Denali Borough, Alaska

{{Short description|Borough in Alaska, United States}} {{Use American English|date=June 2025}} {{use mdy dates|date=March 2025}} {{Infobox U.S. county | county = Denali Borough | state = Alaska | ex image = Mount McKinley - Summit Flight - panoramio.jpg | ex image size = 220px | ex image cap = Denali, federally designated as Mount McKinley | seal = Denaliboroughseal.png | founded year = 1990<ref>{{cite book|title=1996 Alaska Municipal Officials Directory|location=Juneau|publisher=Alaska Municipal League/Alaska Department of Community and Regional Affairs|date=January 1996|page=4}}</ref> | founded date = December 7 | founded title = Incorporated | seat wl = Healy | largest city wl = Healy | city type = CDP | area_total_sq_mi = 12777 | area_land_sq_mi = 12751 | area_water_sq_mi = 26 | area percentage = 0.2% | population_as_of = 2020 | population_total = 1619 | pop_est_as_of = 2025 | population_est = 1616 {{loss}} | density_sq_mi = auto | web = {{URL|denaliborough.org}} | district = at-large | time zone = Alaska | named for = Denali }}

The '''Denali Borough''' is a borough located in the U.S. state of Alaska. As of the 2020 census, the population of the borough was 1,619, down from 1,826 in 2010.<ref name="2020 Census Data"> {{cite web | url = https://live.laborstats.alaska.gov/cen/2020-census-data.html | title = 2020 Census Data - Cities and Census Designated Places | format = Web | publisher = State of Alaska, Department of Labor and Workforce Development | access-date = October 31, 2021 }} </ref><ref name="QF">{{cite web|title=State & County QuickFacts|url=http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/02/02068.html|publisher=United States Census Bureau|access-date=May 18, 2014|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110606142440/http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/02/02068.html|archive-date=June 6, 2011}}</ref> The borough seat and most populated community is Healy,<ref name="GR6">{{cite web|url=https://www.naco.org/county-profile/02068|access-date=November 6, 2021|title=Denali Borough, Alaska|publisher=National Association of Counties|archive-date=November 6, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211106015706/https://www.naco.org/county-profile/02068|url-status=dead}}</ref> and its only incorporated place is Anderson. The borough was incorporated in December 1990.

The area was previously a part of the Unorganized Borough, with the Upper Railbelt School District serving as the region's rural education attendance area (which was replaced by a school district under the borough's umbrella upon incorporation).

The earliest inhabitants were nomadic native Alaskans. A mining camp was established near Healy prior to 1902, and construction of the Alaska Railroad brought additional settlers to the area in the early 1920s. Clear Space Force Station, the Usibelli Coal Mine and tourism at the Denali National Park and Preserve have brought growth and development.<ref name="history">{{cite web|url=https://explorenorth.com/alaska/history/denali-history.html|access-date=November 6, 2021|title=The History of Denali Borough, Alaska|publisher=ExploreNorth|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211106015656/https://explorenorth.com/alaska/history/denali-history.html|archive-date=November 6, 2021}}</ref>

==Geography== The borough has a total area of {{convert|12777|sqmi}}, of which {{convert|12751|sqmi}} is land and {{convert|26|sqmi}} (0.2%) is water.<ref name="GR1">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/geographies/reference-files/time-series/geo/gazetteer-files.html|publisher=United States Census Bureau|access-date=April 23, 2011|date=February 12, 2011|title=US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260301050638/https://www.census.gov/geographies/reference-files/time-series/geo/gazetteer-files.html|archive-date=March 1, 2026}}</ref>

The borough contains North America's highest point: Denali (federally Mount McKinley), from which it derives its name, at {{convert|6,190.5|m|ft|abbr=on}}.

===National protected area=== * Denali National Park and Preserve (part) ** Denali Wilderness (part)

===Adjacent boroughs and census areas=== * Yukon-Koyukuk Census Area - west/north * Fairbanks North Star Borough - northeast * Southeast Fairbanks Census Area - east * Matanuska-Susitna Borough - south

==Demographics== {{US Census population |2000= 1893 |2010= 1826 |2020= 1619 |estyear=2025 |estimate=1616 |estref=<ref name="USCensusEst2025">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/data/tables/time-series/demo/popest/2020s-counties-total.html|title=County Population Totals and Components of Change: 2020-2025|publisher=United States Census Bureau|access-date=April 10, 2026}}</ref> {{decrease}} |align-fn=center |footnote=U.S. Decennial Census<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/decennial-census.html|title=U.S. Decennial Census|publisher=United States Census Bureau|access-date=May 18, 2014}}</ref> 1990–2000<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/population/www/cen2000/briefs/phc-t4/tables/tab02.pdf |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20221009/https://www.census.gov/population/www/cen2000/briefs/phc-t4/tables/tab02.pdf |archive-date=2022-10-09 |url-status=live|title=Census 2000 PHC-T-4. Ranking Tables for Counties: 1990 and 2000|publisher=United States Census Bureau|access-date=May 18, 2014}}</ref> 2010–2019<ref name="QF" /> | align = right }}

===2020 census=== As of the 2020 census, the borough had a population of 1,619. The median age was 43.0 years, 20.3% of residents were under the age of 18, and 15.0% of residents were 65 years of age or older. For every 100 females there were 109.7 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 112.0 males.<ref name="Census2020DP">{{cite web|title=2020 Decennial Census Demographic Profile (DP1)|url=https://api.census.gov/data/2020/dec/dp?get=NAME,DP1_0021P,DP1_0024P,DP1_0025C,DP1_0049C,DP1_0045C,DP1_0069C,DP1_0073C,DP1_0125P,DP1_0126P,DP1_0129P,DP1_0138P,DP1_0139P,DP1_0141P,DP1_0142P,DP1_0143P,DP1_0145P,DP1_0146P,DP1_0147C,DP1_0148C,DP1_0149C,DP1_0156C,DP1_0157C,DP1_0158C,DP1_0159P,DP1_0160P&for=county%3A068&in=state%3A02|website=United States Census Bureau|year=2021|access-date=December 20, 2025|df=mdy}}</ref><ref name="Census2020PL">{{cite web|title=2020 Decennial Census Redistricting Data (Public Law 94-171)|url=https://api.census.gov/data/2020/dec/pl?get=NAME,P1_001N,P1_003N,P1_004N,P1_005N,P1_006N,P1_007N,P1_008N,P1_009N,P2_001N,P2_002N,H1_001N,H1_002N&for=county%3A068&in=state%3A02|website=United States Census Bureau|year=2021|access-date=December 20, 2025|df=mdy}}</ref>

The racial makeup of the borough was 85.4% White, 0.7% Black or African American, 3.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8% Asian, 0.3% Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander, 0.5% from some other race, and 8.6% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino residents of any race comprised 2.0% of the population.<ref name="Census2020PL"/>

0.0% of residents lived in urban areas, while 100.0% lived in rural areas.<ref name="Census2020DHC">{{cite web|title=2020 Decennial Census Demographic and Housing Characteristics (DHC)|url=https://api.census.gov/data/2020/dec/dhc?get=NAME,P2_002N,P2_003N&for=county%3A068&in=state%3A02|website=United States Census Bureau|year=2023|access-date=December 20, 2025|df=mdy}}</ref>

There were 748 households, of which 26.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them and 18.3% had a female householder with no spouse or partner present. About 36.8% of all households were made up of individuals and 9.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.<ref name="Census2020DP"/>

There were 1,606 housing units, of which 53.4% were vacant. Among occupied housing units, 72.7% were owner-occupied and 27.3% were renter-occupied. The homeowner vacancy rate was 3.2% and the rental vacancy rate was 29.4%.<ref name="Census2020DP"/>

===Racial and ethnic composition=== {| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center;" |+'''Denali Borough, Alaska – Racial and ethnic composition''' {{nobold|''Note: the US Census treats Hispanic/Latino as an ethnic category. This table excludes Latinos from the racial categories and assigns them to a separate category. Hispanics/Latinos may be of any race.''}} !Race / Ethnicity (''NH = Non-Hispanic'') !Pop 2000<ref name=2000CensusP004>{{Cite web|title=P004: Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2000: DEC Summary File 1 – Denali Borough, Alaska|url=https://data.census.gov/table?g=050XX00US02068&tid=DECENNIALSF12000.P004|website=United States Census Bureau |access-date= }}</ref> !Pop 2010<ref name=2010CensusP2>{{Cite web|title=P2: Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2010: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) – Denali Borough, Alaska|url=https://data.census.gov/cedsci/table?q=p2&g=050XX00US02068&tid=DECENNIALPL2010.P2|website=United States Census Bureau |access-date= }}</ref> !style="background-color: #ffffb3;" | Pop 2020<ref name=2020CensusP2>{{Cite web|title=P2: Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2020: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) – Denali Borough, Alaska|url=https://data.census.gov/cedsci/table?q=p2&g=050XX00US02068&tid=DECENNIALPL2020.P2|website=United States Census Bureau |access-date= }}</ref> !% 2000 !% 2010 !style="background-color: #ffffb3;" |% 2020 |- |White alone (NH) |1,600 |1,614 |style='background: #ffffe6; |1,378 |84.52% |88.39% |style='background: #ffffe6; |85.11% |- |Black or African American alone (NH) |27 |10 |style='background: #ffffe6; |9 |1.43% |0.55% |style='background: #ffffe6; |0.56% |- |Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH) |89 |64 |style='background: #ffffe6; |59 |4.70% |3.50% |style='background: #ffffe6; |3.64% |- |Asian alone (NH) |26 |19 |style='background: #ffffe6; |13 |1.37% |1.04% |style='background: #ffffe6; |0.80% |- |Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander alone (NH) |6 |1 |style='background: #ffffe6; |3 |0.32% |0.05% |style='background: #ffffe6; |0.19% |- |Other race alone (NH) |4 |5 |style='background: #ffffe6; |4 |0.21% |0.27% |style='background: #ffffe6; |0.25% |- |Mixed race or Multiracial (NH) |94 |71 |style='background: #ffffe6; |121 |4.97% |3.89% |style='background: #ffffe6; |7.47% |- |Hispanic or Latino (any race) |47 |42 |style='background: #ffffe6; |32 |2.48% |2.30% |style='background: #ffffe6; |1.98% |- |'''Total''' |'''1,893''' |'''1,826''' |style='background: #ffffe6; |'''1,619 ''' |'''100.00%''' |'''100.00%''' |style='background: #ffffe6; |'''100.00%''' |} The most reported ancestries from the 2020 census were:<ref>{{cite web |title=Detailed Races and Ethnicities in the United States and Puerto Rico: 2020 Census |url=https://www.census.gov/library/visualizations/interactive/detailed-race-ethnicities-2020-census.html |website=census.gov |publisher=U.S. Census Bureau}}</ref> * German (20.4%) * English (15.6%) * Irish (14.8%) * Scottish (5.5%) * Italian (5.4%) * Norwegian (4.9%) * Swedish (3.7%) * French (3.5%) * Polish (2.2%) * Mexican (2.1%)

===2000 census=== At the 2000 census there were 1,893 people, 785 households, and 452 families residing in the borough. The population density was {{convert|0.148|/mi2|/km2|disp=preunit|people |people}}. There were 1,351 housing units at an average density of {{convert|0.106|/mi2|/km2}}. The racial makeup of the borough was 85.74% White, 1.43% Black or African American, 4.75% Native American, 1.53% Asian, 0.37% Pacific Islander, 0.95% from other races, and 5.23% from two or more races. Of the population, 2.48% were Hispanic or Latino of any race.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.census.gov |publisher=United States Census Bureau |access-date=May 14, 2011 |title=U.S. Census website }}</ref>

Of the 785 households, 31.00% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 48.40% were married couples living together, 4.50% had a female householder with no husband present, and 42.30% were non-families. 35.00% of households were one person and 1.40% were one person aged 65 or older. The average household size was 2.28 and the average family size was 3.03.

The age distribution was 23.80% under the age of 18, 6.70% from 18 to 24, 36.80% from 25 to 44, 29.70% from 45 to 64, and 3.10% 65 or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females, there were 139.00 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 147.10 males.

===Income=== Denali Borough is the 63rd highest-income county in the United States, and the highest-income county in Alaska, by personal per capita income {{as of|2009|lc=y}}.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.bea.gov/regional/reis/pcpihigh.cfm |title=Per capita personal income, 2009 |access-date=2018-03-09 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070929124408/https://www.bea.gov/regional/reis/pcpihigh.cfm |archive-date=2007-09-29 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

==Politics== Apart from the two Democratic victories in 1960 and 1964, Denali Borough was carried by Republicans in presidential elections except in 1992, when it was carried by independent candidate Ross Perot. However, Democrats usually achieve around 40% of the vote.

Downballot, Denali is a swing county in gubernatorial elections, and has rarely voted for the same party twice in a row.

{{PresHead|place=Denali Borough, Alaska|source1=<ref>{{Cite web |title=Denali Borough, Alaska results |url=https://davesredistricting.org/join/0b258a68-504e-42b2-a3f8-d91931f1cc56 |access-date=2025-01-26 |website=Daves Redistricting}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://rrhelections.com/index.php/2018/02/02/alaska-results-by-county-equivalent-1960-2016/|title=RRH Elections|first=RRH|last=Elections|website=rrhelections.com|date=February 2, 2018 |access-date=January 12, 2020}}</ref>}}  {{PresRow|1960|Democratic|68|109|0|Alaska}} {{PresRow|1964|Democratic|240|311|0|Alaska}} {{PresRow|1968|Republican|282|197|137|Alaska}} {{PresRow|1972|Republican|370|196|43|Alaska}} {{PresRow|1976|Republican|402|244|58|Alaska}} {{PresRow|1980|Republican|442|172|211|Alaska}} {{PresRow|1984|Republican|638|225|46|Alaska}} {{PresRow|1988|Republican|520|313|62|Alaska}} {{PresRow|1992|Independent|335|363|437|Alaska}} {{PresRow|1996|Republican|249|239|45|Alaska}} {{PresRow|2000|Republican|447|112|51|Alaska}} {{PresRow|2004|Republican|314|98|10|Alaska}} {{PresRow|2008|Republican|637|569|32|Alaska}} {{PresRow|2012|Republican|292|234|23|Alaska}} {{PresRow|2016|Republican|576|451|140|Alaska}} {{PresRow|2020|Republican|666|606|57|Alaska}} {{PresRow|2024|Republican|754|484|53|Alaska}} {{PresFoot}}

==Communities== [[File:Dave Talerico of Alaska.jpg|thumb|200px|Dave Talerico represented the Denali Borough and surrounding regions in the 29th, 30th, and 31st Legislature's of the Alaska House of Representatives. Talerico took office in 2015, becoming the first Denali Borough resident to serve in the Alaska Legislature since 1993. Prior to that, he was the borough's longest-serving mayor, from 2002 until resigning in 2012 to take a staff position in the legislature.<ref>[http://www.denaliborough.govoffice.com/vertical/sites/%7B63112C6F-13FC-4147-831D-8F3F0E33EC53%7D/uploads/Resolution_12-32.pdf Denali Borough Resolution No. 12-32]</ref>]]

===City=== * Anderson

===Census-designated places=== * Cantwell * Denali Park * Ferry * Healy (Borough seat)

===Unincorporated communities=== * Clear * Kantishna * Usibelli

===Historical locations=== * Diamond * Suntrana

==Popular culture== In the ''Twilight'' Saga by Stephenie Meyer, the Denali vampire coven (consisting of Tanya, Kate, Irina, Eleazar and Carmen and later Garrett) lives in Denali because of the lack of sunlight.

The film ''Into the Wild'', based on a book of the same name, featured a bus where Christopher McCandless died, which became a destination for film fans. The 1940s bus was taken to a remote trail about 60 years ago (from 2020) by a road crew, according to Denali Borough Mayor Clay Walker. Visitors to the site had to cross the Teklanika River. In 2019 a newlywed Belarusian woman drowned trying to cross the swollen river on her way to the site. Another drowning took place in 2010. A stranded Brazilian had to be rescued in April 2020 and five Italians were rescued in February 2020, with one suffering from severe frostbite. In total 15 bus-related search and rescue operations for visitors to the bus were carried out between 2009 and 2017. In June 2020 the bus was removed because of public safety concerns. It was air-lifted by a US army Chinook helicopter. Alaskan authorities are quoted as saying the bus would be kept in a "secure location" until a decision is made about its future. Clay Walker said, "It (the bus) is part of our history and it does feel a little bittersweet to see a piece of our history go down the road."<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-53106441 |title='Into The Wild' bus removed from Alaska wilderness |work=BBC News |date=19 June 2020 |access-date=19 June 2020|archive-date=June 20, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200620060118/https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-53106441}}</ref>

==References== {{reflist|30em}}

==External links== {{Commons category-inline}} * [http://www.denaliborough.govoffice.com/ Official website]

{{Geographic Location |Centre = Denali Borough, Alaska |North = Yukon-Koyukuk Census Area |Northeast = Fairbanks North Star Borough |East = Southeast Fairbanks Census Area |Southeast = |South = Matanuska-Susitna Borough |Southwest = |West = Yukon-Koyukuk Census Area |Northwest = }}

{{Denali Borough, Alaska}} {{Alaska}} {{Authority control}} {{Coord|63|47|20|N|150|11|30|W|display=title|type:adm2nd_region:US-AK_source:GNIS-enwiki_scale:2000000}}

Category:Denali Borough, Alaska Category:1990 establishments in Alaska Category:Populated places established in 1990

Denali Borough, Alaska

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