Calculated payments and savings are estimates. The calculator result does not constitute an offer for a loan and will not solicit a loan offer. Savings will depend on the actual amounts and rate for which you are approved, should you choose to apply.
Getting a Mortgage in Alaska
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Last updated November 19, 2025
Real estate markets can vary dramatically by location, which is why national housing averages don’t always reflect what buyers actually pay. Housing costs are just one piece of affordability, and tools like a cost-of-living calculator can help illustrate how factors such as taxes, utilities, transportation, and everyday expenses differ from place to place.
Mortgage costs in Alaska vary widely depending on where you buy. In the Municipality of Anchorage, the state’s largest population center and one of its most expensive housing markets, the typical monthly mortgage payment for a median-priced home was $2,535 in Q1 2025, based on a median home value of $432,458, according to the National Association of Realtors. By comparison, the national median monthly mortgage payment was $2,120 for a median-priced single-family home valued at $402,300.
By contrast, the Fairbanks North Star Borough offers lower housing costs. There, the typical monthly mortgage payment was $1,837 for a median-priced home valued at $313,444.
Taking U.S. Census data, NerdWallet has crunched the numbers to help you understand what property tax rate you can expect to pay on your future home in Alaska. Because assessed values aren't frequently updated, you may pay a higher rate at first but eventually you'll pay a similar rate.
County
Avg. property tax rate
Median home value
Aleutians West Census Area
0.66%
$377,100
Anchorage Municipality
1.17%
$367,900
Bethel Census Area
0.02%
$120,600
Bristol Bay Borough
0.41%
$253,400
Chugach Census Area
0.91%
$287,900
Copper River Census Area
0.04%
$235,100
Dillingham Census Area
0.34%
$167,700
Fairbanks North Star Borough
1.16%
$307,600
Haines Borough
0.65%
$289,200
Hoonah-Angoon Census Area
0.03%
$243,800
Juneau City and Borough
0.87%
$404,600
Kenai Peninsula Borough
0.56%
$280,900
Ketchikan Gateway Borough
0.65%
$361,000
Kodiak Island Borough
1.01%
$355,000
Matanuska-Susitna Borough
0.98%
$329,000
Nome Census Area
0.42%
$181,300
North Slope Borough
0.40%
$193,800
Petersburg Borough
0.61%
$279,800
Prince of Wales-Hyder Census Area
0.11%
$220,800
Sitka City and Borough
0.42%
$424,700
Skagway Municipality
0.41%
$434,300
Wrangell City and Borough
0.42%
$273,800
Yakutat City and Borough
0.38%
$152,100
Yukon-Koyukuk Census Area
0.06%
$86,600
Source: American Communities Survey 2022, U.S. Census
How to use the mortgage calculator
To use our mortgage calculator, add your details to the following fields:
Home price
Down payment
Interest rate
Loan term (years)
After you enter this information, the calculator displays the monthly payment, as well as:
Total principal
Total interest payments
Payoff date
Calculating costs in addition to principal and interest
The calculator lets you fine-tune your payment by entering your annual property tax premium, annual home insurance premium, monthly homeowner association (HOA) fee, and monthly private mortgage insurance (PMI) premium.
To enter this information, click “Show Advanced Info” underneath the main loan details. Note that you'll enter the annual cost for property taxes and home insurance and the monthly cost for HOA fees and PMI premiums. The PMI field will only display if your down payment is less than 20%.
In the “Loan Estimate” window, select "Amortization Schedule" to uncover a table that shows how much you'll pay in principal and interest each month, as well as the remaining amount you owe ("Principal balance") after making the payment.
Total monthly payment: An estimate of all your monthly housing costs, covering your loan principal, interest, taxes, insurance, and PMI.
Total principal: This is the amount you borrow. Each mortgage payment reduces the principal you owe.
Total interest payments: How much interest you would pay over the life of the loan.
Total loan payments: The entire amount of principal and interest paid, excluding taxes, insurance, and PMI.
Down payment: The portion of the home’s price you pay in cash upfront.
Interest rate: How much the lender charges you to lend you the money. Interest rates are expressed as an annual percentage. A lower interest rate gives you a smaller monthly payment.
Loan term (years): The number of years you have to repay the mortgage. A longer term gives you a lower monthly payment, but you’ll pay more interest.
Start date: The month that your first mortgage payment is due.
Payoff date: The month your home will be fully paid off based on the loan term.
Property taxes: The annual tax assessed by a government authority on your home and land. You pay about one-twelfth of your annual property tax bill with each mortgage payment, and the servicer saves them in an escrow account. When the taxes are due, the loan servicer pays them.
Homeowners insurance: Your policy covers damage and financial losses from fire, storms, theft, a tree falling on your house and other bad things. As with property taxes, you pay roughly one-twelfth of your annual homeowners insurance premium each month, and the servicer pays the bill when it's due.
Monthly HOA fees: The amount you may pay each month if you belong to a homeowners association. Typically, these dues are billed directly, not added to the monthly mortgage payment. Because HOA dues can be easy to forget when considering the cost of homeownership, NerdWallet's mortgage calculator allows you to enter them here.
Private mortgage insurance: If you get a conventional mortgage and put down less than 20%, you’ll have to pay a monthly PMI premium. It covers the lender if you default on the loan and can be canceled once you reach 20% equity. FHA loans require a similar fee called a mortgage insurance premium.
