Living in Craig, AK
Prince of Wales-Hyder Census Area
Craig is the largest community on Prince of Wales Island, a real, current Southeast Alaska island genuinely disconnected from the mainland -- access runs through a two-step Inter-Island Ferry Authority connection from Ketchikan to Hollis, plus a 22-mile paved island road to Craig, or small aircraft directly. Craig's economy reflects the island's real, documented transition from large-scale timber harvesting (ended by the 1997 Ketchikan pulp mill closure) to commercial fishing (salmon, halibut, herring, shellfish) as the dominant sector, alongside real, disclosed growth in tourism, minerals, and government employment. Craig's housing runs genuinely, substantially affordable (a cited $210,000-$215,000 median), and its crime rate runs genuinely, substantially low. Craig also carries a real, documented, place-specific seismic history: a magnitude 7.5 earthquake struck near Craig in 2013, re-rupturing part of a fault that had ruptured in a magnitude 8.1 quake in 1949. Craig's population (1,065) has run a modest, real increase since 2020, and its Craig City School District (approximately 696 students) draws from a broader Prince of Wales Island catchment area, reflecting Craig's role as the island's regional hub.
Explore Craig in depth
- Moving to Craig: Pros, Cons & What to Know
- Cost of Living in Craig
- Housing in Craig
- Taxes & Insurance in Craig
- Climate in Craig
- Schools & Families in Craig
- Healthcare & Safety in Craig
- Best Areas to Live in Craig
- Pros and Cons of Living in Craig
Exploring the idea of moving?
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Learn moreHousing
Taxes
Not independently sourced at the Prince of Wales-Hyder Census Area level this session. Alaska carries no income tax statewide. See the Alaska hub page for the statewide property tax context -- do not treat that figure as Craig-specific.
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Get local guidanceThe tradeoffs
Pros
Genuine, substantial housing affordability well below both Alaska's own statewide range and the national comparison figure. Genuinely, substantially low crime rates and notably high per-capita police staffing. A real, disclosed working fishing-economy identity and role as Prince of Wales Island's regional hub (schools, healthcare). Alaska's real, current statewide tax advantage (no state income tax) applies directly.
Cons
No direct ferry connects Craig to mainland Alaska -- access runs through Hollis via a two-step ferry-plus-road route, or small aircraft. A real, documented, place-specific seismic history (a 2013 magnitude 7.5 earthquake near Craig). A real, disclosed research gap on Craig's current combined sales tax rate and specific mill-rate detail. A real, disclosed housing-price volatility (a 53.6% year-over-year swing) suggesting a genuinely thin local market.
Who this fits
Best for: Best fits cost-conscious movers and outdoor-recreation-minded households genuinely drawn to a working Southeast Alaska fishing community, Prince of Wales Island's real, substantial road system, and genuine affordability, who are comfortable with two-step ferry-plus-road or small-aircraft access to the mainland.
Maybe not for you if: Probably not the right fit for movers who need direct road or ferry access to mainland Alaska, or who are specifically seeking a strong retiree-oriented community -- Craig's real, disclosed senior population share runs only modestly above Alaska's own statewide figure, distinctly weaker than this project's other Southeast Alaska Tier B markets.
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