Northwest Arctic Borough, 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
Country	United States
State	Alaska
Incorporated	June 2, 1986
Named for	Northwest and Arctic location
Seat	Kotzebue
Largest city	Kotzebue
Government
• Mayor	Dickie Moto
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	7,423
• Density	0.18/sq mi (0.070/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, up from 7,523 in 2010. The borough seat is Kotzebue. The borough was formed on June 2, 1986.

Geography

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. 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.

Adjacent boroughs and census areas

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

National protected areas

• 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

United States presidential election results for Northwest Arctic Borough, Alaska

Year	Republican		Democratic		Third party(ies)
	No.	%	No.	%	No.	%
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%

Demographics

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%
2023 (est.)	7,361		−5.5%
U.S. Decennial Census 1790-1960 1900-1990 1990-2000 2010-2020

At the 2000 census, 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.

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.

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.

2020 Census

Races (alone or in combination with other) in Northwest Arctic Borough (2020 United States census)

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

Cities

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

Census-designated places

• Noatak
• Red Dog Mine

See also

• List of airports in the Northwest Arctic Borough

External links

• 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.