Kusilvak Census Area, Alaska

Census area in Alaska, United States

Borough in Alaska

Kusilvak Census Area

Borough

Aerial view of Tutakoke Bird Camp, Coast of the Bering Sea just south of Hooper Bay, near Chevak, Alaska.

Location within the U.S. state of Alaska

Alaska's location within the U.S.

Coordinates: 62°05′N 163°32′W﻿ / ﻿62.09°N 163.53°W﻿ / 62.09; -163.53
Country|  United States
State|  Alaska
Established| 1980[1][2]
Named after| Kusilvak Mountains
Largest city| Hooper Bay
Area

• Total

| 19,673 sq mi (50,950 km2)
• Land| 17,081 sq mi (44,240 km2)
• Water| 2,592 sq mi (6,710 km2)  13.2%
Population

(2020)

• Total

| 8,278
• Density| 0.44/sq mi (0.17/km2)
Time zone| UTC−9 (Alaska)
• Summer (DST)| UTC−8 (ADT)
Congressional district| At-large

Kusilvak Census Area, formerly known as Wade Hampton Census Area, is a census area located in the U.S. state of Alaska. As of the 2020 census, the population was 8,368,[3] up from 7,459 in 2010.[4] It is part of the Unorganized Borough and therefore has no borough seat. Its largest community is the city of Hooper Bay, on the Bering Sea coast.

The census area's per capita income makes it the fourth-poorest county-equivalent in the United States.[citation needed] In 2014, it had the highest percentage of unemployed people of any county or census area in the United States, at 23.7 percent.[5]

Additionally the area has the largest percentage of indigenous people with 96.9% of the population belonging to an indigenous group.

## History

[edit]

The census area was originally named for Wade Hampton III, a South Carolina politician whose son-in-law, John Randolph Tucker, a territorial judge in Nome, posthumously named a mining district in western Alaska for him in 1913. The district eventually became the census area, retaining its name. Over the next century, the name became increasingly controversial, with Native residents and others arguing Hampton's name did not represent Alaska and that his personal history as a slave-holding Civil War general was a blemish on the region.[6] In July 2015, Alaska Governor Bill Walker formally notified the U.S. Census Bureau that the census area was being renamed after the Kusilvak Mountains, its highest range.[7]

## Geography

[edit]

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the census area has a total area of 19,673 square miles (50,950 km2), of which 17,081 square miles (44,240 km2) is land and 2,592 square miles (6,710 km2) (13.2%) is water.[8]

### Adjacent boroughs and census areas

[edit]

* Nome Census Area, Alaska – north
* Yukon–Koyukuk Census Area, Alaska – east
* Bethel Census Area, Alaska – south

### National protected area

[edit]

* Yukon Delta National Wildlife Refuge (part)
* Andreafsky Wilderness (part)

## Demographics

[edit]

Historical population Census| Pop.| Note| %±

|
|
|

1960| 3,128| | —
1970| 3,917| | 25.2%
1980| 4,665| | 19.1%
1990| 5,791| | 24.1%
2000| 7,028| | 21.4%
2010| 7,459| | 6.1%
2020| 8,368| | 12.2%
2023 (est.)| 8,001| [9]| −4.4%
U.S. Decennial Census[10]
1790–1960[11] 1900–1990[12]
1990–2000[13] 2010–2020[4]

As of the census[14] of 2000, there were 7,028 people, 1,602 households, and 1,296 families residing in the census area. The population density was 0.35 people per square mile (0.14 people/km2). There were 2,063 housing units at an average density of /sq mi (0/km2). The racial makeup of the census area was 92.53% Native American, 4.74% White, 0.06% Black or African American, 0.10% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 0.03% from other races, and 2.52% from two or more races. 0.33% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. 50.00% of the population reported speaking English at home, while 49.75% spoke Central Alaskan Yup'ik.[15]

In the 2006 American community survey, the Kusilvak Census Area had the largest increase in Hispanic population since 2000 with a 1572.73% increase.[16]

There were 1,602 households, out of which 59.70% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 47.40% were married couples living together, 20.30% had a female householder with no husband present, and 19.10% were non-families. Sixteen percent of all households were made up of individuals, and 1.80% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 4.38 and the average family size was 4.95.

In the census area 46.60% of the population was under the age of 18 (the highest such percentage among county equivalents in the United States), 9.70% was from 18 to 24, 25.60% from 25 to 44, 13.10% from 45 to 64, and 5.00% was 65 years of age or older. The median age was 20 years, making the Census Area the youngest county in the United States.[17] For every 100 females, there were 109.00 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 107.70 males.

The census area's per capita income makes it one of the poorest places in the United States.

### 2020 Census

[edit]

Kusilvak Census Area, Alaska – Racial composition Race (NH = Non-Hispanic) | 2020[18] | 2010[19] | 2000[20] | 1990[21] | 1980[22]

|
|
|
|
|

White alone (NH)  | 2.1%
(173) | 2.7%
(199) | 4.7%
(330) | 5.9%
(342) | 5.1%
(236)
Black alone (NH)  | 0.2%
(16) | 0%
(1) | 0.1%
(4) | 0.2%
(12) | 0%
(0)
American Indian alone (NH)  | 95%
(7,946) | 94.9%
(7,082) | 92.3%
(6,486) | 93.2%
(5,397) | 94.7%
(4,418)
Asian alone (NH)  | 0.3%
(23) | 0.2%
(17) | 0.1%
(7) | 0.4%
(22) | 0%
(2)
Pacific Islander alone (NH)  | 0%
(0) | 0%
(0) | 0%
(1)
Other race alone (NH)  | 0.2%
(14) | 0%
(3) | 0%
(1) | 0%
(1) | 0%
(3)
Multiracial (NH)  | 2.2%
(182) | 2%
(150) | 2.5%
(176) | —  | —
Hispanic/Latino (any race)  | 0.2%
(14) | 0.1%
(7) | 0.3%
(23) | 0.3%
(17) | 0.1%
(6)

The most reported detailed ancestries were:[23]

* Native Village of Hooper Bay (Naparyarmiut) (14.3%)
* Yup'ik (Yup'ik Eskimo) (10.4%)
* Village of Alakanuk (7.9%)
* Asa'carsarmiut Tribe (7%)
* Chevak Native Village (6.6%)
* Emmonak Village (4.8%)
* Iqugmuit Traditional Council (4.4%)
* Village of Kotlik (4.3%)
* Algaaciq Native Village (St. Mary's) (3.7%)
* Native Village of Marshall (Fortuna Ledge) (3.4%)

## Communities

[edit]

### Cities

[edit]

* Alakanuk
* Chevak
* Emmonak
* Hooper Bay
* Kotlik
* Marshall
* Mountain Village
* Nunam Iqua (formerly Sheldon Point)
* Pilot Station
* Russian Mission
* Scammon Bay
* St. Mary's

### Census-designated place

[edit]

* Pitkas Point

### Unincorporated communities

[edit]

* Bill Moore's Slough[24]
* Chuloonawick
* Hamilton[25]
* Ohogamiut

## Politics

[edit]

United States presidential election results for Kusilvak Census Area, Alaska[26] Year  | Republican | Democratic | Third party(ies)

|
|
|

No. | % | No. | % | No. | %
2024 | 579  | 36.88%  | 820  | 52.23% | 171  | 10.89%
2020 | 569  | 29.18%  | 1,209  | 62.00% | 172  | 8.82%
2016 | 405  | 19.71%  | 1,215  | 59.12% | 435  | 21.17%
2012 | 390  | 17.50%  | 1,715  | 76.97% | 123  | 5.52%
2008 | 906  | 39.89%  | 1,269  | 55.88% | 96  | 4.23%
2004 | 842  | 49.62% | 753  | 44.37%  | 102  | 6.01%
2000 | 960  | 48.90% | 831  | 42.33%  | 172  | 8.76%
1996 | 578  | 31.71%  | 1,001  | 54.91% | 244  | 13.38%
1992 | 759  | 42.78% | 700  | 39.46%  | 315  | 17.76%
1988 | 817  | 52.30% | 681  | 43.60%  | 64  | 4.10%
1984 | 847  | 47.83%  | 850  | 48.00% | 74  | 4.18%
1980 | 366  | 26.41%  | 866  | 62.48% | 154  | 11.11%

Kusilvak Census Area has only backed a Republican for president four times since it was created in 1980.

## See also

[edit]

* Alaska portal

* Kusilvak Census Area, Alaska topics
* List of mountain peaks of Alaska

## References

[edit]

1. ^ In 1980, the United States Census Bureau divided the Unorganized Borough into 12 census areas.
2. ^ Acquired its current name in 2015.
3. ^ "2020 Census Data - Cities and Census Designated Places" (Web). State of Alaska, Department of Labor and Workforce Development. Retrieved October 31, 2021.
4. ^ a b "State & County QuickFacts". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on May 19, 2014. Retrieved May 18, 2014.
5. ^ "Labor Force Data by County, 2014 Annual Averages". U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Retrieved July 27, 2015.
6. ^ Demer, Lisa (April 25, 2015). "In Western Alaska, a push to rename district that honors slave-owning Confederate general". Alaska Dispatch News.
7. ^ Demer, Lisa (July 2, 2015). "Wade Hampton no more: Alaska census area named for confederate officer gets new moniker". Alaska Dispatch News. Retrieved July 2, 2015.
8. ^ "US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990". United States Census Bureau. February 12, 2011. Retrieved April 23, 2011.
9. ^ "Annual Estimates of the Resident Population for Counties: April 1, 2020 to July 1, 2023". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved March 28, 2024.
10. ^ "U.S. Decennial Census". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved May 18, 2014.
11. ^ "Historical Census Browser". University of Virginia Library. Retrieved May 18, 2014.
12. ^ "Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved May 18, 2014.
13. ^ "Census 2000 PHC-T-4. Ranking Tables for Counties: 1990 and 2000" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. Archived (PDF) from the original on October 9, 2022. Retrieved May 18, 2014.
14. ^ "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved May 14, 2011.
15. ^ "Language Map Data Center".
16. ^ "Hispanic Population of the United States". Archived from the original on January 3, 2011. Retrieved May 25, 2011.
17. ^ G. Scott Thomas (August 31, 2012). "Population extremes: The youngest and oldest places in America". The Business Journals.
18. ^ "HISPANIC OR LATINO, AND NOT HISPANIC OR LATINO BY RACE (2020)". data.census.gov. U.S. Census Bureau.
19. ^ "HISPANIC OR LATINO, AND NOT HISPANIC OR LATINO BY RACE (2010)". data.census.gov. U.S. Census Bureau.
20. ^ Alaska: 2000 (PDF). U.S. Census Bureau. pp. 30–31.
21. ^ Alaska: 1990 (PDF). U.S. Census Bureau. p. 9.
22. ^ General Social and Economic Characteristics: Alaska (PDF). U.S. Census Bureau. p. 18.
23. ^ "Detailed Races and Ethnicities in the United States and Puerto Rico: 2020 Census". census.gov. U.S. Census Bureau.
24. ^ "Village of Bill Moore's Slough, National American Indian Court Judges Association". Archived from the original on March 21, 2017. Retrieved March 20, 2017.
25. ^ The History of Hamilton, Explore North
26. ^ Elections, RRH (February 2, 2018). "RRH Elections". rrhelections.com. Retrieved January 12, 2020.

## External links

[edit]

Kusilvak Census Area, Alaska at Wikipedia's sister projects

* Definitions from Wiktionary
* Media from Commons
* News from Wikinews
* Quotations from Wikiquote
* Texts from Wikisource
* Textbooks from Wikibooks
* Resources from Wikiversity

* Census Area map: Alaska Department of Labor

Places adjacent to Kusilvak Census Area, Alaska

|  | Nome Census Area |

|
|

|  |
Bering Sea |

Kusilvak Census Area, Alaska

| Yukon-Koyukuk Census Area
|  |
| Bethel Census Area |

* v
* t
* e

Municipalities and communities of Kusilvak Census Area, Alaska, United States

Cities|

* Alakanuk
* Chevak
* Emmonak
* Hooper Bay
* Kotlik
* Marshall
* Mountain Village
* Nunam Iqua
* Pilot Station
* Russian Mission
* St. Mary's
* Scammon Bay

Kusilvak Census Area map

CDP|

* Pitkas Point

Unincorporated
communities|

* Paimiut

* Alaska portal
* United States portal

* v
* t
* e

State of Alaska

Juneau (capital)

Topics|

* Index
* Climate
* Geography
* Geology
* Earthquakes
* Government
* Delegations
* History
* Music
* People
* Symbols
* Transportation
* Wildlife

Society|

* Abortion
* Cannabis
* Climate change
* Crime
* Demographics
* Economy
* Education
* Elections
* Gun laws
* Homelessness
* LGBT rights
* Rural dentistry
* Politics
* Sports

Regions|

* The Bush
* Arctic
* Aleutian Islands
* Alaska Peninsula
* North Slope
* Southwest
* Yukon–Kuskokwim Delta
* Inside Passage
* Interior
* Kenai Peninsula
* Mat‑Su Valley
* Seward Peninsula
* Southcentral
* Southeast
* Tanana Valley

Largest cities
pop. over 25,000|

* Anchorage
* Fairbanks
* Juneau

Smaller cities
pop. over 2,000|

* Bethel
* Cordova
* Dillingham
* Homer
* Kenai
* Ketchikan
* Kodiak
* Kotzebue
* Nome
* North Pole
* Palmer
* Petersburg
* Seward
* Sitka
* Soldotna
* Unalaska
* Valdez
* Wasilla
* Wrangell
* Utqiaġvik

Boroughs|

* Aleutians East
* Anchorage
* Bristol Bay
* Denali
* Fairbanks North Star
* Haines
* Juneau
* Kenai Peninsula
* Ketchikan Gateway
* Kodiak Island
* Lake and Peninsula
* Matanuska‑Susitna
* North Slope
* Northwest Arctic
* Petersburg
* Sitka
* Skagway
* Wrangell
* Yakutat
* Unorganized

Native corporations|

* Arctic Slope Regional Corporation
* Bering Straits Native Corporation
* NANA Regional Corporation
* Calista Corporation
* Doyon, Limited
* Cook Inlet Region, Inc.
* Bristol Bay Native Corporation
* The Aleut Corporation
* Chugach Alaska Corporation
* Sealaska Corporation
* Koniag, Incorporated
* Ahtna, Incorporated
* The 13th Regional Corporation

Census Areas|

* Aleutians West
* Bethel
* Chugach
* Copper River
* Dillingham
* Hoonah–Angoon
* Kusilvak
* Nome
* Prince of Wales–Hyder
* Southeast Fairbanks
* Yukon–Koyukuk

Alaska portal

* v
* t
* e

The 113 most isolated major summits of the United States of America

1. Denali
2. Mauna Kea
3. Mount Whitney
4. Mount Mitchell
5. Agrihan Island HP
6. Mount Washington
7. Mount Rainier
8. Mount Elbert
9. Shishaldin Volcano
10. Tanaga Volcano
11. Mount Isto
12. Signal Hill
13. Mount Shasta
14. Gannett Peak
15. Mount Osborn
16. Mount Igikpak
17. Humphreys Peak
18. Cerro de Punta
19. Wheeler Peak
20. Mount Vsevidof
21. Mount Veniaminof
22. Kawaikini
23. Dillingham HP
24. Hall Island HP
25. Spruce Knob
26. Kings Peak
27. Sierra Blanca Peak
28. Anatahan Island HP
29. San Gorgonio Mountain
30. Katahdin
31. Peak 4030
32. Tooth Benchmark
33. Mount Baldy
34. Borah Peak
35. Lata Mountain
36. Cloud Peak
37. Black Elk Peak
38. Slide Mountain
39. Mount Griggs
40. Charleston Peak
41. Junipero Serra Peak
42. Mount Baker
43. Mount Marcy
44. Mount Hayes
45. Mount Marcus Baker
46. Sacajawea Peak
47. Steens Mountain
48. Mount Fairweather
49. Delano Peak
50. Mount Olympus
51. Black Mountain
52. Blanca Peak
53. Mount Tozi
54. Mount Cleveland
55. Mount Jefferson
56. Mount Torbert
57. Mount Chiginagak
58. Hualapai Peak
59. Baldy Peak
60. Ruby Dome
61. Pavlof Volcano
62. Truuli Peak
63. South Baldy
64. Great Sitkin Volcano
65. Eagle Peak
66. Mount Taylor
67. Accomplishment Peak
68. Granite Peak
69. Kiska Volcano
70. Korovin Volcano
71. Uncompahgre Peak
72. Devils Paw
73. Kaʻala
74. Koniag Peak
75. Cache Peak
76. Makushin Volcano
77. Snowshoe Peak
78. Mount Pinos
79. Granite Peak
80. Mount Graham
81. West Butte
82. Alamagan Island HP
83. Veniaminof Peak
84. McDonald Peak
85. Hilgard Peak
86. Haleakalā
87. Mount Nebo
88. Tweedy Mountain
89. Blackburn Hills
90. Buldir Volcano
91. Mount Tom White
92. Mount Peale
93. Guadalupe Peak
94. Cinnabar Mountain
95. Lassen Peak
96. Kuwohi
97. Anvil Peak
98. Mount McLoughlin
99. Grand Teton
100. Kaibab Plateau HP
101. Star Peak
102. White Mountain Peak
103. Laramie Peak
104. Miller Peak
105. Kusilvak HP
106. Copernicus Peak
107. Sugarloaf Mountain
108. Asuncion Island HP
109. Chiricahua Peak
110. Mount Harper
111. Mount Angayukaqsraq
112. Mount Prindle
113. Bearpaw Baldy

Authority control databases

International|

* VIAF

National|

* United States
* Israel

Other|

* Yale LUX

62°05′N 163°32′W﻿ / ﻿62.09°N 163.53°W﻿ / 62.09; -163.53
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