Palmer Depot · National Register of Historic Places
Palmer’s story
75 years in pictures
11 places on the National Register of Historic Places.
- 1951Palmer is settled
PalmerAK
A town of 6,268, settled in 1951. Nearly 3.8% of it is conserved land.
1 bordering townMap →
Photo: Land Design North · Public domain
Population
6,268
−0.8% since 2010
Typical home
$440K
+9.3% in a year
Household income
$72K
median
Median age
32.9
years
Land area
5 sq mi
What makes Palmer stand out
The 3 things Palmer does most differently from other towns.
College town
Alaska Bible College calls Palmer home
College Scorecard · IPEDS
Palmer’s report card
Now in Palmer
Be the first to start the conversation.
Residents weigh in
Palmer is #1 of 41 in AK for “Most walkable”. Fair?
Your answer becomes a post in Palmer’s Town Square.
Start a conversation
Weather
Forecast →34°
Fog/Mist
H 38° · L 24°
Local news
All →- Freshman Girls Volleyball Multi-team Event - 09/26/2026 | Watch Live & On DemandNFHS Network · Sep 26
- Colony vs South Anchorage - Boys Varsity Football 09/18/2026 | Watch Live & On DemandNFHS Network · Sep 18
- Palmer vs West Valley - Coed Varsity Football 09/18/2026 | Watch Live & On DemandNFHS Network · Sep 18
Upcoming events
Nothing on the calendar.
The data
Ordered by what stands out in Palmer. Another town gets a different order.
Outdoors
3.8% of Palmer is conserved land
6.7 miles of trails across 10 parks and preserves.
#9for trails in AK
3.8%
conserved · 121 of 3,205 acres
6.7 mi
of trails · 1.3 per sq mi
#1
most walkable in AK
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Cedar Park | 0.2 mi | 88 |
| 2. Matanuska River Park | — | 57 |
| 3. Historic Train Depot Park | — | 5 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-USParks & trails →
Schools
Palmer’s public schools outperform 86% of Alaska districts
The public schools Palmer’s kids attend, from kindergarten through graduation, outperform 86% of Alaska’s districts on state tests and graduation. Among towns with similar incomes, they rank near the top.
ASchool Grade
| School | Grades | Students | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sherrod Elementary | PK–5 | 383 | A− |
| Swanson Elementary | PK–2 | 348 | Not graded |
| Academy Charter School | K–8 | 268 | A+ |
| Palmer Middle School | 6–8 | 563 | B− |
| Palmer High School | 9–12 | 616 | B |
| Mat-Su Secondary School | 6–12 | 10 | Not graded |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within AK on state tests and graduationAll 6 schools →
Housing
A typical Palmer home is worth about $440K
The typical Palmer home is worth about $440,000, up 9.3% in a year, 10% above the Alaska typical home.
$440KZillow home value
Typical home value
Palmer$440K
Alaska$399K
Market temperature
11
days on market
100%
sale-to-list price
+9.3%
value change, 1 year
9
homes sold in May
Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data CenterHousing market →
Natural hazards
Very high risk, with earthquakes at the top
Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 91% of U.S. communities.
91risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Earthquakes
4
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMANatural hazards →
Climate
Snowy winters, pleasant summers
Palmer has cold, snowy winters and cool summers, with very little rain. A typical July afternoon reaches 66°, a January night drops to 9°, and about 83 inches of snow falls in a normal winter.
83″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter11–25°
Spring25–46°
Summer45–64°
Fall26–42°
Sep 16
typical first frost
May 22
typical last frost
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020Full climate →
Health
Healthier than 65% of U.S. towns
Palmer tracks Alaska closely on all 32 CDC measures.
BHealth Grade
32 measures vs. Alaska
0 better32 too close to call0 worse
Mat-Su Regional Medical Center
5.4 mi away · emergency room
3 of 3
care shortages: primary care, dental, mental health
44th
percentile among AK towns
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSAFull health report →
Safety
Less crime per resident than 51% of U.S. towns
Palmer reports less crime per resident than 51% of the U.S. towns and cities we grade.
B−Safety Grade
Violent crime per 1,000 residents
Palmer1.8
Alaska7.4
U.S.3.3
Property crime per 1,000 residents
Palmer13.4
Alaska19.3
U.S.15.5
51st
percentile among U.S. towns we grade
59th
percentile among AK towns
12
violent crimes reported in 2025
91
property crimes reported in 2025
FBI crime data, 2025 · crimes reported to policeFull safety report →
Landmarks
11 places in Palmer on the National Register of Historic Places.
About Palmer
City in the United States
Palmer is a city in and the borough seat of the Matanuska-Susitna Borough, Alaska, United States, located 42 miles (68 km) northeast of Anchorage on the Glenn Highway in the Matanuska Valley. It is the ninth-largest city in Alaska, and forms part of the Anchorage metropolitan statistical area. As of the 2020 census, the population of the city is 5,888, down from 5,937 in 2010. Palmer hosts the annual Alaska State Fair, and is also the headquarters of the National Tsunami Warning Center.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Established
- 1951
- Population
- 5,888
- Area
- 5.2 sq mi
- Elevation
- 233 ft
- ZIP code
- 99645
- Area code
- 907
Palmer’s neighbors
One town shares a border with Palmer.
Farm LoopPalmer
More about Palmer
Still missing for Palmer:archive photosupcoming events