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List of most populous cities in Alaska by decade

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This list tracks and ranks the population of the ten most populous cities and other settlements in the State of Alaska by decade, as reported by each decennial United States Census, starting with the 1880 Census.[citation needed]

The ten largest "places" from 1880 through 1900 are all unincorporated as there were no incorporated places recorded during those censuses. The top 10 places listed areas from 1910 through 2020 are all separate incorporated places.[citation needed]

This list generally refers only to the population of individual places within their defined limits at the time of the indicated census.[note 1] Some of these places have since been annexed or merged into other cities. Other places may have expanded their borders due to such annexation or consolidation.

Six consolidated city-borough governments exist; Juneau City and Borough, Skagway Municipality, Sitka City and Borough, Yakutat City and Borough, Wrangell City and Borough, as well as the state's most populous city, Anchorage. Though its legal name is the Municipality of Anchorage, it is considered a consolidated city-borough under state law.

1880

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See also: 1880 United States Census § City rankings

There were no incorporated places recorded during the census. The following are ten largest unincorporated villages that were enumerated separately. The territory was divided into six divisions.[1]

Rank Unincorporated village Division Population[1] Notes
1 Sitka Southeastern 916
2 Hoonah Southeastern 800 Returned as "Koudekan" in census reports.[1]
3 Klukwan Southeastern 565 Returned as "Kluckquan" in census reports.[1]
4 Angoon Southeastern 420 Returned as "Augoon" in census reports.[1]
5 Unalaska Aleutian 406 Returned as "Iliuliuk" in census reports.[1][2]
6 Noatak Arctic 400 Returned as "Noatagamut" in census reports.[1][3]
7 Wales Arctic 400 Returned as "Kingigamute" in census reports.[1][4]
8 Karluk Kodiak 302
9 Yakutat Southeastern 300
10 St. Paul Kuskokwim 298

1890

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See also: 1890 United States Census § City rankings

There were no incorporated places recorded during the census. The following are ten largest unincorporated settlements that were enumerated separately. The territory was divided into seven districts.[5]

Rank Unincorporated village District Population[5] Notes
1 Juneau 1st, Southeastern 1,253
2 Sitka 1st, Southeastern 1,190
3 Karluk 2nd, Kodiak 1,123
4 Metlakatla 1st, Southeastern 823
5 Kodiak 2nd, Kodiak 495 Returned as "Kadiak" in census reports.[5]
6 Wales 7th, Arctic 488 Returned as "Kingaghee in census reports.[5]
7 Port Clarence 7th, Arctic 485
8 Hoonah 1st, Southeastern 438 Returned as "Huna" in census reports.[5]
9 Afognak 2nd, Kodiak 420
10 Akhiok 2nd, Kodiak 409 Returned as "Alitak" in census reports.[5]

1900

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See also: 1900 United States Census § City rankings

There were no incorporated places recorded during the census. The following are ten largest unincorporated settlements that were enumerated separately. Only two "districts" existed as the subdivisions couldn't be further ascertained.[6]

Rank Unincorporated place District Population[6] Notes
1 Nome Northern 12,488
2 Skagway Southern 3,117
3 Juneau Southern 1,864
4 Sitka Southern 1,396
5 Wrangell Southern 868
6 St. Michael Northern 857
7 Douglas Southern 825
8 Point Hope Northern 623
9 Koggiung Southern 533
10 Treadwell Southern 522

1910

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See also: 1910 United States Census § City rankings

In 1910 census, all incorporated places in the dataset were referred to as "towns". "Villages" and other areas were unincorporated. The territory was also divided into four judicial divisions.[7]

Rank Incorporated town Judicial Division Population[7] Notes
1 Fairbanks Fourth 3,541
2 Nome Second 2,600
3 Douglas First 1,722
4 Juneau First 1,644
5 Ketchikan First 1,613
6 Treadwell First 1,222
7 Cordova Third 1,152
8 Skagway First 872
9 Valdez Third 810
10 Wrangell First 743

1920

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See also: 1920 United States Census § City rankings
Rank Incorporated town Judicial Division Population[8] Notes
1 Juneau First 3,058
2 Ketchikan First 2,458
3 Sitka First 1,175
4 Fairbanks Fourth 1,155
5 Cordova Third 955
6 Douglas First 919
7 Petersburg First 879
8 Nome Second 852
9 Wrangell First 821
10 Seward Third 652

1930

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See also: 1930 United States Census § City rankings

The 1930 census for Alaska was conducted October 1, 1929.[citation needed]

Rank Incorporated town Judicial Division Population[9] Notes
1 Juneau First 4,043
2 Ketchikan First 3,796
3 Anchorage Third 2,277 Although enumerated separately, Anchorage was classified as "unincorporated" in 1920.[8]
4 Fairbanks Fourth 2,101
5 Petersburg First 1,252
6 Nome Second 1,213
7 Sitka First 1,056
8 Cordova Third 980
9 Wrangell First 948
10 Seward Third 835

1940

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See also: 1940 United States Census § City rankings

The 1940 census for Alaska was conducted October 1, 1939.[citation needed]

Rank Incorporated place Judicial Division Population[10] Notes
1 Juneau First 5,729
2 Ketchikan First 4,695
3 Anchorage Third 3,495
4 Fairbanks Fourth 3,455
5 Sitka First 1,987
6 Nome Second 1,559
7 Petersburg First 1,353
8 Wrangell First 1,162
9 Seward Third 949
10 Cordova Third 938

1950

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See also: 1950 United States Census § City rankings

For the first time since the first census in 1880, all ten incorporated places surpassed 1,000 residents.

Rank Incorporated place Judicial Division Population[11] Notes
1 Anchorage Third 11,254
2 Juneau First 5,956
3 Fairbanks Fourth 5,771
4 Ketchikan First 5,305
5 Seward Third 2,114
6 Sitka First 1,985
7 Nome Second 1,876
8 Kodiak Third 1,710
9 Petersburg First 1,619
10 Wrangell First 1,263

1960

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See also: 1960 United States Census § City rankings

The 1960 Census was the first census taken since statehood in 1959. Method of divisions changed from four judicial divisions to twenty-four election districts.

Rank Incorporated place Election District # Population[12] Notes
1 Anchorage 10 44,237
2 Fairbanks 19 13,311
3 Juneau 5 6,797
4 Ketchikan 2 6,483
5 Sitka 4 3,237
6 Kodiak 13 2,628
7 Nome 23 2,316
8 Seward 11 1,891
9 Petersburg 3 1,502
10 Wrangell 3 1,315

1970

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See also: 1970 United States Census § City rankings

The 1970 Census saw the method of divisions changed once again from Election Districts to Boroughs and Census Areas.

Rank Incorporated place Borough/Census Area Population[13] Notes
1 Anchorage Greater Anchorage Area Borough 48,029
2 Fairbanks Fairbanks North Star Borough 14,771
3 Ketchikan Ketchikan Gateway Borough 6,994
4 Juneau Juneau Borough 6,050
5 Kodiak Kodiak Island Borough 3,798
6 Kenai Kenai Peninsula Borough 3,533
7 Sitka Sitka 3,370
8 Nome Nome 2,488
9 Bethel Bethel 2,416
10 Barrow Barrow 2,104

1980

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See also: 1980 United States Census § City rankings
Rank Incorporated place Borough/Census Area Population[14] Notes
1 Anchorage Anchorage Municipality 174,431 City of Anchorage merged with Greater Anchorage Area Borough in 1975 to form the Municipality of Anchorage.[15]
2 Fairbanks Fairbanks North Star Borough 22,645
3 Juneau City & Borough of Juneau 19,528 The City of Juneau and the Borough of Juneau merged in 1970, which includes the former city of Douglas.[16]
4 Sitka City & Borough of Sitka 7,803 The City of Sitka and Greater Sitka Borough merged in 1971.[17]
5 Ketchikan Ketchikan Gateway Borough 7,198
6 Kodiak Kodiak Island Borough 4,756
7 Kenai Kenai Peninsula Borough 4,324
8 Bethel Bethel 3,576
9 Valdez Valdez-Cordova 3,079
10 Petersburg Wrangell-Petersburg 2,821

1990

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See also: 1990 United States Census § City rankings
Rank Incorporated place Borough/Census Area Population[18] Notes
1 Anchorage Anchorage Municipality 226,338
2 Fairbanks Fairbanks North Star Borough 30,843
3 Juneau City & Borough of Juneau 26,751
4 Sitka City & Borough of Sitka 8,588
5 Ketchikan Ketchikan Gateway Borough 8,283
6 Kodiak Kodiak Island Borough 6,365
7 Kenai Kenai Peninsula Borough 6,327
8 Bethel Bethel 4,674
9 Valdez Valdez-Cordova 4,068
10 Wasilla Matanuska-Susitna Borough 4,028

2000

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See also: 2000 United States Census § City rankings
Rank Incorporated place Borough/Census Area Population[19] Notes
1 Anchorage Anchorage Municipality 260,283
2 Juneau City & Borough of Juneau 30,711
3 Fairbanks Fairbanks North Star Borough 30,224
4 Sitka City & Borough of Sitka 8,835
5 Ketchikan Ketchikan Gateway Borough 7,922
6 Kenai Kenai Peninsula Borough 6,942
7 Kodiak Kodiak Island Borough 6,334
8 Bethel Bethel 5,471
9 Wasilla Matanuska-Susitna Borough 5,469
10 Barrow North Slope Borough 4,581

2010

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See also: 2010 United States Census § City rankings
Rank Incorporated place Borough/Census Area Population[20] Notes
1 Anchorage Anchorage Municipality 291,826
2 Fairbanks Fairbanks North Star Borough 31,535
3 Juneau City & Borough of Juneau 31,275
4 Sitka City & Borough of Sitka 8,881
5 Ketchikan Ketchikan Gateway Borough 8,050
6 Wasilla Matanuska-Susitna Borough 7,831
7 Kenai Kenai Peninsula Borough 7,100
8 Kodiak Kodiak Island Borough 6,130
9 Bethel Bethel 6,080
10 Palmer Matanuska-Susitna Borough 5,937

2020

[edit]
See also: 2020 United States Census § City rankings
Rank Incorporated place Borough/ Census Area Population[21] Notes
1 Anchorage Anchorage Municipality 291,247
2 Fairbanks Fairbanks North Star Borough 32,515
3 Juneau City & Borough of Juneau 32,255
4 Wasilla Matanuska-Susitna Borough 9,054
5 Sitka City & Borough of Sitka 8,458
6 Ketchikan Ketchikan Gateway Borough 8,192
7 Kenai Kenai Peninsula Borough 7,424
8 Bethel Bethel 6,325
9 Palmer Matanuska-Susitna Borough 5,888
10 Kodiak Kodiak Island Borough 5,581

See also

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References

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Notes

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  1. ^ In the earlier censuses, the rankings were not definite due to the fact that not all places were enumerated separately.

Sources

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  1. ^ a b c d e f g h "Population and Resources of Alaska - 1880"
  2. ^ "Geological Survey Professional Paper". U.S. Government Printing Office. 3 April 2018. Retrieved 23 October 2022 – via Google Books.
  3. ^ "Geological Survey Professional Paper". 1949.
  4. ^ "Geological Survey Professional Paper". U.S. Government Printing Office. 26 August 2018 – via Google Books.
  5. ^ a b c d e f "1890 census of population - Population and Resources of Alaska -1890"
  6. ^ a b "1900 Census: Volume I. Population, Part 1"
  7. ^ a b "1910 Census Supplement for Alaska"
  8. ^ a b "1920 Census: Volume 1. Population, Number and Distribution of Inhabitants"
  9. ^ "1930 Census: Volume 3. Population, Reports by States ,Showing the Composition and Characteristics of the Population for Counties, Cities, and Townships or Other Minor Civil Divisions"
  10. ^ "Number of Inhabitants and Characteristics of the Population for Alaska: 1939"
  11. ^ "1950 Census of Population: Number of Inhabitants - Alaska"
  12. ^ "1960 Census of Population"
  13. ^ "1970 Census of Population"
  14. ^ "1980 Census of Population and Housing: ALASKA"
  15. ^ "Municode Library". Archived from the original on August 24, 2021. Retrieved August 24, 2021.
  16. ^ Miller, Marian (9 June 1997). "An Outline History of Juneau Municipal Government". City and Borough of Juneau. Archived from the original on July 15, 2006. Retrieved 23 October 2022.
  17. ^ Home Rule Charter of the City and Borough of Sitka Archived 2007-02-03 at the Wayback Machine
  18. ^ "1990 Census of Population and Housing Population and Housing Unit Counts"
  19. ^ "2000 Census of Population and Housing Population and Housing Unit Counts"
  20. ^ "U.S. Census Population and Housing Unit Counts for Alaska" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. Retrieved October 13, 2022.
  21. ^ "2020 Census Redistricting Data for Alaska". United States Census Bureau. August 12, 2021. Retrieved October 13, 2022.
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