Sitka Snapshots
How big is Sitka?
The city-borough of Sitka, including land and water, encompasses 4,811 square miles. Its land alone includes 2,870 square miles, making it the largest city in the United States by landmass.
What is the population of Sitka?
The population of Sitka is roughly 9,000 people.
How much does it cost to live in Sitka?
Given the remote location, the cost of living in Sitka is much higher than other states. The average cost of a home is around $400,000, or two times the national average.
Is the volcano active?
Mt. Edgecumbe, located north of Sitka on Kruzof Island, is reported to have last erupted around 4,200 years ago and remains dormant today.
How much rain do you get?
On average, Sitka receives 87 inches of annual rainfall, with 13 of those inches occurring in October.
How much snow do you get?
Sitka averages 33 inches of snowfall each year.
Does the town shut down in the winter?
While there are some fishing guides and summer laborers who come to Sitka seasonally, there are a large number of locals who work in the tourism industry and live here year-round. Fishing continues in the winter, and we also have full-time jobs like any town from healthcare providers and teachers to restaurant workers and contractors. In short, once the tourists leave, the locals continue with life as usual, including some extra celebrating and festivities to get through the winter months.
How much sun do you get in the summer and winter?
The shortest day of the year in December is 6 hours 42 minutes between sunrise and sunset. Due to regular cloud coverage and precipitation, Sitka often experiences more darkness throughout the winter. The longest day of the year in June boasts about 18 hours of sunlight.
What is the elevation here?
We’re next to the ocean, which puts our beaches at sea-level, or an elevation of zero. On average, the town is approximated at an elevation of 26 feet. Our wilderness and mountains rise from the ocean quickly. Mt. Verstovia, a regularly hiked mountain, has a trail going to Picnic Rock with an elevation gain of 2,250 ft while Arrowhead, the actual peak, rises to 3,300 ft.
What’s the quality of healthcare like here?
Sitka has two hospitals and a few clinics. Regionally, people are flown in from smaller villages to receive care at our hospitals. As with remote locations, there are limitations. Some major surgeries require specialists that Sitka does not have the volume to support. Residents are transferred to hospitals in Anchorage and Seattle for these needs.
What is the education like in Sitka?
Sitka has a public school district with two elementary schools, one middle school, and two high schools. There is also a private elementary school in Sitka as well as a public boarding high school, with the majority of its student body coming from all around rural Alaska. Sitka is also home to the four-year public university, University of Alaska Southeast.
Was The Proposal was filmed here?
The Proposal, starring Sandra Bullock and Ryan Reynolds, takes place in Sitka, Alaska, though the filming was actually done in Massachusetts, save a small clip of Sitka’s waterfront.
3