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Panoramic landscape of Alaska with its state flag

Alaska

Alaska is the largest state in the United States by area — 1.72 million km², more than twice the size of Texas — yet home to only about 740,000 residents, making it the most sparsely populated state by a wide margin. Purchased from Russia in 1867 and admitted to the Union in 1959, its economy runs on North Slope crude oil, commercial fishing (the largest seafood harvest in the country), mining, air cargo through Anchorage (one of the world's busiest freight airports), federal and military installations, and summer tourism. Alaska levies no state income tax and no state sales tax, and instead pays every resident an annual Permanent Fund Dividend from a sovereign wealth fund of roughly $80 billion. It has the highest share of Native American and Alaska Native residents of any state, more than 20 Indigenous languages, three million lakes, 17 of the 20 highest peaks in the country including Denali (6,190 m), and communities that can only be reached by plane or boat.

Capital: JuneauLargest city: AnchorageNickname: The Last FrontierStatehood: 1959

Alaska at a glance

The state’s essential figures from the latest official data

Area
1,724,364 km²
Largest state
Population
740,133
0.5 people/km² of land
July 1, 2024 · 48th in the U.S.
Foreign-born population
7.8%
Share of all residents
ACS 2019–2023
GDP
$74 billion
$80,510 personal income per capita
2025 · BEA
Births
9,014
July 2023–June 2024
Deaths
5,642
July 2023–June 2024
Natural increase
+3,372
Births minus deaths
Population change
+3,623
July 2023–June 2024

Alaska data modules

Official information organized by subject

Population

How many people live here, how it's changing and who they are.

Housing

Home prices, rents, supply and how affordable it is to live here.

Economy

GDP, income, output and the industries that drive the economy.

Cost of Living

What it really costs to live here: housing, food, utilities and more.

Jobs & Employment

Employment, unemployment, salaries and the labor force.

Crime & Safety

Crime rates, violent and property crime, and public safety.

Education

Schools, universities, attainment and graduation rates.

Health

Life expectancy, healthcare access, hospitals and insurance.

Taxes

Income, property and sales taxes, plus overall tax burden.

Immigration

Foreign-born population, origins and migration flows.

Energy

Electricity prices, production, renewables and consumption.

Environment

Air quality, wildfires, drought, water and emissions.

Transportation

Vehicles, public transit, airports, traffic and commuting.

Politics & Elections

Election results, representatives and voting trends.

Poverty & Welfare

Poverty, food assistance, Medicaid and social safety net programs.

Retirement & Seniors

Older population, Social Security, retirees and senior living.

Agriculture & Farming

Farms, farmland, crop and livestock output and agricultural exports.

Tourism & Parks

Visitors, tourism spending, national and state parks.

Innovation & Patents

Patents, R&D spending, venture capital and tech employment.

Culture, Media & Gaming

Film, TV, music, theaters, museums and the video game industry.

Pets & Animal Welfare

Pet ownership, shelters, adoptions and veterinary services.

Explore Alaska

30 boroughs and census areas, one interactive atlas

Select a county to compare population, income, housing and territory using official U.S. Census Bureau data.

Aleutians East Borough · 3,423 residentsAleutians West Census Area · 5,178 residentsAnchorage Municipality · 289,069 residentsBethel Census Area · 18,487 residentsBristol Bay Borough · 878 residentsChugach Census Area · 6,964 residentsCopper River Census Area · 2,626 residentsDenali Borough · 2,029 residentsDillingham Census Area · 4,780 residentsFairbanks North Star Borough · 95,555 residentsHaines Borough · 2,077 residentsHoonah-Angoon Census Area · 2,313 residentsJuneau City and Borough · 31,969 residentsKenai Peninsula Borough · 59,843 residentsKetchikan Gateway Borough · 13,870 residentsKodiak Island Borough · 12,878 residentsKusilvak Census Area · 8,277 residentsLake and Peninsula Borough · 1,007 residentsMatanuska-Susitna Borough · 110,677 residentsNome Census Area · 9,925 residentsNorth Slope Borough · 10,891 residentsNorthwest Arctic Borough · 7,611 residentsPetersburg Borough · 3,394 residentsPrince of Wales-Hyder Census Area · 5,730 residentsSitka City and Borough · 8,393 residentsSkagway Municipality · 1,308 residentsSoutheast Fairbanks Census Area · 6,936 residentsWrangell City and Borough · 2,106 residentsYakutat City and Borough · 506 residentsYukon-Koyukuk Census Area · 5,271 residents
Population (residents)
< 50,000> 3,000,000

Alaska, United States

Anchorage Municipality

County seat: Anchorage

289,069
Population
$49,338
Income per capita
$375,900
Median home value
4.6%
Unemployment
Land area
1,707 mi²
Population density
169 /mi²

ACS 2023 5-year estimates · Census Gazetteer 2023. Unemployment is calculated from the ACS civilian labor force.

Counties

30 counties · choose how to order them

Did you know?

Curious facts about Alaska

Bigger than Texas, California and Montana combined

Alaska's total area exceeds the combined area of the next three largest states.

Bought for two cents an acre

The United States purchased Alaska from Russia in 1867 for $7.2 million, roughly two cents per acre.

The tallest peak in North America

Denali rises 6,190 m (20,310 ft), the highest summit on the continent.

Farthest north, west and east

Because the Aleutian Islands cross the 180th meridian, Alaska is the northernmost, westernmost and easternmost U.S. state.