Matanuska-Susitna Borough, Alaska

Matanuska-Susitna Borough, Alaska
Location in the state of Alaska
Alaska's location in the U.S.
Founded	1964
Seat	Palmer
Area  - Total  - Land  - Water	25,260 sq mi (65,423 km²) 7,125 sq mi (18,454 km²), 2.29%
Population  - (2010)  - Density	88,995 3/sq mi (1/km²)
Website	www.matsugov.us

Matanuska-Susitna Borough (often referred to as the Mat-Su Borough) is a borough located in the state of Alaska, United States. As of 2010,^[1] the population was 88,995. The borough seat is Palmer and the largest city in the borough is Wasilla. The Borough is part of the Anchorage Metropolitan Statistical Area.

The Mat-Su Borough is so designated because it contains the entire Matanuska and Susitna Rivers. These rivers empty into Cook Inlet which is the southern border of the Mat-Su Borough. This area is one of the few agricultural areas of Alaska.

Geography

The borough has a total area of 25,260 square miles (65,400 km²), of which, 24,682 square miles (63,930 km²) of it is land and 578 square miles (1,500 km²) of it (2.29%) is water.

Adjacent boroughs and census areas

• Denali Borough, Alaska - north
• Southeast Fairbanks Census Area, Alaska - northeast
• Valdez-Cordova Census Area, Alaska - east
• Municipality of Anchorage, Alaska - south
• Kenai Peninsula Borough, Alaska - south
• Bethel Census Area, Alaska - west
• Yukon-Koyukuk Census Area, Alaska - west

		Denali Borough	Southeast Fairbanks Census Area
	Bethel Census Area and Yukon-Koyukuk Census Area		Valdez-Cordova Census Area
		Matanuska-Susitna Borough, Alaska
		Municipality of Anchorage and Kenai Peninsula Borough

National protected areas

• Chugach National Forest (part)
• Denali National Park and Preserve (part)
  • Denali Wilderness (part)
• Lake Clark National Park and Preserve (part)
  • Lake Clark Wilderness (part)

Demographics

As of 2008, (Alaska Dept. of Labor) there were 82,515 people residing in the borough. According to the 2000 Census, the population density was 2 people per square mile (1/km²). There were 27,329 housing units at an average density of 1 per square mile (0/km²). The racial makeup of the borough was 87.55% White, 0.69% Black or African American, 5.50% Native American, 0.70% Asian, 0.12% Pacific Islander, 0.86% from other races, and 4.57% from two or more races. 2.50% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 20,556 households out of which 42.30% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 58.90% were married couples living together, 9.10% had a female householder with no husband present, and 26.80% were non-families. 20.30% of all households were made up of individuals and 4.10% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.84 and the average family size was 3.29.

In the borough the population was spread out with 32.20% under the age of 18, 7.40% from 18 to 24, 31.10% from 25 to 44, 23.40% from 45 to 64, and 5.90% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 34 years. For every 100 females there were 108.20 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 108.10 males.

Schools in the Borough are administered by the Matanuska-Susitna Borough School District.

Politics and government

Matanuska-Susitna was among a few places in America carried by Ross Perot in the 1992 presidential election.^[3] Larry DeVilbiss is the Mayor of the Matanuska-Susitna Borough. The Borough has a strong manager form of government. John Moosey is the Borough Manager. Long-time Manager John Duffy retired in 2010.^[4]

Cities and towns

A view of the Alaska State Fair just outside Palmer.

• Alexander (Creek)
• Big Lake
• Buffalo Soapstone
• Butte
• Chase
• Chickaloon
• Dinglishna Hills
• Farm Loop
• Fishhook
• Gateway
• Glacier View
• Houston
• Knik River
• Knik-Fairview
• Lake Louise
• Lakes
• Lazy Mountain
• Meadow Lakes
• Palmer
• Petersville
• Point MacKenzie
• Skwentna
• Susitna
• Sutton-Alpine
• Talkeetna
• Tanaina
• Trapper Creek
• Wasilla
• Willow
• Y

See also

Alaska portal

• Matanuska-Susitna Valley
• List of Airports in the Matanuska-Susitna Borough
• Matanuska Formation

References

1. ^ Alaska Dept. of Labor
2. ^ "Census Of Population and Housing". U.S. Census Bureau. http://www.census.gov/prod/www/abs/decennial/index.htm. Retrieved 2011-04-21. 
3. ^ Geographie Electorale
4. ^ [1]

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Matanuska-Susitna Borough, Alaska

• Matanuska-Susitna Borough official government website
• Matanuska-Susitna Borough, Alaska at the Open Directory Project
• Borough map: Alaska Department of Labor

v d e Municipalities and communities of Matanuska-Susitna Borough, Alaska, United States Borough seat: Palmer Cities Houston Palmer Wasilla CDPs Big Lake Buffalo Soapstone Butte Chase Chickaloon Eureka Roadhouse Farm Loop Fishhook Gateway Glacier View Knik-Fairview Knik River Lake Louise Lakes Lazy Mountain Meadow Lakes Petersville Point MacKenzie Skwentna Susitna Susitna North Sutton-Alpine Talkeetna Tanaina Trapper Creek Willow Unincorporated communities Alexander Creek Dinglishna Hills

v d e  State of Alaska Juneau (capital) Topics Index Geography Climate Wildlife History People Transportation Government Delegations Music Visitor attractions Society Culture Crime Demographics Economy Education Health (Rural dentistry) Politics Regions Aleutian Islands Arctic Alaska Bush Alaska Inside Passage Interior Kenai Peninsula Mat‑Su Valley North Slope Southeast Seward Peninsula Southcentral Southwest Tanana Valley Yukon–Kuskokwim Delta Largest cities Anchorage Barrow Bethel Dillingham Fairbanks Homer Juneau Kenai Ketchikan Kodiak Kotzebue Nome Palmer Petersburg Seward Sitka Soldotna Unalaska (Dutch Harbor) Valdez Wasilla Boroughs Aleutians East Anchorage Bristol Bay Denali Fairbanks North Star Haines Juneau Kenai Peninsula Ketchikan Gateway Kodiak Island Lake and Peninsula Matanuska‑Susitna North Slope Northwest Arctic Sitka Skagway Wrangell Yakutat Unorganized Census Areas Aleutians West Bethel Dillingham Hoonah‑Angoon Nome Petersburg Prince of Wales‑Hyder Southeast Fairbanks Valdez‑Cordova Wade Hampton Yukon‑Koyukuk

Coordinates: 62°24′N 149°35′W / 62.40°N 149.58°W / 62.40; -149.58