Fort Yukon, Alaska

{{short description|Town in Alaska}} {{Use American English|date=June 2025}} {{Use mdy dates|date=April 2024}} {{Infobox settlement | name = Fort Yukon, Alaska | native_name = {{native name|gwi|Gwichyaa Zheh}} | official_name = City of Fort Yukon | settlement_type = City | nickname = | motto = | image_skyline = Fort Yukon village lies within the boundaries of the Yukon flats.jpg | imagesize = | image_caption = Yukon flats in Fort Yukon | image_flag = | image_seal =  | pushpin_map = USA Alaska#North America | pushpin_map_caption = Location in Alaska | pushpin_label = Fort Yukon

| subdivision_type = Country | subdivision_name = United States | subdivision_type1 = State | subdivision_name1 = Alaska | subdivision_type2 = Census Area | subdivision_name2 = Yukon-Koyukuk | government_footnotes = | government_type = | leader_title = Mayor | leader_name = Richard Carroll, Jr. | leader_title1 = State senator | leader_name1 = Click Bishop (R) | leader_title2 = State rep. | leader_name2 = Mike Cronk (R) | established_title = Incorporated | established_date = February 17, 1959<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=57}}</ref>

| area_magnitude = | area_footnotes = <ref name="CenPopGazetteer2020">{{cite web|title=2020 U.S. Gazetteer Files|url=https://www2.census.gov/geo/docs/maps-data/data/gazetteer/2020_Gazetteer/2020_gaz_place_02.txt|publisher=United States Census Bureau|access-date=October 29, 2021}}</ref> | area_total_km2 = 17.97 | area_land_km2 = 17.47 | area_water_km2 = 0.51 | area_total_sq_mi = 6.94 | area_land_sq_mi = 6.74 | area_water_sq_mi = 0.20

| population_as_of = 2020 | population_footnotes = | population_total = 428 | timezone = Alaska (AKST) | utc_offset = -9 | timezone_DST = AKDT | utc_offset_DST = -8 | elevation_footnotes = | elevation_m = 130 | elevation_ft = 427 | coordinates = {{coord|66|34|3|N|145|15|23|W|region:US_type:city|display=inline,title}} | postal_code_type = ZIP code | postal_code = 99740 | area_code = 907 | area_code_type = Area code | blank_name = FIPS code | blank_info = 02-26760 | blank1_name = GNIS feature ID | blank1_info = {{GNIS 4|1402276}} | website = | footnotes = | pop_est_as_of = | pop_est_footnotes = | population_est = | population_density_sq_mi = 63.46 | unit_pref = Imperial | population_density_km2 = 24.50 }}

'''Fort Yukon''' ({{langx|gwi|Gwichyaa Zheh}}) is a village in the Yukon-Koyukuk Census Area in the U.S. state of Alaska, straddling the Arctic Circle. The population, predominantly Gwichʼin Alaska Natives, was 428 at the 2020 census, down from 595 in 2000.

Fort Yukon was the hometown of the late Alaska Congressman Don Young. Served by Fort Yukon Airport, it is also known for having the record highest temperature in Alaska.<ref>{{cite web|title=Alaska State Almanac - General information about Alaska from NETSTATE.COM|url=http://www.netstate.com/states/alma/ak_alma.htm|access-date=April 22, 2016|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160507203835/http://www.netstate.com/states/alma/ak_alma.htm|archive-date=May 7, 2016}}</ref>

==History== This area north of the Arctic Circle was occupied for thousands of years by cultures of indigenous people and in historic times by the Gwich’in people. {{lang|gwi|Gwichʼyaa Zhee}} means "House on the Flats" in Gwichʼin.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.uaf.edu/anla/collections/map/names/|title=Alaska Native Place Names - Alaska Native Language Archive|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131102131622/http://www.uaf.edu/anla/collections/map/names/|archive-date=November 2, 2013}}</ref><ref name="D'Orso">{{cite book| last = D'Orso| first = Michael| title = Eagle Blue: A Team, a Tribe, and a High School Basketball Season in Arctic Alaska| url = https://books.google.com/books?id=WU5c5dd6sfoC&pg=PA93| year = 2007| publisher = Bloomsbury Publishing USA| isbn = 978-1-59691-115-4| page = 93 }}</ref>

What became the village of Fort Yukon developed from a trading post, Fort Yukon, established by Alexander Hunter Murray of the Hudson's Bay Company, on June 25, 1847. Murray drew numerous sketches of fur trade posts and of people and wrote the ''Journal of the Yukon, 1847–48'', which gave valuable insight into the culture of the Gwich’in at the time. While the post was in Russian America, the Hudson's Bay Company continued to trade there until the American traders expelled it in 1869, following the Alaska Purchase when the Alaska Commercial Company took over the post.

During the Klondike Gold Rush, in the winter of 1897–1898, Fort Yukon received two hundred prospectors from Dawson City, which was short of supply.<ref name="Hougen1897">{{cite web|url=http://www.hougengroup.com/yukonhistory/nuggets_year/2000s.aspx?nugget=1897#STARVATION|title=1897 - Yukon Nuggets - Yukon History|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111007192321/http://www.hougengroup.com/yukonhistory/nuggets_year/2000s.aspx?nugget=1897#STARVATION|archive-date=October 7, 2011}}</ref> A post office was established on July 12, 1898, with John Hawksly as its first postmaster. The settlement suffered over the following decades as a result of several infectious disease epidemics and a 1949 flood.

During the 1950s, the United States Air Force established a base and radar station at Fort Yukon; the town was officially incorporated in 1959. Since the late 20th century, due in part to its extreme northerly location and its proximity to Fairbanks, it has become a minor tourist destination.

On February 7, 1984, a Terrier Malemute-type sounding rocket, with a maximum altitude of {{convert|310|mi|km|}}, was launched from Fort Yukon.<ref>[http://www.astronautix.com/sites/foryukon.htm "Fort Yukon"] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081202183859/http://www.astronautix.com/sites/foryukon.htm |date=December 2, 2008 }}. ''Encyclopedia Astronautica''. astronautix.com. Retrieved January 12, 2012.</ref>

==Geography== thumb|Fort Yukon village street on the Winter Solstice, before sunrise at 11:30 am.

Fort Yukon is located on the north bank of the Yukon River at its confluence with the Porcupine River, about {{convert|145|mi|km}} northeast of Fairbanks.

As of 2014, the Arctic Circle passes through the southern portion of the city at {{coord|66|33|48.1|N|145|15|23|W|type:city_region:US}}.<ref>{{cite web |url = http://www.neoprogrammics.com/obliquity_of_the_ecliptic/ |title = Obliquity of the Ecliptic (Eps Mean) |publisher = Neoprogrammics.com |access-date = May 13, 2014 }}</ref> Due to long-term oscillations in the Earth's axis, the Arctic Circle currently shifts northward by about {{convert|14.5|m}} per year, though varying substantially from year to year due to the complexity of the movement.

According to the United States Census Bureau, Yukon City has a total area of {{convert|7.4|sqmi|km2}}, of which {{convert|7.0|sqmi|km2}} of it is land and {{convert|0.4|sqmi|km2}} of it (5.65%) is water.

===Climate=== Fort Yukon has a strongly continental subarctic climate (Köppen climate classification: '''Dsc'''). In the summer Fort Yukon has midnight sun and in December the sun appears for only a few hours each day.

Summer temperatures are exceptionally high for such a northerly area, being far warmer than the tree line threshold. The highest temperature ever recorded in Alaska occurred in Fort Yukon on June 27, 1915, when it reached {{convert|100|°F|°C|1}}.<ref>{{cite web | title = NOAA Weather Radio All Hazards Information - Alaska Weather Interesting Facts and Records | publisher = National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration | url = http://www.arh.noaa.gov/docs/AKWXfacts.pdf | access-date = January 3, 2007 | url-status = dead | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20060929022606/http://www.arh.noaa.gov/docs/AKWXfacts.pdf | archive-date = September 29, 2006 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=State Extremes |publisher=Western Regional Climate Center, Desert Research Institute |url=http://www.wrcc.dri.edu/htmlfiles/state.extremes.html |access-date=January 3, 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110513184036/http://www.wrcc.dri.edu/htmlfiles/state.extremes.html |archive-date=May 13, 2011 |url-status=live }}</ref> This was also the highest temperature recorded north of the Arctic Circle until June 20, 2020, when it was tied by a {{convert|38|°C|°F|1}} reading at Verkhoyansk,<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.webcenter11.com/tvtv/content/news/A-small-town-in-Siberia-has-likely-broken-the-Arctic-high-temperature-record-571426651.html |title=A small town in Siberia has likely broken the Arctic high temperature record |last=Sinclare |first=Terry |date=June 22, 2020 |website=Webcenter11 |publisher=Gray Television, Inc |access-date=June 22, 2020 |archive-date=June 26, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200626122452/https://www.webcenter11.com/tvtv/content/news/A-small-town-in-Siberia-has-likely-broken-the-Arctic-high-temperature-record-571426651.html |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.themoscowtimes.com/2020/06/22/arctic-temperatures-hit-record-high-in-russia-amid-heat-wave-a70647 |title=Arctic Temperatures Hit Record High in Russia Amid Heat Wave |author= |date=June 22, 2020 |publisher= The Moscow Times|access-date=June 22, 2020 }}</ref> a location similarly known for its extremely continental climate. Many sources claim Verkhoyansk had the warmer temperature, but due to the two different temperature scales used and the fact that neither town recorded the temperature to the tenth of a degree, it's impossible to know if Verkhoyansk truly broke Fort Yukon's record.

Fort Yukon is also subject to severe winters, being less influenced by chinook winds than areas to the west—the winter season absolute maximum being {{convert|13|F-change|C-change|1}} colder than in Fairbanks. Until 1971, Fort Yukon held the all-time lowest temperature record for Alaska and the United States at {{convert|-78|°F|°C|1}} on January 14, 1934, and it still holds the record for the lowest mean monthly temperature when the notoriously cold month of December 1917 had an average daily temperature of {{convert|−48.3|F|C|1}} and the minimum averaged {{convert|−58|F|C|1}}.<ref>{{cite journal |last=Day |first=Preston C. |title=Extreme Cold in the Yukon Region : The Cold Winter of 1917–18 |journal=Monthly Weather Review |volume=46 |issue=12 |pages=571–572 }}</ref>

{{Weather box |location = Fort Yukon, Alaska (2006–2020 normals, extremes 2002–present) |single line = Y |width = auto |Jan record high F = 44 |Feb record high F = 35 |Mar record high F = 51 |Apr record high F = 69 |May record high F = 83 |Jun record high F = 90 |Jul record high F = 90 |Aug record high F = 89 |Sep record high F = 71 |Oct record high F = 75 |Nov record high F = 35 |Dec record high F = 40 |year record high F = |Jan avg record high F = 21.5 |Feb avg record high F = 27.5 |Mar avg record high F = 37.7 |Apr avg record high F = 55.6 |May avg record high F = 75.7 |Jun avg record high F = 82.8 |Jul avg record high F = 84.2 |Aug avg record high F = 77.8 |Sep avg record high F = 66.3 |Oct avg record high F = 47.4 |Nov avg record high F = 24.4 |Dec avg record high F = 24.1 |year avg record high F = 85.6 |Jan high F = -8.6 |Feb high F = 1.3 |Mar high F = 17.5 |Apr high F = 39.0 |May high F = 60.0 |Jun high F = 70.8 |Jul high F = 72.3 |Aug high F = 64.5 |Sep high F = 51.7 |Oct high F = 29.7 |Nov high F = 3.9 |Dec high F = -4.6 |year high F = 33.1 |Jan mean F = -16.4 |Feb mean F = -9.7 |Mar mean F = 3.7 |Apr mean F = 27.3 |May mean F = 48.6 |Jun mean F = 60.0 |Jul mean F = 62.2 |Aug mean F = 54.8 |Sep mean F = 42.9 |Oct mean F = 22.8 |Nov mean F = -4.0 |Dec mean F = -12.6 |year mean F = 23.3 |Jan low F = -24.2 |Feb low F = -20.7 |Mar low F = -10.1 |Apr low F = 15.7 |May low F = 37.0 |Jun low F = 49.1 |Jul low F = 52.2 |Aug low F = 45.2 |Sep low F = 34.1 |Oct low F = 15.9 |Nov low F = -11.8 |Dec low F = -20.5 |year low F = 13.5 |Jan avg record low F = -53.5 |Feb avg record low F = -47.9 |Mar avg record low F = -37.0 |Apr avg record low F = -8.9 |May avg record low F = 23.4 |Jun avg record low F = 37.5 |Jul avg record low F = 43.7 |Aug avg record low F = 33.3 |Sep avg record low F = 20.5 |Oct avg record low F = -9.0 |Nov avg record low F = -37.3 |Dec avg record low F = -46.5 |year avg record low F = -56.3

|Jan record low F = -63 |Feb record low F = -62 |Mar record low F = -52 |Apr record low F = -36 |May record low F = 6 |Jun record low F = 29 |Jul record low F = 35 |Aug record low F = 26 |Sep record low F = 3 |Oct record low F = -32 |Nov record low F = -48 |Dec record low F = -61 |year record low F = |precipitation colour = green |Jan precipitation inch = 0.46 |Feb precipitation inch = 0.51 |Mar precipitation inch = 0.37 |Apr precipitation inch = 0.30 |May precipitation inch = 0.36 |Jun precipitation inch = 0.76 |Jul precipitation inch = 1.44 |Aug precipitation inch = 1.38 |Sep precipitation inch = 0.87 |Oct precipitation inch = 0.93 |Nov precipitation inch = 0.61 |Dec precipitation inch = 0.64 |year precipitation inch = 8.63 |unit precipitation days = 0.01 in |Jan precipitation days = 3.5 |Feb precipitation days = 3.6 |Mar precipitation days = 3.1 |Apr precipitation days = 2.1 |May precipitation days = 2.1 |Jun precipitation days = 3.8 |Jul precipitation days = 6.4 |Aug precipitation days = 7.0 |Sep precipitation days = 6.3 |Oct precipitation days = 6.6 |Nov precipitation days = 4.3 |Dec precipitation days = 3.9 |year precipitation days = 52.7 |source 1 = NOAA (precipitation 1991–2020)<ref>{{cite web |url = https://www.weather.gov/arh/climate?wfo=afg |title = NOWData – NOAA Online Weather Data |publisher = National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration |accessdate = July 29, 2023 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url = https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/access/services/data/v1?dataset=normals-monthly-1991-2020&startDate=0001-01-01&endDate=9996-12-31&stations=USS0045R01S&format=pdf |title = Summary of Monthly Normals 1991–2020 |publisher = National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration |accessdate = July 29, 2023 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20240127090904/https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/access/services/data/v1?dataset=normals-monthly-1991-2020&startDate=0001-01-01&endDate=9996-12-31&stations=USS0045R01S&format=pdf |archive-date = January 27, 2024 }}</ref> }}

{{Weather box |location = Fort Yukon (1961–1990 normals, extremes 1889–1990) |single line = Y |collapsed = |Jan record high F = 40 |Feb record high F = 41 |Mar record high F = 50 |Apr record high F = 65 |May record high F = 85 |Jun record high F = 100 |Jul record high F = 97 |Aug record high F = 88 |Sep record high F = 79 |Oct record high F = 61 |Nov record high F = 51 |Dec record high F = 37 |year record high F = 100 |Jan avg record high F = 16.6 |Feb avg record high F = 22.3 |Mar avg record high F = 35.5 |Apr avg record high F = 51.9 |May avg record high F = 72.1 |Jun avg record high F = 83.6 |Jul avg record high F = 84.9 |Aug avg record high F = 78.7 |Sep avg record high F = 64.0 |Oct avg record high F = 44.1 |Nov avg record high F = 18.6 |Dec avg record high F = 17.8 |year avg record high F = 87.0 |Jan high F = -9.9 |Feb high F = -2.9 |Mar high F = 14.9 |Apr high F = 34.2 |May high F = 56.2 |Jun high F = 71.5 |Jul high F = 73.2 |Aug high F = 65.7 |Sep high F = 50.7 |Oct high F = 25.1 |Nov high F = -0.5 |Dec high F = -6.3 |year high F = 31.1 |Jan mean F = -18.2 |Feb mean F = -13.4 |Mar mean F = 3.1 |Apr mean F = 21.4 |May mean F = 45.0 |Jun mean F = 60.6 |Jul mean F = 63.1 |Aug mean F = 56.3 |Sep mean F = 41.2 |Oct mean F = 18.5 |Nov mean F = -8.2 |Dec mean F = -14.8 |year mean F = 21.2 |Jan low F = -26.0 |Feb low F = -22.1 |Mar low F = -10.2 |Apr low F = 9.8 |May low F = 33.2 |Jun low F = 48.9 |Jul low F = 52.0 |Aug low F = 45.7 |Sep low F = 32.5 |Oct low F = 11.5 |Nov low F = -14.0 |Dec low F = -22.2 |year low F = 11.7 |Jan avg record low F = -51.5 |Feb avg record low F = -48.5 |Mar avg record low F = -33.3 |Apr avg record low F = -15.5 |May avg record low F = 19.0 |Jun avg record low F = 36.0 |Jul avg record low F = 41.7 |Aug avg record low F = 31.7 |Sep avg record low F = 18.5 |Oct avg record low F = -10.8 |Nov avg record low F = -41.9 |Dec avg record low F = -48.1 |year avg record low F = -58.5 |Jan record low F = -78 |Feb record low F = -70 |Mar record low F = −62 |Apr record low F = -42 |May record low F = -3 |Jun record low F = 25 |Jul record low F = 25 |Aug record low F = 21 |Sep record low F = 0 |Oct record low F = −40 |Nov record low F = −61 |Dec record low F = −71 |year record low F = −78 |precipitation colour = green |Jan precipitation inch = 0.46 |Feb precipitation inch = 0.35 |Mar precipitation inch = 0.25 |Apr precipitation inch = 0.25 |May precipitation inch = 0.34 |Jun precipitation inch = 0.81 |Jul precipitation inch = 0.94 |Aug precipitation inch = 1.06 |Sep precipitation inch = 0.67 |Oct precipitation inch = 0.56 |Nov precipitation inch = 0.30 |Dec precipitation inch = 0.53 |year precipitation inch = 6.51 |Jan snow inch = 4.8 |Feb snow inch = 4.1 |Mar snow inch = 2.2 |Apr snow inch = 1.6 |May snow inch = 0.2 |Jun snow inch = 0.0 |Jul snow inch = 0.0 |Aug snow inch = 0.1 |Sep snow inch = 0.5 |Oct snow inch = 4.4 |Nov snow inch = 3.5 |Dec snow inch = 5.8 |year snow inch = 27.2 |unit precipitation days = 0.01 in |Jan precipitation days = 5.0 |Feb precipitation days = 4.7 |Mar precipitation days = 3.4 |Apr precipitation days = 2.9 |May precipitation days = 3.4 |Jun precipitation days = 5.8 |Jul precipitation days = 6.6 |Aug precipitation days = 8.8 |Sep precipitation days = 5.2 |Oct precipitation days = 7.8 |Nov precipitation days = 5.5 |Dec precipitation days = 6.9 |year precipitation days = 66.0 |unit snow days = 0.1 inch |Jan snow days = 5.8 |Feb snow days = 4.7 |Mar snow days = 3.5 |Apr snow days = 3.2 |May snow days = 0.3 |Jun snow days = 0.0 |Jul snow days = 0.0 |Aug snow days = 0.1 |Sep snow days = 0.4 |Oct snow days = 5.0 |Nov snow days = 4.4 |Dec snow days = 6.5 |year snow days = 33.9 |source 1 = WRCC<ref name="climate">{{cite web |url = https://wrcc.dri.edu/cgi-bin/cliNORMtM.pl?ak3175 |title = 1961-1990 Monthly Climate Summary, FT YUKON, ALASKA (503175) |publisher = Western Regional Climate Center |access-date = January 27, 2024 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20240127085955/https://wrcc.dri.edu/cgi-bin/cliNORMtM.pl?ak3175 |archive-date = January 27, 2024}}</ref> |source 2 = XMACIS (snowfall)<ref>[https://xmacis.rcc-acis.org/ XMACIS]</ref>}}

==Demographics== {{US Census population |1880= 109 |1900= 156 |1910= 321 |1920= 319 |1930= 304 |1940= 274 |1950= 446 |1960= 701 |1970= 448 |1980= 619 |1990= 580 |2000= 595 |2010= 583 |2020= 428 |footnote=U.S. Decennial Census<ref name="DecennialCensus">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/decennial-census.html|title=Census of Population and Housing|publisher=Census.gov|access-date=June 4, 2015}}</ref> | align = right | align-fn = center }} Fort Yukon first appeared on the 1880 U.S. Census as an unincorporated village of 109 residents. Of those, 107 were members of the Tinneh Tribe and 2 were Whites.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www2.census.gov/prod2/decennial/documents/1880a_v1-17.pdf |title=Archived copy |access-date=July 1, 2017 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170817184721/https://www2.census.gov/prod2/decennial/documents/1880a_v1-17.pdf |archive-date=August 17, 2017 }}</ref> It did not appear on the 1890 census, but has returned in every successive census since 1900. It formally incorporated in 1959, the year Alaska became a state.

===2020 census===

As of the 2020 census, Fort Yukon had a population of 428. The median age was 41.3 years. 26.2% of residents were under the age of 18 and 15.4% of residents were 65 years of age or older. For every 100 females there were 101.9 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 112.1 males age 18 and over.<ref name="Census2020DP">{{cite web|title=2020 Decennial Census Demographic Profile (DP1)|url=https://api.census.gov/data/2020/dec/dp?get=NAME%2CDP1_0021P%2CDP1_0024P%2CDP1_0025C%2CDP1_0049C%2CDP1_0045C%2CDP1_0069C%2CDP1_0073C%2CDP1_0125P%2CDP1_0126P%2CDP1_0129P%2CDP1_0133P%2CDP1_0137P%2CDP1_0138P%2CDP1_0139P%2CDP1_0141P%2CDP1_0142P%2CDP1_0143P%2CDP1_0145P%2CDP1_0146P%2CDP1_0147C%2CDP1_0148C%2CDP1_0149C%2CDP1_0156C%2CDP1_0157C%2CDP1_0158C%2CDP1_0159P%2CDP1_0160P&for=place%3A26760&in=state%3A02|website=United States Census Bureau|year=2021|access-date=February 28, 2026|df=mdy}}</ref><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%2CP2_002N%2CP2_003N&for=place%3A26760&in=state%3A02|website=United States Census Bureau|year=2023|access-date=February 28, 2026|df=mdy}}</ref>

There were 202 households in Fort Yukon, of which 28.7% had children under the age of 18 living in them. Of all households, 21.3% were married-couple households, 39.6% were households with a male householder and no spouse or partner present, and 31.2% were households with a female householder and no spouse or partner present. About 46.5% of all households were made up of individuals and 12.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.<ref name="Census2020DP"/>

There were 282 housing units, of which 28.4% were vacant. The homeowner vacancy rate was 0.0% and the rental vacancy rate was 11.5%.<ref name="Census2020DP"/>

{| class="wikitable" |+ Racial composition as of the 2020 census<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%2CP1_001N%2CP1_003N%2CP1_004N%2CP1_005N%2CP1_006N%2CP1_007N%2CP1_008N%2CP1_009N%2CP2_001N%2CP2_002N%2CH1_001N%2CH1_002N&for=place%3A26760&in=state%3A02|website=United States Census Bureau|year=2021|access-date=February 28, 2026|df=mdy}}</ref> ! Race !! Number !! Percent |- | White || 37 || 8.6% |- | Black or African American || 0 || 0.0% |- | American Indian and Alaska Native || 359 || 83.9% |- | Asian || 0 || 0.0% |- | Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander || 0 || 0.0% |- | Some other race || 0 || 0.0% |- | Two or more races || 32 || 7.5% |- | ''Hispanic or Latino (of any race)'' || 3 || 0.7% |}

===2000 census===

As of the census<ref name="GR2">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov |publisher=United States Census Bureau |access-date=January 31, 2008 |title=U.S. Census website }}</ref> of 2000, there were 595 people, 225 households, and 137 families residing in the city. The population density was {{convert|85.0|PD/sqmi|PD/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}. There were 317 housing units at an average density of {{convert|45.3|/sqmi|/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}. The racial makeup of the city was 86.05% Native American, 10.76% White, 0.17% Black or African American, 0.17% Asian, and 0.17% from other races, and 2.69% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.34% of the population.

There were 225 households, out of which 36.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 25.8% were married couples living together, 23.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 39.1% were non-families. 34.2% of all households were made up of individuals, and 5.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.62 and the average family size was 3.37.

In the city, the population was spread out, with 33.4% under the age of 18, 10.3% from 18 to 24, 27.4% from 25 to 44, 22.0% from 45 to 64, and 6.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 32 years. For every 100 females, there were 112.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 111.8 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $29,375, and the median income for a family was $32,083. Males had a median income of $25,000 versus $27,813 for females. The per capita income for the city was $13,360. About 18.0% of families and 18.5% of the population were below the poverty line, including 14.3% of those under age 18 and 3.5% of those age 65 or over.

==Education== Yukon Flats School District operates the Fort Yukon School, serving Fort Yukon.<ref>"[http://www.yukonflats.net/Yukon-Flats-School-Locations.html Mailing Addresses and Contact Information ] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161220050341/http://www.yukonflats.net/Yukon-Flats-School-Locations.html |date=2016-12-20 }}." Yukon Flats School District. Retrieved on December 4, 2016.</ref>

The University of Alaska (Fairbanks) operates a rural campus facility called the Yukon Flats Center.<ref>[https://www.uaf.edu/iac/centers/yukon-center/ Yukon Center]</ref>

==Notable people== * Hudson Stuck (1863–1920), Episcopal priest, social reformer, mountain climber (buried there in the native cemetery) * Hannah Paul Solomon (1908–2011), first woman elected mayor of Fort Yukon * Jonathon Solomon (1932–2006), Goldman Environmental Prize recipient for his efforts to protect the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge * Don Young (1933–2022), longest-serving Republican member of the U.S. House of Representatives and of Congress in history * Clarence Alexander (born 1939), First Chief of Fort Yukon * Woodie Salmon (born 1952), politician, Representative, Alaska State House of Representatives, 2004–2010, former Chief, Chalkyitsik, Council Member, Fort Yukon Mayor, Fort Yukon * F. Kay Wallis (born {{Circa|1944}}), traditional healer and Representative, Alaska State House of Representatives, 1985–1990 * Velma Wallis (born 1960), Native American writer

==References== {{reflist}}

==External links== {{Portal|Alaska}} * {{Commons category-inline}}

Category:Fort Yukon, Alaska Category:1847 establishments in the British Empire Category:Cities in Alaska Category:Cities in Yukon–Koyukuk Census Area, Alaska Category:Gwichʼin Category:Hudson's Bay Company forts in the United States Category:Populated places established in 1847 Category:Populated places of the Arctic United States Category:Yukon River