Alaska is a state of the United States in the northwest extremity of the North American continent. According to the 2020 United States Census, Alaska is the 3rd least populous state with 733,391 inhabitants but is the largest by land area spanning . Alaska is divided administratively into 19 organized boroughs and one Unorganized Borough (which is divided into 11 non-administrative census areas) and contains 149 incorporated cities: four unified home rule municipalities, which are considered both boroughs and cities; ten home rule cities; nineteen first class cities; and 116 second class cities. Alaska's incorporated cities cover only of the territory's land mass but are home to of its population. The majority of the incorporated land mass consists of the four unified municipalities, each over in size. Only two other cities have an incorporated area exceeding : Unalaska, which includes the fishing port of Dutch Harbor, and Valdez, which includes the terminus of the Trans-Alaska Pipeline System.
Incorporated cities in Alaska are categorized as either "general law" (subdivided into "first class" and "second class") or "home rule". In general, the powers and functions of general law cities and home rule cities are substantially the same, with all legislative powers not prohibited by law or charter. Apart from duties such as conducting elections and holding regular meetings of the governing bodies, the duties of local cities vary considerably and are determined at the local level. Home rule cities and first class cities in the unorganized borough must operate municipal school districts, exercise planning, and land use regulations while organized boroughs take on these responsibilities unless delegated to the city by the borough. Unified home rule cities (and other boroughs) also have the duty to collect municipal property and sales tax for use in their jurisdiction. Home rule cities occur when a community establishes a commission to draft a charter, which is then ratified by voters at an election. Title 29 of the Alaska Statutes, which covers municipal government, requires that a community must have at least 400 permanent residents to incorporate as a home rule or first class city. This status does not diminish if a city's population declines; one home rule city (Nenana) and four first class cities (Hydaburg, Pelican, Seldovia and Tanana) reported populations falling below that threshold in the 2010 Census.
The largest municipality by population in Alaska is Anchorage with 291,247 residents or approximately of the state population. The smallest municipality by population is Kupreanof with 21 residents. The largest municipality by land area is Sitka which spans , while Kiana is the smallest at . The first city to incorporate was Ketchikan in 1901 and the newest municipality is Whale Pass which incorporated in 2017.
Incorporated cities
+NameClass Borough or Census Area IncorporatedPopulation(2020)Population(2010)ChangeLand area(2020) Population density sq mi km2 AdakSecond ClassAleutians West (CA) AkhiokSecond ClassKodiak Island AkiakSecond Class Bethel (CA) AkutanSecond ClassAleutians East AlakanukSecond ClassKusilvak (CA) AleknagikSecond ClassDillingham (CA) AllakaketSecond ClassYukon-Koyukuk (CA) AmblerSecond ClassNorthwest Arctic Anaktuvuk PassSecond ClassNorth Slope AnchorageUnified Home RuleAnchorage AndersonSecond ClassDenali AngoonSecond ClassHoonah-Angoon (CA) AniakSecond Class Bethel (CA) AnvikSecond ClassYukon-Koyukuk (CA) AtkaSecond ClassAleutians West (CA) AtqasukSecond ClassNorth Slope BethelSecond Class Bethel (CA) BettlesSecond ClassYukon-Koyukuk (CA) Brevig MissionSecond ClassNome (CA) BucklandSecond ClassNorthwest Arctic ChefornakSecond Class Bethel (CA) ChevakSecond ClassKusilvak (CA) ChignikSecond ClassLake and Peninsula ChuathbalukSecond Class Bethel (CA) Clark's PointSecond ClassDillingham (CA) Coffman CoveSecond ClassPrince of Wales-Hyder (CA) Cold BaySecond ClassAleutians East CordovaHome RuleChugach (CA) CraigFirst ClassPrince of Wales-Hyder (CA) DeeringSecond ClassNorthwest Arctic Delta JunctionSecond ClassSoutheast Fairbanks (CA) DillinghamFirst ClassDillingham (CA) DiomedeSecond ClassNome (CA) EagleSecond ClassSoutheast Fairbanks (CA) Edna BaySecond ClassPrince of Wales-Hyder (CA)25 EekSecond Class Bethel (CA) EgegikSecond ClassLake and Peninsula EkwokSecond ClassDillingham (CA) ElimSecond ClassNome (CA) EmmonakSecond ClassKusilvak (CA)FairbanksHome RuleFairbanks North Star False PassSecond ClassAleutians East Fort YukonSecond ClassYukon-Koyukuk (CA) GalenaFirst ClassYukon-Koyukuk (CA) GambellSecond ClassNome (CA) GolovinSecond ClassNome (CA) Goodnews BaySecond Class Bethel (CA) GraylingSecond ClassYukon-Koyukuk (CA) GustavusSecond ClassHoonah-Angoon (CA) Holy CrossSecond ClassYukon-Koyukuk (CA) HomerFirst ClassKenai Peninsula HoonahFirst ClassHoonah-Angoon (CA) Hooper BaySecond ClassKusilvak (CA) HoustonSecond ClassMatanuska-Susitna HughesSecond ClassYukon-Koyukuk (CA) HusliaSecond ClassYukon-Koyukuk (CA) HydaburgFirst ClassPrince of Wales-Hyder (CA)JuneauUnified Home RuleJuneau KachemakSecond ClassKenai Peninsula KakeFirst ClassPrince of Wales-Hyder (CA) KaktovikSecond ClassNorth Slope KaltagSecond ClassYukon-Koyukuk (CA) KasaanSecond ClassPrince of Wales-Hyder (CA) KenaiHome RuleKenai PeninsulaKetchikanHome RuleKetchikan Gateway KianaSecond ClassNorthwest Arctic King CoveFirst ClassAleutians East KivalinaSecond ClassNorthwest Arctic KlawockFirst ClassPrince of Wales-Hyder (CA) KobukSecond ClassNorthwest ArcticKodiakHome RuleKodiak Island KotlikSecond ClassKusilvak (CA)KotzebueSecond ClassNorthwest Arctic KoyukSecond ClassNome (CA) KoyukukSecond ClassYukon-Koyukuk (CA) KupreanofSecond ClassPetersburg KwethlukSecond Class Bethel (CA) Larsen BaySecond ClassKodiak Island Lower KalskagSecond Class Bethel (CA) ManokotakSecond ClassDillingham (CA) MarshallSecond ClassKusilvak (CA) McGrathSecond ClassYukon-Koyukuk (CA) MekoryukSecond Class Bethel (CA) Mountain VillageSecond ClassKusilvak (CA) NapakiakSecond Class Bethel (CA) NapaskiakSecond Class Bethel (CA) NenanaHome RuleYukon-Koyukuk (CA) New StuyahokSecond ClassDillingham (CA) NewhalenSecond ClassLake and Peninsula NightmuteSecond Class Bethel (CA) NikolaiSecond ClassYukon-Koyukuk (CA) NomeFirst ClassNome (CA) NondaltonSecond ClassLake and Peninsula NoorvikSecond ClassNorthwest Arctic North PoleHome RuleFairbanks North Star NuiqsutSecond ClassNorth Slope NulatoSecond ClassYukon-Koyukuk (CA) Nunam IquaSecond ClassKusilvak (CA) NunapitchukSecond Class Bethel (CA) Old HarborSecond ClassKodiak Island OuzinkieSecond ClassKodiak IslandPalmerHome RuleMatanuska-Susitna PelicanFirst ClassHoonah-Angoon (CA) Pilot PointSecond ClassLake and Peninsula Pilot StationSecond ClassKusilvak (CA) PlatinumSecond Class Bethel (CA) Point HopeSecond ClassNorth Slope Port AlexanderSecond ClassPrince of Wales-Hyder (CA) Port HeidenSecond ClassLake and Peninsula Port LionsSecond ClassKodiak Island QuinhagakSecond Class Bethel (CA) RubySecond ClassYukon-Koyukuk (CA) Russian MissionSecond ClassKusilvak (CA) Saint PaulSecond ClassAleutians West (CA)Sand PointFirst ClassAleutians East SavoongaSecond ClassNome (CA) SaxmanSecond ClassKetchikan Gateway Scammon BaySecond ClassKusilvak (CA) SelawikSecond ClassNorthwest Arctic SeldoviaFirst ClassKenai Peninsula SewardHome RuleKenai Peninsula ShagelukSecond ClassYukon-Koyukuk (CA) ShaktoolikSecond ClassNome (CA) ShishmarefSecond ClassNome (CA) ShungnakSecond ClassNorthwest Arctic SitkaUnified Home RuleSitkaSoldotnaHome RuleKenai Peninsula St. GeorgeSecond ClassAleutians West (CA) St. Mary'sFirst ClassKusilvak (CA) St. MichaelSecond ClassNome (CA) StebbinsSecond ClassNome (CA) TananaFirst ClassYukon-Koyukuk (CA) TellerSecond ClassNome (CA) Tenakee SpringsSecond ClassHoonah-Angoon (CA) Thorne BaySecond ClassPrince of Wales-Hyder (CA) TogiakSecond ClassDillingham (CA) Toksook BaySecond Class Bethel (CA) UnalakleetSecond ClassNome (CA) UnalaskaFirst ClassAleutians West (CA) Upper KalskagSecond Class Bethel (CA)UtqiaġvikFirst ClassNorth Slope ValdezHome RuleChugach (CA) WainwrightSecond ClassNorth Slope WalesSecond ClassNome (CA) WasillaFirst ClassMatanuska-Susitna Whale PassSecond ClassPrince of Wales-Hyder (CA)86 White MountainSecond ClassNome (CA) WhittierSecond ClassChugach (CA) WrangellUnified Home RuleWrangell Total cities – – – Alaska – – – Notes
See also List of census-designated places in Alaska List of boroughs and census areas in Alaska
References