Northwest Arctic Borough, Alaska

Borough in Alaska, United States

Borough in Alaska

Northwest Arctic Borough

Borough

The Kotzebue Sound as seen from Cape Krusenstern National Monument.

Seal

Location within the U.S. state of Alaska

Alaska's location within the U.S.

Coordinates: 67°N 160°W﻿ / ﻿67°N 160°W﻿ / 67; -160
Country|  United States
State|  Alaska
Incorporated| June 2, 1986[1]
Named after| Northwest and Arctic location
Seat| Kotzebue
Largest city| Kotzebue
Government

• Mayor| Dickie Moto[2]
Area

• Total

| 40,749 sq mi (105,540 km2)
• Land| 35,573 sq mi (92,130 km2)
• Water| 5,176 sq mi (13,410 km2)  12.7%
Population

(2020)

• Total

| 7,793

• Estimate

(2024)

| 7,134
• Density| 0.19/sq mi (0.074/km2)
Time zone| UTC−9 (Alaska)
• Summer (DST)| UTC−8 (ADT)
Congressional district| At-large
Website| www.nwabor.org

Northwest Arctic Borough is a borough located in the U.S. state of Alaska. As of the 2020 census, the population was 7,793,[3] up from 7,523 in 2010.[4] The borough seat is Kotzebue.[5] The borough was formed on June 2, 1986.

## Geography

[edit]

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the borough has a total area of 40,749 square miles (105,540 km2), of which 35,573 square miles (92,130 km2) is land and 5,176 square miles (13,410 km2) (12.7%) is water.[6] By land area, it is slightly larger than the state of Maine.

Its coastline is limited by the Chukchi Sea. The Kotzebue Sound, a significant wildlife area, is a prominent water body within the Northwest Arctic Borough. The largest polar bear sighted in history, a male weighing 2,209 pounds (1,002 kg), was sighted at Kotzebue Sound.[7]

### Adjacent boroughs and census areas

[edit]

* North Slope Borough, Alaska \- north
* Yukon-Koyukuk Census Area, Alaska \- east
* Nome Census Area, Alaska \- south

### National protected areas

[edit]

* Alaska Maritime National Wildlife Refuge (part of the Chukchi Sea unit)
* Chamisso Wilderness
* Bering Land Bridge National Preserve (part)
* Cape Krusenstern National Monument
* Gates of the Arctic National Park and Preserve (part)
* Gates of the Arctic Wilderness (part)
* Kobuk Valley National Park
* Kobuk Valley Wilderness
* Koyukuk National Wildlife Refuge (part)
* Noatak National Preserve (part)
* Noatak Wilderness (part)
* Selawik National Wildlife Refuge (part)
* Selawik Wilderness

## Politics

[edit]

United States presidential election results for Northwest Arctic Borough, Alaska[8] Year  | Republican | Democratic | Third party(ies)

|
|
|

No.  | % | No.  | % | No.  | %
2024 | 713  | 47.50% | 648  | 43.17%  | 140  | 9.33%
2020 | 735  | 38.58%  | 1,031  | 54.12% | 139  | 7.30%
2016 | 563  | 25.79%  | 1,207  | 55.29% | 413  | 18.92%
2012 | 611  | 30.52%  | 1,309  | 65.38% | 82  | 4.10%
2008 | 1,328  | 56.08% | 952  | 40.20%  | 88  | 3.72%
2004 | 1,123  | 56.21% | 801  | 40.09%  | 74  | 3.70%
2000 | 1,081  | 50.89% | 818  | 38.51%  | 225  | 10.59%
1996 | 785  | 37.72%  | 1,032  | 49.59% | 264  | 12.69%
1992 | 871  | 39.99% | 825  | 37.88%  | 482  | 22.13%
1988 | 945  | 56.49% | 663  | 39.63%  | 65  | 3.89%
1984 | 1,146  | 58.89% | 745  | 38.28%  | 55  | 2.83%
1980 | 589  | 39.69%  | 732  | 49.33% | 163  | 10.98%
1976 | 476  | 38.83%  | 712  | 58.08% | 38  | 3.10%
1972 | 744  | 56.49% | 551  | 41.84%  | 22  | 1.67%
1968 | 501  | 49.36% | 467  | 46.01%  | 47  | 4.63%
1964 | 156  | 19.85%  | 630  | 80.15% | 0  | 0.00%
1960 | 555  | 68.94% | 250  | 31.06%  | 0  | 0.00%

Northwest Arctic Borough has backed the national winner all but five times since statehood.

## Demographics

[edit]

Historical population Census| Pop.| Note| %±

|
|
|

1960| 3,560| | —
1970| 4,434| | 24.6%
1980| 4,831| | 9.0%
1990| 6,113| | 26.5%
2000| 7,208| | 17.9%
2010| 7,523| | 4.4%
2020| 7,793| | 3.6%
2024 (est.)| 7,134| [9]| −8.5%
U.S. Decennial Census[10]
1790-1960[11] 1900-1990[12]
1990-2000[13] 2010-2020[4]

At the 2000 census,[14] there were 7,208 people, 1,780 households and 1,404 families residing in the borough. The population density was 0.18 per square mile (0.069/km2). There were 2,540 housing units at an average density of 0 per square mile (0/km2). The racial makeup of the borough was 12.32% White, 0.21% Black or African American, 82.46% Native American, 0.89% Asian, 0.06% Pacific Islander, 0.36% from other races, and 3.70% from two or more races. 0.79% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. 40.00% reported speaking Inupiat or "Eskimo" at home.[15]

There were 1,780 households, of which 55.20% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 47.90% were married couples living together, 19.70% had a female householder with no husband present, and 21.10% were non-families. 16.60% of all households were made up of individuals, and 2.10% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.87 and the average family size was 4.36.[4]

Age distribution was 41.50% under the age of 18, 10.00% from 18 to 24, 28.10% from 25 to 44, 15.50% from 45 to 64, and 5.00% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 24 years. For every 100 females, there were 114.50 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 120.70 males.[4]

### 2020 Census

[edit]

Races (alone or in combination with other) in Northwest Arctic Borough (2020 United States census) [16] Race | Percentage of Population

|

White | 13.99%
Black or African American | 1.72%
American Indian or Alaska Native | 88.13%
Asian | 1.45%
Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander | 0.46%
Some other race | 0.92%

## Communities

[edit]

### Cities

[edit]

* Ambler
* Buckland
* Deering
* Kiana
* Kivalina
* Kobuk
* Kotzebue
* Noorvik
* Selawik
* Shungnak

### Census-designated places

[edit]

* Noatak
* Red Dog Mine

## See also

[edit]

* Alaska portal

* List of airports in the Northwest Arctic Borough

## References

[edit]

1. ^ 1996 Alaska Municipal Officials Directory. Juneau: Alaska Municipal League/Alaska Department of Community and Regional Affairs. January 1996. p. 14.
2. ^ "Mayor's Office". Northwest Arctic Borough. January 21, 2016. Retrieved November 16, 2023.
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 c d "State & County QuickFacts". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on June 29, 2011. Retrieved May 18, 2014.
5. ^ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Retrieved June 7, 2011.
6. ^ "US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990". United States Census Bureau. February 12, 2011. Retrieved April 23, 2011.
7. ^ C. Michael Hogan (2008) Polar Bear: Ursus maritimus, Globaltwitcher.com, ed. N. Stromberg Archived March 8, 2012, at the Wayback Machine
8. ^ "RRH Elections". rrhelections.com. February 2, 2018. Retrieved December 24, 2021.
9. ^ "County Population Totals and Components of Change: 2020-2024". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved June 3, 2025.
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. ^ "Modern Language Association". Archived from the original on September 30, 2007. Retrieved January 13, 2007.
16. ^ "2020 Census Demographic Data Map Viewer".

## External links

[edit]

* Official website
* Borough map: Alaska Department of Labor
* Summaries of Division of Subsistence research projects in northwest Alaska / Division of Subsistence, Alaska Department of Fish and Game. hosted by the Alaska State Publications Program.
* Subsistence wildlife harvests in five northwest Alaska communities, 2001-2003 : results of a household survey / by Kawerak, Inc., Maniilaq Association, and the Alaska Department of Fish and Game; by Susan Georgette ... [et al.]. Hosted by Alaska State Publications Program.

Places adjacent to Northwest Arctic Borough, Alaska

|  | North Slope Borough |

|
|

|  |
Bering Sea |

Northwest Arctic Borough, Alaska

| Yukon-Koyukuk Census Area
|  |
| Nome Census Area |

* v
* t
* e

Municipalities and communities of Northwest Arctic Borough, Alaska, United States

Borough seat: Kotzebue

Cities|

* Ambler
* Buckland
* Deering
* Kiana
* Kivalina
* Kobuk
* Kotzebue
* Noorvik
* Selawik
* Shungnak

Northwest Arctic Borough map

CDPs|

* Noatak
* Red Dog Mine

Unincorporated
communities|

* Candle
* Espenberg
* Sisualik

Ghost towns|

* Kiwalik

* 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

Authority control databases

International|

* ISNI
* VIAF

National|

* United States
* Israel

Other|

* Yale LUX

67°00′N 160°00′W﻿ / ﻿67.00°N 160.00°W﻿ / 67.00; -160.00
*[Pop.]: Population
*[%±]: Percent change
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