What’s within 5, 10, 25, and 50 miles of Anchorage, AK
About 396,000 people live within 50 miles of the center of Anchorage, and 169,000 within 10 miles. The 50-mile circle takes in 26 cities, towns and CDPs and reaches 4 counties in Alaska.
By the All Map Tools Team
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- 5 mi (8.0 km)
- 93,300 69,100–111,000
- 10 mi (16 km)
- 169,000 133,000–262,000
- 25 mi (40 km)
- 289,000 262,000–305,000
- 50 mi (80 km)
- 396,000 350,000–415,000
30 minutes by car
Open in the radius mapThe circles
| Radius | People | Low–high | Cities, towns and CDPs | ZIP codes | Area |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5 mi (8.0 km) | 93,300 | 69,100–111,000 | 0 | 8 | 79 mi² |
| 10 mi (16 km) | 169,000 | 133,000–262,000 | 1 | 11 | 314 mi² |
| 25 mi (40 km) | 289,000 | 262,000–305,000 | 5 | 17 | 1,963 mi² |
| 50 mi (80 km) | 396,000 | 350,000–415,000 | 26 | 28 | 7,854 mi² |
Circle by circle
Within 5 miles (8.0 km)
About 93,300 people (69,100–111,000). 0 Census places (cities, towns and CDPs) have their center inside, and so do 8 ZIP codes.
There is no other Census place within 5 miles; the nearest beyond is Point MacKenzie, 9.9 mi northwest.
Within 10 miles (16 km)
About 169,000 people (133,000–262,000), 76,100 more than within 5 miles. Only one Census place (city, town or CDP) has its center inside, and so do 11 ZIP codes.
Biggest places between 5 and 10 miles
- Point MacKenzie CDP 1,668 9.9 mi NW
Within 25 miles (40 km)
About 289,000 people (262,000–305,000), 119,000 more than within 10 miles. 5 Census places (cities, towns and CDPs) have their center inside, and so do 17 ZIP codes.
Biggest places between 10 and 25 miles
- Knik-Fairview CDP 19,972 22.1 mi NE
- Big Lake CDP 3,585 20.7 mi N
Just past 25 miles
- Wasilla 10,556 29.1 mi NE
- Meadow Lakes CDP 8,689 30.6 mi N
- Houston 2,267 27.7 mi N
Within 50 miles (80 km)
About 396,000 people (350,000–415,000), 107,000 more than within 25 miles. 26 Census places (cities, towns and CDPs) have their center inside, and so do 28 ZIP codes.
Biggest places between 25 and 50 miles
- Wasilla 10,556 29.1 mi NE
- North Lakes CDP 10,223 33.9 mi NE
- Tanaina CDP 9,646 34.2 mi NE
- Meadow Lakes CDP 8,689 30.6 mi N
- Gateway CDP 6,845 33.0 mi NE
- Palmer 6,710 37.0 mi NE
Just past 50 miles
- Sterling CDP 6,323 56.2 mi SW
- Nikiski CDP 4,773 56.2 mi SW
- Ridgeway CDP 1,997 61.4 mi SW
Counties the circles reach
The 5-mile circle reaches 2 counties; the 50-mile circle, 4, all in Alaska.
- Within 5 mi
- Anchorage Municipality and Matanuska-Susitna Borough
- Within 25 mi, also
- Kenai Peninsula Borough
- Within 50 mi, also
- Chugach Census Area
How far 30 minutes by car gets you
Driving for 30 minutes from the center, at typical road speeds and with no traffic, covers 145 mi² (375 km²): the same area as a circle 6.8 mi in radius. The farthest point is 25 mi away, to the northeast.
That area takes in 57% of the 5-mile circle, 33% of the 10-mile circle, 7% of the 25-mile circle, and 2% of the 50-mile circle. About 129,000 people live in it, against 93,300 within 5 miles.
Drive time mapQuestions
How many people live within 10 miles of Anchorage?
About 169,000 people (133,000–262,000), from the population of each ZIP code area in the Census ACS 2020–2024. Within 5 miles it’s 93,300, and within 50 miles, 396,000.
Which cities are within 50 miles of Anchorage?
26 Census places (cities, towns and CDPs) have their center inside, and so do 28 ZIP codes. The biggest: Knik-Fairview (19,972), 22 mi northeast, Wasilla (10,556), 29 mi northeast, North Lakes (10,223), 34 mi northeast, Tanaina (9,646), 34 mi northeast, Meadow Lakes (8,689), 31 mi north, Gateway (6,845), 33 mi northeast, Palmer (6,710), 37 mi northeast, and South Lakes (6,180), 32 mi northeast.
Which counties are within 50 miles of Anchorage?
The 50-mile circle reaches 4 counties: Anchorage Municipality, Matanuska-Susitna Borough, Kenai Peninsula Borough, and Chugach Census Area.
How far can you drive from Anchorage in 30 minutes?
Up to 25 mi from the center (to the northeast), at typical road speeds and with no traffic. The 30-minute area measures 145 mi² and about 129,000 people live in it.
Is Sterling within 50 miles of Anchorage?
No: it’s 56 mi (90 km) southwest of the center of Anchorage in a straight line, 6.2 mi beyond the 50-mile circle.
How big is a 50-mile radius around Anchorage?
The circle covers 7,854 mi² (20,341 km²). With about 396,000 people inside, that’s 50 per square mile.
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More about this city
Nearby cities in this series
All citiesSources and method
- City center: GNIS point · USGS (public domain)
- Population by ZIP code area (ZCTA), ACS 2020–2024 · U.S. Census Bureau (public domain)
- Cities, towns and CDPs and their population (2025 estimates and ACS) · U.S. Census Bureau (public domain)
- Counties and states · U.S. Census Bureau, Cartographic Boundary Files 2025 (public domain)
- GHS-POP R2023A, 2025 population grid: people outside the US · Schiavina, M. et al. (2023), European Commission, Joint Research Centre (JRC). © European Union, CC BY 4.0
- 30-minute drive area (calculated on November 1, 2026) · FOSSGIS Valhalla, with data © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL)
- Distances and bearings (geodesics on the WGS84 ellipsoid) · GeographicLib (C. F. F. Karney)
- How we count people and places (methodology)