Quinhagak, Alaska

Quinhagak (; also spelled Kwinhagak) is a city in the state of Alaska in the United States. It is in the Bethel Census Area. In 2020, there were 776 people living there.

Its name is Kuinerraq in the Central Alaskan Yup'ik language. This name was used as early as 1000 A.D.

 Location 
Quinhagak is located at . The city is on the Kanektok River. The Arolik River is nearby. It is about  from the Kuskokwim Bay of the Bering Sea.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city covers . It is  of land and  of water. About 12.5% of the city's area is water.

 Demographics 
In 2020, there were 776 people living in Quinhagak. These people made up 192 households. The population density was 189.3 people per square mile (73.1 people/km².) The people were 94.2% Native American, 1.7% white, and 4.0% multiple races. 0.4% were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

The median income (middle) for a household was $33,125 per year. The median income for a family was $38,750 per year. The per capita income for the whole city was $10,820. 39.2% of the population was below the poverty line.

 Economy 
Most of the people in Quinhagak are subsistence hunter-gatherers. This means that they hunt, fish, and pick berries and plants to eat but not to sell. There are lots of salmon, trout, birds, caribou, moose, and berries around the city. There is a little bit of work for money available through the government. The Lower Kuskokwim School District and the Native Village of Kwinhagak have some wage jobs. 

During the summer salmon season, there are some commercial fishing and canning jobs. In the summer, migrant workers come to Quinhagak to work salmon fishing and canning.

 History 

Just outside the community there is the Nunalleq archaeological site.  This site has been called "[o]ne of the most productive archaeological digs in North America". https://www.adn.com/alaska-news/rural-alaska/2023/09/16/archaeology-project-in-quinhagak-is-about-the-future-as-much-as-the-past/

 References 

Category:Cities in Alaska