Population 7,670 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Meadow Lakes
Household size in Meadow Lakes
| Period | Meadow Lakes | Alaska | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.76 | 2.79 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.80 | 2.88 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 3.30 | 2.91 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.78 | 2.72 | 2.65 |
| Change | +0.02 | −0.07 | −0.03 |
The typical household in Meadow Lakes holds 2.78 people, slightly more than the U.S. average of 2.65. The picture is much the same across Alaska. Households are largest in the northeast and smallest in the northwest.
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 Meadow Lakes
| Period | Meadow Lakes | Alaska | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 35.5 | 35.0 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 36.9 | 35.2 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 33.7 | 35.9 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 37.1 | 37.1 | 40.1 |
| Change | +1.5 | +2.1 | +2.3 |
Meadow Lakes is younger than the country as a whole: its median age is 37.1, against 40.1 nationally. The median age has climbed from 35.5 in 2006–10, as it has nationally. The youngest areas are in the east, the oldest in the northwest.
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 Meadow Lakes
| Period | Meadow Lakes | Alaska | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 15.9% | 14.0% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 14.1% | 13.4% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 10.2% | 12.6% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 13.6% | 11.8% | 11.6% |
| Change | −2.3 pts | −2.2 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single-parent households are a bit more common in Meadow Lakes than nationally: 13.6%, against 11.6%. The single-parent share has fallen 2.3 points since 2006–10, a much bigger shift than nationally. Meadow Lakes has a higher share of single-parent households than at least four in five Alaska cities.
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 Meadow Lakes
Renters in Meadow Lakes
| Period | Meadow Lakes | Alaska | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 18.6% | 35.3% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 19.8% | 36.7% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 22.1% | 35.7% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 23.0% | 33.2% | 34.8% |
| Change | +4.5 pts | −2.1 pts | +1.5 pts |
Only 23.0% of households in Meadow Lakes rent their homes, far below the national share of 34.8%, so most residents are owners who tend to stay put. Just over a third of owners (34.6%) have paid off their mortgages, below the national share of 39.8%. Renting is most common in the east and least common in the northwest. The renter share is up 4.5 points from 2006–10, a much bigger shift than nationally.
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 Meadow Lakes
| Period | Meadow Lakes | Alaska | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 16.4% | 14.2% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 16.6% | 15.0% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 18.5% | 16.8% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 18.7% | 15.2% | 9.6% |
| Change | +2.3 pts | +1.0 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacancy is high in Meadow Lakes: 18.7% of homes are empty, 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. Since 2006–10, vacancy has risen 2.3 points, even as the national rate fell.
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 Meadow Lakes
| Period | Meadow Lakes | Alaska | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1989 | 1982 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1996 | 1984 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1996 | 1985 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1996 | 1987 | 1980 |
| Change | +7 | +5 | +6 |
Much of the housing in Meadow Lakes is relatively new: half of its homes were built after 1996, compared with 1980 for the U.S. as a whole. The median year built has moved up from 1989 in 2006–10, a sign of steady new building. The newest homes are mostly in the south, the oldest in the east.
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 Meadow Lakes
| Period | Meadow Lakes | Alaska | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $946 | $1,067 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $1,014 | $1,192 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $1,016 | $1,322 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $1,453 | $1,518 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$507 | +$451 | +$606 |
A typical rental in Meadow Lakes costs $1,453 a month with utilities, below the national median of $1,571. Rents are up $507 a month from 2006–10, a 54% rise, a slower climb than the nation's. Rent takes 29.3% of the typical renter's income, just under the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent. Rents run highest in the east and lowest in the northwest.
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 Meadow Lakes
Bachelor's degrees in Meadow Lakes
| Period | Meadow Lakes | Alaska | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 11.7% | 26.3% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 13.2% | 26.8% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 18.1% | 29.1% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 17.6% | 31.1% | 35.6% |
| Change | +5.9 pts | +4.9 pts | +7.2 pts |
College degrees are relatively uncommon in Meadow Lakes: 17.6% of adults 25 and older hold a bachelor's or higher, well below the national share of 35.6%. Since 2006–10, the share with a degree has risen 5.9 points, as it has nationally. Meadow Lakes has the lowest share of college graduates of any Alaska city with 5,000+ people.
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 Meadow Lakes
| Period | Meadow Lakes | Alaska | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 89.4% | 90.6% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 89.8% | 91.5% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 93.5% | 92.5% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 92.0% | 93.3% | 89.3% |
| Change | +2.5 pts | +2.7 pts | +4.3 pts |
About nine in ten adults in Meadow Lakes have finished high school (92.0%), a bit above the national rate of 89.3%. The share with a diploma is up 2.5 points from 2006–10, as it has nationally. Among the 25 Alaska cities with 5,000+ people, though, only one other has a lower share of high school graduates.
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 Meadow Lakes
| Period | Meadow Lakes | Alaska | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 11.1% | 9.2% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 12.9% | 9.1% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 10.3% | 7.6% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 6.1% | 6.2% | 5.4% |
| Change | −5.0 pts | −3.0 pts | −2.7 pts |
Unemployment runs a little high in Meadow Lakes: 6.1% of the labor force was out of work and looking, against 5.4% nationally. Unemployment has fallen 5.0 points since 2006–10, as it has nationally. 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).
Meadow Lakes 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Meadow Lakes | 2.78 | 37.1 | 13.6% | 23.0% | 18.7% | 1996 | $1,453 | 17.6% | 92.0% | 6.1% |
| Knik-Fairview | 3.04 | 33.1 | 10.7% | 15.3% | 9.6% | 2003 | $1,658 | 21.5% | 94.1% | 4.9% |
| Tanaina | 3.02 | 33.8 | 14.0% | 23.1% | 6.3% | 1996 | $1,451 | 22.7% | 92.9% | 5.8% |
| Wasilla | 2.70 | 36.5 | 10.8% | 38.3% | 8.0% | 1997 | $1,392 | 24.4% | 95.8% | 6.3% |
| Houston | 2.59 | 41.7 | 11.0% | 18.1% | 36.2% | 1996 | $1,246 | 17.5% | 93.2% | 9.6% |
| Knik | 2.60 | 39.4 | 6.9% | 22.7% | 26.6% | 1995 | $1,074 | 8.5% | 85.5% | 3.1% |
| Lakes | 2.91 | 37.3 | 10.6% | 20.2% | 8.1% | 1993 | $1,680 | 25.2% | 95.4% | 7.2% |
| Gateway | 3.12 | 34.5 | 9.2% | 17.5% | 6.7% | 2001 | $1,614 | 34.9% | 95.3% | 4.3% |
| Big Lake | 2.39 | 43.3 | 10.7% | 19.1% | 41.7% | 1993 | $1,166 | 13.2% | 89.0% | 2.1% |
| Chugiak | 2.43 | 45.0 | 3.8% | 14.8% | 13.1% | 1988 | $1,294 | 47.6% | 95.3% | 3.1% |
| Palmer | 2.77 | 38.3 | 9.6% | 20.4% | 8.2% | 1997 | $1,521 | 31.8% | 95.0% | 5.4% |
All figures 2020–24.
Cities with similar populations: Park City, KS · Pauls Valley, OK · Patterson, NY · Patterson, LA · Parkville, PA · Parkville, MO · Park Ridge, NJ · Park Rapids, MN · Park City, UT · Pawcatuck, CT
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 Meadow Lakes. 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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