Ruby isn’t ranked, but the towns around it are
Ruby has fewer than 2,500 residents, below the floor for Alaska’s town rankings: Census estimates for a town this size carry margins too wide to rank fairly. Here’s what the towns around it are known for.
What the towns around Ruby are known for
None of the towns bordering Ruby reach 2,500 residents, so these are the nearest ranked towns, each with its best finish on a AK list.
#1 of 41
#1 of 41
#2 of 40Every AK list
33 lists from Census, school, health, library, crime, climate and land data. Tap any list to see every town on it.
Climate
Snowiest#1 Valdez · 325 in
K
Least snow#1 Ketchikan · 35 in
S
Mildest winters#1 Sitka city and · 32.4°
Hottest summers#1 Goldstream · 73.0°
Coolest summers#1 Utqiaġvik · 47.7°
S
Longest growing season#1 Sitka city and · 201 days
K
Wettest#1 Ketchikan · 150 in
Cost of living
Most affordable#1 Ester · 2.8 yrs
Cheapest rent#1 Goldstream · $847/mo
Lowest property tax#1 Kotzebue · $199/yr
Getting around
Shortest commute#1 Kotzebue · 6.1 min
Health
Healthiest#1 Chena Ridge · 91 / 100
Lowest obesity#1 Kodiak · 30%
Fewest smokers#1 Chena Ridge · 12%
J
Most active#1 Juneau city and · 17%
Fewest uninsured#1 Chena Ridge · 7%
Lowest depression#1 Unalaska · 14%
Outdoors
Most conserved land#1 Petersburg · 84%
Most trails#1 College · 5.2 mi / sq mi
Most walkable#1 Palmer · 59.5 / sq mi
People
Most educated#1 Goldstream · 68.6%
Youngest#1 Eielson AFB · 22.3
Oldest#1 Sterling · 46.8
Most residents 65+#1 Sterling · 27.7%
Most kids#1 Eielson AFB · 37.2%
Safety
Safest#1 Unalaska · 7.0
All of Alaska’s rankings, with the map → · National lists and other states: all rankings.
Do the numbers ring true?
The lists count what can be counted. Neighbors know the rest.
Your answer becomes a post in Town Square.
- 2,500+ residents. Census estimates for smaller towns carry margins of error too wide to rank fairly, so they sit out every AK list.
- One town, one row. A city that is both a city and a town in Census data, or a village inside a town, is counted once.
- Ties share a rank. Towns on one weather station, one school district or one CDC estimate share a figure, so they share a spot (T).
- No “worst” lists. Lists rank toward the good end, and share cards are made only for the top half. Age, snow and the like are character, not grades.
U.S. Census Bureau (American Community Survey 5-year, 2010 and 2020 censuses, Building Permits Survey), U.S. Department of Education, FBI Uniform Crime Reporting, CDC PLACES, Medicare Care Compare, IMLS Public Libraries Survey, FHFA House Price Index, NOAA U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020, USGS PAD-US and OpenStreetMap. Each list explains its own method.