Alaska Trends
Every ten years the Census is launched first in Alaska so the Census Bureau has the best chance of getting accurate numbers from our many rural and remote communities, as well as those populations that travel in the summer months.
For our September Alaska Trends, we’re looking back at 2010 census data concerning American Indian/Alaska Native people (AIAN) as presented by the US Census Bureau in its brief The American Indian and Alaska Native Population: 2010. While it is the best data available, it’s also known that these figures do not represent a full account of American Indian/Alaska Native persons—the Census Bureau, various Alaska Native corporations, and other local entities have combined efforts to encourage 2020 Census participation, working toward a more accurate count and therefore more appropriate allocation of funds and electoral opportunities for our American Indian/Alaska Native neighbors.
138,312
Alaskans identified as American Indian and/or Alaska Native
In the 2010 Census, only 78,000 of 243,000 individuals identified as American Indian, and Alaska Native alone or in combination with another race.
Top 5 Alaska Native Village Statistical Areas with the largest AIAN Populations
32%
Lived in Alaska Native Village Statistical Areas
Percentage Distribution of US AIAN Population
In 2010, 78% the majority of the American Indian and Alaska Native alone-or-in-combination population lived outside of American Indian and Alaska Native areas.
Anchorage
had the greatest percentage of American Indians and Alaska Natives in the United States
Among places of 100,000 or more population in 2010, American Indians and Alaska Natives totaled 12% of Anchorage’s population.
Places with the Largest Number of American Indians and Alaska Natives
Cities of 100,000 or more total population
“Alaska’s current response rate is at 49.6%, compared to the national average at 63.1%.
Anchorage alone is right around the national average at 62.4%… With hundreds of billions of dollars in federal funding at stake, there’s a new push to get more responses before the deadline.”
~ Kristen Durand, KTUU
~ Kristen Durand, KTUU
29,000 Yup’ik
The Yup’ik tribal grouping contained the greatest number of people who identified with one tribal grouping and did not report another race.
900 Inupiat
The Inupiat tribal grouping had the highest number of individuals who identified with multiple tribal groupings but did not identify with one or more additional races.
600 Tlingit-Haida
The Tlingit-Haida tribal grouping had the highest number of people who identified with multiple tribal groupings as well as with one or more additional races.
68% did not identify
164,000 out of 243,000 people living in Alaska Native statistical areas did not identify as American Indian and Alaska Native.
New York
The 2010 Census showed that New York, NY, had the largest American Indian and Alaska Native alone-or-in combination population with 112,000, followed by Los Angeles (54,000).
