Yukon–Koyukuk Census Area (/ˈjuːkɒn ˈkaɪjəkək/ YOO-kon KY-yə-kək) is a census area in the U.S. state of Alaska. As of the 2020 census, the population was 5,343,[2] down from 5,588 in 2010.[3] With an area of 147,842.51 sq mi (382,910.3 km2), it is the largest of any county or county-equivalent in the United States, or slightly larger than the entire state of Montana.[4] It is part of the unorganized borough of Alaska and therefore has no borough seat. Its largest communities are the cities of Galena, in the west, and Fort Yukon, in the northeast.
Yukon–Koyukuk Census Area | |
|---|---|
.jpg) | |
 Location within the U.S. state of Alaska | |
.svg) Alaska's location within the U.S. | |
| Coordinates: 65°17′N 151°39′W / 65.29°N 151.65°W | |
| Country |  United States |
| State |  Alaska |
| Established | 1980[1] |
| Named for | Yukon River and Koyukuk River |
| Largest city | Galena |
| Area | |
• Total | 147,805 sq mi (382,810 km2) |
| • Land | 145,505 sq mi (376,860 km2) |
| • Water | 2,300 sq mi (6,000 km2) 1.6% |
| Population (2020) | |
• Total | 5,179 |
| • Density | 0.038/sq mi (0.015/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC−9 (Alaska) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−8 (ADT) |
| Congressional district | At-large |
Geography
editAccording to the U.S. Census Bureau, the census area has 147,805 square miles (382,810 km2), of which 145,505 square miles (376,860 km2) is land and 2,300 square miles (6,000 km2) (1.6%) is water.[5] The area is slightly larger than the entire U.S. state of Montana, itself the fourth largest state, or the country of Japan, and makes up slightly more than 1/5 of the state of Alaska. The area is bigger than 47 of the other 49 states, with only California and Texas being bigger. Its population density, at 0.0449 inhabitants per square mile (0.0173/km2), is the lowest in the United States.
Adjacent boroughs and census areas
edit- North Slope Borough, Alaska – north
- Southeast Fairbanks Census Area, Alaska – southeast
- Fairbanks North Star Borough, Alaska – southeast
- Denali Borough, Alaska – southeast
- Matanuska-Susitna Borough, Alaska – south
- Bethel Census Area, Alaska – south
- Kusilvak Census Area, Alaska – west
- Nome Census Area, Alaska – west
- Northwest Arctic Borough, Alaska – northwest
- Yukon Territory, Canada – east
National protected areas
edit- Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (part)
- Mollie Beattie Wilderness (part)
- Gates of the Arctic National Park and Preserve (part)
- Innoko National Wildlife Refuge
- Kanuti National Wildlife Refuge
- Koyukuk National Wildlife Refuge (part)
- Koyukuk Wilderness (part)
- Noatak National Preserve
- Nowitna National Wildlife Refuge
- Selawik National Wildlife Refuge (part)
- Selawik Wilderness (part)
- Steese National Conservation Area
- White Mountains National Recreation Area
- Yukon–Charley Rivers National Preserve (part)
- Yukon Flats National Wildlife Refuge
Politics
editLike other areas of the sparse Alaskan Bush with large Alaska Native majorities, the Yukon-Koyukuk Census Area often favors the Democratic Party relative to the state as a whole. Though it voted Republican in all presidential elections in the 2000s, it has supported the Democrats more recently by nearly 30-point margins.
| Year | Republican | Democratic | Third party(ies) | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. | % | No. | % | No. | % | |
| 2020 | 965 | 34.00% | 1,740 | 61.31% | 133 | 4.69% |
| 2016 | 813 | 29.81% | 1,557 | 57.10% | 357 | 13.09% |
| 2012 | 812 | 33.99% | 1,472 | 61.62% | 105 | 4.40% |
| 2008 | 1,528 | 52.40% | 1,292 | 44.31% | 96 | 3.29% |
| 2004 | 1,987 | 59.38% | 1,215 | 36.31% | 144 | 4.30% |
| 2000 | 1,357 | 47.80% | 1,138 | 40.08% | 344 | 12.12% |
| 1996 | 887 | 33.79% | 1,357 | 51.70% | 381 | 14.51% |
| 1992 | 1,039 | 35.68% | 1,080 | 37.09% | 793 | 27.23% |
| 1988 | 1,421 | 56.48% | 959 | 38.12% | 136 | 5.41% |
| 1984 | 1,932 | 64.98% | 951 | 31.99% | 90 | 3.03% |
| 1980 | 943 | 38.60% | 1,070 | 43.80% | 430 | 17.60% |
| 1976 | 1,043 | 51.28% | 860 | 42.28% | 131 | 6.44% |
| 1972 | 835 | 48.29% | 797 | 46.10% | 97 | 5.61% |
| 1968 | 1,439 | 49.30% | 1,173 | 40.18% | 307 | 10.52% |
| 1964 | 736 | 29.61% | 1,750 | 70.39% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1960 | 1,067 | 49.58% | 1,085 | 50.42% | 0 | 0.00% |
Demographics
edit| Census | Pop. | Note | %± |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 4,097 | — | |
| 1970 | 4,752 | 16.0% | |
| 1980 | 7,873 | 65.7% | |
| 1990 | 8,478 | 7.7% | |
| 2000 | 6,551 | −22.7% | |
| 2010 | 5,588 | −14.7% | |
| 2020 | 5,343 | −4.4% | |
| 2023 (est.) | 5,129 | [7] | −4.0% |
| U.S. Decennial Census[8] 1790–1960[9] 1900–1990[10] 1990–2000[11] 2010–2020[2][3] | |||
At the 2000 census there were 6,551 people, 2,309 households, and 1,480 families residing in the census area. The population density was 22.3 square miles (57.7km2) per person. It is the least densely populated county-equivalent of all 3,141 county-equivalents of the United States. There were 3,917 housing units at an average density of 0.027 per square mile (0.010/km2). The racial makeup of the census area was 24.27% White, 0.09% Black or African American, 70.89% Native American, 0.37% Asian, 0.05% Pacific Islander, 0.43% from other races, and 3.91% from two or more races. 1.19%[12] were Hispanic or Latino of any race. 12.95% reported speaking an Athabaskan language at home; of these 35.26% speak Gwich'in and 10.94% speak Koyukon.[13][failed verification][clarification needed]
Of the 2,309 households 38.90% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 36.90% were married couples living together, 16.90% had a female householder with no husband present, and 35.90% were non-families. 30.50% of households were one person and 6.20% were one person aged 65 or older. The average household size was 2.81 and the average family size was 3.53.
The age distribution was 35.00% under the age of 18, 8.70% from 18 to 24, 26.90% from 25 to 44, 22.10% from 45 to 64, and 7.30% 65 or older. The median age was 31 years. For every 100 females, there were 118.60 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 122.60 males.
2020 Census
edit| Race | Percentage of Population |
|---|---|
| White | 25.98% |
| Black or African American | 0.77% |
| American Indian or Alaska Native | 77.22% |
| Asian | 0.94% |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander | 0.43% |
| Some other race | 1.68% |
| Ancestry | Percentage of Population |
|---|---|
| Alaskan Athabaskan | 65.52% |
| German | 9.27% |
| Irish | 3.39% |
| Iñupiat | 3.00% |
| Alaska Native tribes, not specified | 2.58% |
| English | 2.56% |
| Scottish | 2.05% |
| Norwegian | 1.85% |
| Yup'ik | 1.75% |
| Mexican | 1.68% |
| Russian | 1.66% |
Communities
editCities
editCensus-designated places
editEducation
editSchool districts include:[21]
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ In 1980, the United States Census Bureau divided the Unorganized Borough into 12 census areas.
- ^ a b "2020 Census Data - Cities and Census Designated Places" (Web). State of Alaska, Department of Labor and Workforce Development. Retrieved October 31, 2021.
- ^ a b "State & County QuickFacts". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on May 19, 2014. Retrieved May 18, 2014.
- ^ "Land area in square miles, 2010" (Web). U.S. Census Bureau Quick Facts. Retrieved November 20, 2021.
- ^ "US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990". United States Census Bureau. February 12, 2011. Retrieved April 23, 2011.
- ^ Elections, RRH (February 2, 2018). "RRH Elections". rrhelections.com. Retrieved January 12, 2020.
- ^ "Annual Estimates of the Resident Population for Counties: April 1, 2020 to July 1, 2023". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved March 28, 2024.
- ^ "U.S. Decennial Census". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved May 18, 2014.
- ^ "Historical Census Browser". University of Virginia Library. Archived from the original on August 11, 2012. Retrieved May 18, 2014.
- ^ "Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on February 1, 2014. Retrieved May 18, 2014.
- ^ "Census 2000 PHC-T-4. Ranking Tables for Counties: 1990 and 2000" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. Archived (PDF) from the original on December 18, 2014. Retrieved May 18, 2014.
- ^ "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved May 14, 2011.
- ^ "Yukon–Koyukuk (CA) County, Alaska: Language Use". Archived from the original on July 22, 2011. Retrieved October 14, 2011.
- ^ "2020 Census Demographic Data Map Viewer".
- ^ "DP05: ACS DEMOGRAPHIC AND HOUSING ESTIMATES".
- ^ "B04006: PEOPLE REPORTING ANCESTRY".
- ^ "B02018: ASIAN ALONE OR IN ANY COMBINATION BY SELECTED GROUPS".
- ^ "AMERICAN INDIAN AND ALASKA NATIVE (AIAN) ALONE OR IN ANY COMBINATION BY SELECTED TRIBAL GROUPINGS".
- ^ "B02019: NATIVE HAWAIIAN AND OTHER PACIFIC ISLANDER ALONE OR IN ANY COMBINATION BY SELECTED GROUPS".
- ^ "B03001: HISPANIC OR LATINO ORIGIN BY SPECIFIC ORIGIN".
- ^ "2020 CENSUS - SCHOOL DISTRICT REFERENCE MAP: Yukon-Koyukuk Census Area, AK" (PDF). U.S. Census Bureau. Archived (PDF) from the original on October 9, 2022. Retrieved July 31, 2022. - Text list
External links
edit