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Alaska is a state of the United States in the northwest extremity of the North American continent. According to the 2020 United States Census, Alaska is the 3rd least populous state with 733,391 inhabitants but is the largest by land area spanning 570,640.95 square miles (1,477,953.3 km). Alaska is divided administratively into 19 organized boroughs and one Unorganized Borough (which is divided into 11 non-administrative census areas) and contains 149 incorporated cities: four unified home rule municipalities, which are considered both boroughs and cities; ten home rule cities; nineteen first class cities; and 116 second class cities. Alaska's incorporated cities cover only 2.1% of the territory's land mass but are home to 69.92% of its population. The majority of the incorporated land mass consists of the four unified municipalities, each over 1,700 square miles (4,400 km) in size. Only two other cities have an incorporated area exceeding 100 square miles (260 km): Unalaska, which includes the fishing port of Dutch Harbor, and Valdez, which includes the terminus of the Trans-Alaska Pipeline System.

Incorporated cities in Alaska are categorized as either "general law" (subdivided into "first class" and "second class") or "home rule". In general, the powers and functions of general law cities and home rule cities are substantially the same, with all legislative powers not prohibited by law or charter. Apart from duties such as conducting elections and holding regular meetings of the governing bodies, the duties of local cities vary considerably and are determined at the local level. Home rule cities and first class cities in the unorganized borough must operate municipal school districts, exercise planning, and land use regulations while organized boroughs take on these responsibilities unless delegated to the city by the borough. Unified home rule cities (and other boroughs) also have the duty to collect municipal property and sales tax for use in their jurisdiction. Home rule cities occur when a community establishes a commission to draft a charter, which is then ratified by voters at an election. Title 29 of the Alaska Statutes, which covers municipal government, requires that a community must have at least 400 permanent residents to incorporate as a home rule or first class city. This status does not diminish if a city's population declines; one home rule city (Nenana) and four first class cities (Hydaburg, Pelican, Seldovia and Tanana) reported populations falling below that threshold in the 2010 Census.

The largest municipality by population in Alaska is Anchorage with 291,247 residents or approximately 39.7% of the state population. The smallest municipality by population is Kupreanof with 21 residents. The largest municipality by land area is Sitka which spans 2,870.34 sq mi (7,434.1 km), while Kiana is the smallest at 0.19 sq mi (0.49 km). The first city to incorporate was Ketchikan in 1901 and the newest municipality is Whale Pass which incorporated in 2017.

Incorporated cities

• Most populous cities in Alaska
• Skyline of Anchorage, Alaska's most populous city
• Downtown Fairbanks, the second most populous city in Alaska
• Aerial view of Juneau, Alaska's capital and third most populous city
• Harbor of Sitka, the fifth most populous city in Alaska and largest by land area
• Downtown Ketchikan, the earliest extant incorporated city and sixth most populous city in Alaska

‡  State capital

†  Borough seat

Notes

1. The Borough seat is Healy, a census-designated place.
2. Edna Bay incorporated in October 2014 and thus not included in the sums for the 2010
3. The Borough seat is King Salmon, a census-designated place, and is located in neighboring Bristol Bay Borough.
4. A conflict as to the date exists between sources: 1996 Alaska Municipal Officials Directory (p. 136) gives 1977, while "Directory of Borough and City Officials 1974" (p. 72) gives December 23, 1963. It is unclear whether Selawik may have dissolved and later reincorporated its city government.
5. Formerly known as Barrow, the name was changed in 2016 as part of an ongoing effort to promote the use of the Iñupiaq language.
6. Whale Pass incorporated in 2017 and thus not included in the sums for the 2010.
7. The totals reflect the 2010 Census numbers and thus include Petersburg, with a population of 2948 and a land area of 44.13 square miles (114.3 km), which dissolved its city government in 2013 in favor of incorporating as a borough.

See also

• List of census-designated places in Alaska
• List of boroughs and census areas in Alaska

References

1. ^ "Change in Resident Population of the 50 States, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico: 1910 to 2020" (PDF). Census.gov. United States Census Bureau. Archived (PDF) from the original on April 26, 2021. Retrieved April 27, 2020.
2. ^ "GCT-PH1 — Population, Housing Units, Area, and Density: 2010 — State – Place and (in selected states) County Subdivision". 2010 United States Census. United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on February 13, 2020. Retrieved June 17, 2015.
3. 2015 Alaska Municipal Officials Directory. Juneau: Alaska Municipal League. 2015. p. ix.
4. "Municipal Government Structure in Alaska". Local Government On-Line, Division of Community and Regional Affairs, Alaska Department of Commerce, Community and Economic Development. September 15, 2003. Archived from the original on September 13, 2008. Retrieved July 16, 2008.
5. "Local Government In Alaska" (PDF). Alaska Department of Commerce, Community and Economic Development. February 2001. Archived from the original (PDF) on July 18, 2008. Retrieved July 16, 2008.
6. ^ "Explore Census Data". U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved August 25, 2021.
7. ^ "Directory of Borough and City Officials 1974". Alaska Local Government. XIII (2). Juneau: 45. January 1974.
8. ^ Denning, Angela (January 7, 2017). "Whale Pass voters approve incorporation | KFSK". Retrieved January 10, 2017.
9. "Alaska Taxable 2011: Municipal Taxation - Rates and Policies" (PDF). Division of Community and Regional Affairs, Alaska Department of Commerce, Community and Economic Development. January 2012. Archived from the original (PDF) on April 25, 2013. Retrieved January 23, 2013.
10. "Background on Boroughs in Alaska" (PDF). Local Boundary Commission, Division of Community and Regional Affairs, Alaska Department of Commerce, Community and Economic Development. November 2000. Retrieved July 16, 2008.
11. "2020 U.S. Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved September 13, 2023.
12. Bell, Susan (September 10, 2014). "Edna Bay Incorporates as Alaska's Newest City" (PDF) (Press release). Juneau, Alaska: Commissioner's Office. Department of Commerce, Community, and Economic Development, Division of Community and Regional Affairs. Retrieved May 21, 2016.
13. 1996 Alaska Municipal Officials Directory. Juneau: Alaska Municipal League/Alaska Department of Community and Regional Affairs. January 1996. p. 55.
14. "Soldotna home-rule charter passes". Peninsula Clarion. Morris Publishing Group, LLC. October 5, 2016. Retrieved September 20, 2018.
15. "Barrow, Alaska, Changes Its Name Back To Its Original 'Utqiaġvik'". NPR.org. Retrieved December 2, 2016.
16. Walker, Richard (November 1, 2016). "Barrow, Alaska, Closer to Getting Its Inupiat Name Back". Indian Country Today. Archived from the original on November 14, 2016. Retrieved November 1, 2016.
17. Lagoudakis, Cindi; Menish-Meucci, Marilyn. "Fact Sheet". petersburgak.org. Petersburg Chamber of Commerce/Visitor Information Center. Retrieved June 23, 2018.

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