Population 634 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Gustavus
Household size in Gustavus
| Period | Gustavus | Alaska | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1.77 | 2.79 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 1.94 | 2.88 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.18 | 2.91 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.21 | 2.72 | 2.65 |
| Change | +0.44 | −0.07 | −0.03 |
Gustavus is a place of small households, averaging 2.21 people against 2.65 for the U.S., which points to many singles, couples and roommates and relatively few children. Household size has climbed from 1.77 in 2006–10, but in a place this small, survey estimates can swing a lot from one release to the next.
Household size: the average number of people living in each occupied home. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25010).
Median age in Gustavus
| Period | Gustavus | Alaska | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 52.0 | 35.0 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 50.8 | 35.2 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 54.2 | 35.9 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 50.9 | 37.1 | 40.1 |
| Change | −1.1 | +2.1 | +2.3 |
Gustavus skews older: half of its residents are older than 50.9, well above the national median of 40.1. That usually means more empty nesters and retirees, and fewer young families.
Median age: the age that splits residents into two equal halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B01002).
Single-parent households in Gustavus
| Period | Gustavus | Alaska | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 3.6% | 14.0% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 2.3% | 13.4% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 6.1% | 12.6% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 2.5% | 11.8% | 11.6% |
| Change | −1.1 pts | −2.2 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single-parent households are relatively rare in Gustavus: 2.5% of households, against 11.6% nationally.
Single-parent households: households where one adult with no spouse present lives with children under 18. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B11003).
Housing in Gustavus
Renters in Gustavus
| Period | Gustavus | Alaska | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 30.3% | 35.3% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 30.4% | 36.7% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 17.2% | 35.7% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 20.3% | 33.2% | 34.8% |
| Change | −9.9 pts | −2.1 pts | +1.5 pts |
Only 20.3% of households in Gustavus rent their homes, far below the national share of 34.8%, so most residents are owners who tend to stay put. About eight in ten owners (79.6%) have paid off their mortgages, well above the national share of 39.8%.
Renters: occupied homes that are rented rather than owned. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25003).
Vacant homes in Gustavus
| Period | Gustavus | Alaska | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 52.7% | 14.2% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 50.7% | 15.0% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 59.6% | 16.8% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 53.6% | 15.2% | 9.6% |
| Change | +0.9 pts | +1.0 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacant homes make up 53.6% of the housing in Gustavus, far above the national rate of 9.6%. In resort and lake areas that usually means seasonal and vacation homes; elsewhere it can point to weak demand.
Vacant homes: homes with no one living in them, including vacation homes and homes for sale or rent. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25002).
Age of homes in Gustavus
| Period | Gustavus | Alaska | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1984 | 1982 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1989 | 1984 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1990 | 1985 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1988 | 1987 | 1980 |
| Change | +5 | +5 | +6 |
Much of the housing in Gustavus is relatively new: half of its homes were built after 1988, compared with 1980 for the U.S. as a whole. Alaska as a whole looks much the same.
Age of homes: the year that splits the housing stock into older and newer halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25035).
Rent in Gustavus
| Period | Gustavus | Alaska | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $945 | $1,067 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $739 | $1,192 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $1,013 | $1,322 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $756 | $1,518 | $1,571 |
| Change | −$188 | +$451 | +$606 |
A typical rental in Gustavus costs $756 a month with utilities, well below the national median of $1,571. Rent takes 32.9% of the typical renter's income, just over the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent.
Rent: monthly rent plus the utilities renters pay themselves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25064).
Education in Gustavus
Bachelor's degrees in Gustavus
| Period | Gustavus | Alaska | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 39.8% | 26.3% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 47.7% | 26.8% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 39.8% | 29.1% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 33.1% | 31.1% | 35.6% |
| Change | −6.7 pts | +4.9 pts | +7.2 pts |
College degrees are about as common in Gustavus as nationally: 33.1% of adults 25 and older have a bachelor's or higher, against 35.6%.
Bachelor's degrees: adults 25 and older with a bachelor's degree or higher. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
High school graduates in Gustavus
| Period | Gustavus | Alaska | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 94.9% | 90.6% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 95.2% | 91.5% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 98.3% | 92.5% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 92.9% | 93.3% | 89.3% |
| Change | −2.0 pts | +2.7 pts | +4.3 pts |
High school completion in Gustavus is above the national rate: 92.9% of adults have a diploma or equivalent, against 89.3%. The picture is much the same across Alaska.
High school graduates: adults 25 and older with a high school diploma, GED or more. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
Jobs in Gustavus
| Period | Gustavus | Alaska | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 9.4% | 9.2% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 9.1% | 9.1% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 6.1% | 7.6% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 7.4% | 6.2% | 5.4% |
| Change | −2.0 pts | −3.0 pts | −2.7 pts |
Unemployment in Gustavus runs well above the national rate: 7.4% of the labor force was out of work and looking, against 5.4%. Because the Census pools five years of responses (2020–24), these rates smooth over short swings and lag the current job market.
Unemployment: people looking for work as a share of everyone working or looking. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B23025).
Gustavus compared with nearby cities
| City | Household size | Median age | Single parents | Renters | Vacant homes | Median year built | Median rent | Bachelor's degree | High school diploma | Unemployment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gustavus | 2.21 | 50.9 | 2.5% | 20.3% | 53.6% | 1988 | $756 | 33.1% | 92.9% | 7.4% |
| Elfin Cove | 2.32 | 46.3 | 8.4% | 31.9% | 37.3% | 1984 | $1,153 | 23.2% | 95.3% | 11.7% |
| Hoonah | 2.44 | 44.6 | 10.6% | 35.6% | 27.9% | 1982 | $1,316 | 20.0% | 96.8% | 15.5% |
| Tee Harbor | 2.10 | 51.7 | 1.8% | 36.2% | 8.7% | 1994 | $1,403 | 47.6% | 98.4% | 0.8% |
| Sunnyside | 2.27 | 50.3 | 4.5% | 22.4% | 52.4% | 1988 | $789 | 32.3% | 93.0% | 7.9% |
| Pelican | 2.22 | 50.9 | 2.5% | 21.1% | 53.2% | 1988 | $748 | 33.1% | 92.7% | 7.6% |
| Auke Bay | 2.11 | 49.9 | 1.5% | 38.5% | 9.4% | 1992 | $1,440 | 58.7% | 98.9% | 0.5% |
| Juneau | 2.60 | 39.9 | 7.1% | 32.7% | 8.4% | 1980 | $1,618 | 35.5% | 93.9% | 4.3% |
| West Juneau | 2.12 | 41.7 | 9.6% | 45.2% | 8.3% | 1982 | $1,438 | 49.1% | 97.0% | 3.5% |
| Tenakee Springs | 2.59 | 48.6 | 20.8% | 32.0% | 56.9% | 1983 | $803 | 22.1% | 92.5% | 24.2% |
| Douglas | 2.06 | 38.3 | 10.7% | 48.4% | 10.3% | 1983 | $1,459 | 49.6% | 96.1% | 4.5% |
All figures 2020–24.
Cities with similar populations: Mora, NM · New Houlka, MS · New Hebron, IL · Natura, OK · Napton, MO · Mullen, NE · Mullan, ID · Mountain Hill, GA · Mount Ayr, IN · Morse, IA
About these numbers
Every figure on this page is a BestNeighborhood calculation from the Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS), built up from the Census block groups that make up Gustavus. Each ACS 5-year release pools five years of responses; this page shows the last 15 releases, 2006–10 through 2020–24. Neighboring releases share four of their five years, so they move gradually and small changes between them are within the survey's margin of error; in small places the lines can jump from one release to the next for the same reason. The maps show the same measures for each neighborhood, ranked against the whole country.
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