# Yukon–Koyukuk Census Area, Alaska

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, down from 5,588 in 2010. With an area of 147,842.51 sq mi (382,910.3 km$^2$), it is the largest of any county or county-equivalent in the United States, or slightly larger than the entire state of Montana. 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.

## Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the census area has 147,805 square miles (382,810 km$^2$), of which 145,505 square miles (376,860 km$^2$) is land and 2,300 square miles (6,000 km$^2$) (1.6%) is water. 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/km$^2$), is the lowest in the United States.

### Adjacent boroughs and census areas

* 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

* Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (part)
** Mollie Beattie Wilderness (part)
* Gates of the Arctic National Park and Preserve (part)
** Gates of the Arctic Wilderness (part)
* Innoko National Wildlife Refuge
** Innoko Wilderness
* 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

## Demographics

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 (57.7km$^2$) 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/km$^2$). 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% were Hispanic or Latino of any race. 12.95% reported speaking an Athabaskan language at home; of these 35.26% spoke Gwich'in and 10.94% Koyukon.
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

Races (alone or in combination with other) in Yukon–Koyukuk Census Area (2020 United States census) :
| 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% |
Top Ten Most Self-Reported Ancestries in Yukon–Koyukuk Census Area (American Community Survey 2020 five year estimates) :
| 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
### Cities

* Allakaket
* Anvik
* Bettles
* Fort Yukon
* Galena
* Grayling
* Holy Cross
* Hughes
* Huslia
* Kaltag
* Koyukuk
* McGrath
* Nenana
* Nikolai
* Nulato
* Ruby
* Shageluk
* Tanana

### Census-designated places

* Alatna
* Arctic Village
* Beaver
* Birch Creek
* Central
* Chalkyitsik
* Circle
* Coldfoot
* Evansville
* Flat
* Four Mile Road
* Holy Cross
* Lake Minchumina
* Livengood
* Manley Hot Springs
* Minto
* New Allakaket
* Rampart
* Stevens Village
* Takotna
* Venetie
* Wiseman

## Education

School districts include:
* Alaska Gateway School District
* Galena City School District
* Iditarod Area School District
* Nenana City School District
* Tanana City School District
* Yukon Flats School District
* Yukon–Koyukuk School District

## Politics

Like 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.
United States presidential election results for Yukon–Koyukuk Census Area, Alaska :
| Year | Republican | Republican | Democratic | Democratic | Third party(ies) | Third party(ies) |
| Year | No. | % | No. | % | No. | % |
| 2024 | 851 | 35.80% | 1,386 | 58.31% | 140 | 5.89% |
| 2020 | 925 | 36.27% | 1,480 | 58.04% | 145 | 5.69% |
| 2016 | 789 | 30.33% | 1,405 | 54.02% | 407 | 15.65% |
| 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% |