 points below the national share (33.7%)).

Labor and commute patterns include leading industry context around Healthcare, Public administration, and Transportation; about 3.5% of workers reporting work-from-home (about 11.7 points below the U.S. share (15.2%)); a mean commute of about 180.0 minutes (U.S. average near 26.8).

Median home value is about $310,900 — about 11% below the U.S. median home value ($348,079).

Housing tenure and rents show median gross rent around $1,439 (about 24% above the U.S. median rent ($1,163)), and owner-occupancy near 63.2% (about 2.2 points below the national owner-occupancy rate (65.4%)).

To comfortably buy a median-priced home in ZIP 99686 in Valdez, AK, a household would need roughly $86,000 in annual income under a 20% down, 30-year loan at 6.8% (illustrative), keeping housing costs near 28% of income. Estimated monthly PITI is about $1,997. That sits below the local median household income ($97,212), suggesting the typical household income is closer to a workable buy-in level under these assumptions. Rates, taxes, insurance, and HOA fees vary — treat this as a planning estimate, not a lender quote.

Climate normals for Valdez city, AK show little to no average snow and around 82.1 inches of annual precipitation.

IRS migration statistics show a net inflow of about 157 for ZIP 99686 (Valdez city, AK) on US5’s published series — a signal of people/tax filers moving in relative to those leaving. Inflows often track job growth, housing demand, or lifestyle migration; treat the figure as a directional indicator rather than a precise headcount.