View source for Unalakleet, Alaska

{{Use American English|date=June 2025}}
{{More citations needed|date=September 2009}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=April 2024}}
{{Infobox settlement
|official_name            = Unalakleet
|native_name              = <small>{{native name|ik|Uŋalaqłiq}}<br>{{native name|esu|Ungalaqliit}}<br>{{native name|koy|Kk'aadoleetno'}}</small>
|settlement_type          = [[City (Alaska)|City]]
|nickname                 = 
|motto                    = <!-- Images -->
|image_skyline            = Unalakleet aerial 2010 (cropped).jpg
|imagesize                = 
|image_caption            = Aerial view of Unalakleet, taken 2010
|image_flag               = 
|image_seal               = <!-- Maps -->
|image_map                = AKMap-doton-Unalakleet.PNG
|mapsize                  = 250px
|map_caption              = Location of Unalakleet, Alaska
|image_map1               = 
|mapsize1                 = 
|map_caption1             = <!-- Location -->
|subdivision_type         = Country
|subdivision_name         = United States
|subdivision_type1        = [[U.S. state|State]]
|subdivision_name1        = [[Alaska]]
|subdivision_type2        = [[List of boroughs and census areas in Alaska|Census Area]]
|subdivision_name2        = [[Nome Census Area, Alaska|Nome]]
|government_footnotes     = 
|government_type          = 
|leader_title             = [[Mayor]]
|leader_name              = Abel Razzo
|leader_title1            = [[Alaska Senate|State senator]]
|leader_name1             = [[Donny Olson]] ([[Democratic Party (United States)|D]])
|leader_title2            = [[Alaska House of Representatives|State rep.]]
|leader_name2             = [[Neal Foster]] (D)
|established_title        = [[Municipal corporation|Incorporated]]
|established_date         = 1974<ref>{{cite book|title=1996 Alaska Municipal Officials Directory|location=[[Juneau]]|publisher=Alaska Municipal League/[[Alaska Department of Commerce, Community and Economic Development|Alaska Department of Community and Regional Affairs]]|date=January 1996|page=153}}</ref>

<!-- Area -->
|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|accessdate=October 29, 2021}}</ref>
|area_magnitude           = 
|area_total_km2           = 12.81
|area_land_km2            = 7.41
|area_water_km2           = 5.40
|area_total_sq_mi         = 4.95
|area_land_sq_mi          = 2.86
|area_water_sq_mi         = 2.08

<!-- Population -->
|population_as_of         = [[2020 United States census|2020]]
|population_footnotes     = 
|population_total         = 765
|population_density_km2   = 103.20
|population_density_sq_mi = 267.30
|timezone                 = [[Alaska Time Zone|Alaska (AKST)]]
|utc_offset               = -9
|timezone_DST             = AKDT
|utc_offset_DST           = -8
|elevation_footnotes      = 
|elevation_m              = 2
|elevation_ft             = 7
|coordinates              = {{coord|63|52|44|N|160|47|23|W|region:US_type:city|display=inline,title}}
|postal_code_type         = [[ZIP code]]
|postal_code              = 99684
|area_code                = [[Area code 907|907]]
|area_code_type           = [[North American Numbering Plan|Area code]]
|blank_name               = [[Federal Information Processing Standard|FIPS code]]
|blank_info               = 02-80660
|blank1_name              = [[Geographic Names Information System|GNIS]] feature ID
|blank1_info              = {{GNIS 4|1411517}}  
|website                  = 
|footnotes                = 
|pop_est_as_of = 
|pop_est_footnotes = 
|population_est = 
|unit_pref = Imperial
}}

'''Unalakleet''' ({{IPAc-en|ˈ|j|uː|n|ə|l|ə|k|l|iː|t}} {{respell|YOO|nə|lə|kleet}}; {{langx|ik|Uŋalaqłiq}}, {{IPA|ik|uŋɐlɑχɬeq|IPA}} or ''Uŋalaqłiit''; [[Central Alaskan Yupʼik|Yup'ik]]: ''Ungalaqliit''; [[Koyukon language|Koyukon]]: ''Kk'aadoleetno’'') is a city in [[Nome Census Area, Alaska]], United States, in the western part of the state. At the [[2010 United States Census|2010 census]] the population was 765, up from 688 in 2000.  Unalakleet is known in the region and around Alaska for its [[salmon]] and [[king crab]] harvests; the residents rely for much of their diet on [[caribou]], [[rock ptarmigan|ptarmigan]], ''oogruk'' ([[bearded seal]]), and various salmon species.

Unalakleet is also known for its aesthetic value. It is located next to the Bering Sea and the large, clean [[Unalakleet River]]. The landscape also has trees, tundra, and hills behind it.

==History==
''Unalakleet'' is an adaptation of the [[Inupiat language|Iñupiaq]] word ''"Una-la-thliq"'',<ref name="DCCED">[http://www.commerce.state.ak.us/dca/commdb/CF_CIS.htm Community Information Summaries: "Unalakleet."] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070402120839/http://www.commerce.state.ak.us/dca/commdb/CF_CIS.htm |date=April 2, 2007 }} Alaska Community Database Online, Alaska Department of Commerce, Community, and Economic Development. Retrieved on April 13, 2007.</ref> which means "from the southern side".

Unalakleet is located at the Norton Sound end of the Unalakleet-Kaltag Portage, an important winter travel route between Norton Sound and the [[Yukon River]]. Unalakleet has long been a major trade center between the [[Athabascan]] people, who lived in the interior of Alaska, and the [[Inupiat people|Inupiat]], who lived on the coast.

In the 1830s Russian explorers and traders came: The [[Russian-American Company]] built a trading post here at Unalakleet. In 1898 the United States arranged for [[Sami people|Sami]] [[reindeer]] herders from [[Lapland (Sweden)|Lapland]] to be brought to Unalakleet, to work with the people about herding practices. In 1901, the [[United States Army Signal Corps]] built a {{convert|605|mi|km|adj=on}} telegraph line from [[St. Michael, Alaska|St. Michael]] that passed through Unalakleet.

==Geography and climate==
[[File:Iditarod National Historic Trail between Kaltag and Unalakleet.jpg|thumb|Images taken near Unalakleet show very few trees, reflecting the subarctic and polar boundaries.]]
Unalakleet is located at {{Coord|63|52|44|N|160|47|23|W|type:city}} (63.878907, −160.789680).<ref name="GR1">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/geographies/reference-files/time-series/geo/gazetteer-files.html|publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]]|access-date=April 23, 2011|date=February 12, 2011|title=US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990}}</ref>

Unalakleet is located on the [[Norton Sound]] of the [[Bering Sea]] at the mouth of the [[Unalakleet River]], {{convert|148|mi|km}} southeast of [[Nome, Alaska|Nome]] and {{convert|395|mi|km}} northwest of Anchorage. Unalakleet has a [[subarctic climate]] ([[Köppen climate classification|Koppen]]: ''Dfc'') with considerable maritime influences. Winters are cold and dry. Average summer temperatures range {{convert|47|to|62|F|C}}; winter temperatures range from {{convert|-40|to|11|F|C}}. Precipitation averages {{convert|14|in|mm}} annually, with {{convert|41|in|cm}} of snow.

According to the [[United States Census Bureau]], the city has a total area of {{convert|5.1|sqmi|km2}}, of which, {{convert|2.9|sqmi|km2}} of it is land and {{convert|2.3|sqmi|km2}} of it (44.25%) is water.

{{Weather box
|collapsed = Y
|location = Unalakleet (1961–1990 normals, extremes 1941&ndash;1998)
|single line = Y
|Jan record high F = 47
|Feb record high F = 46
|Mar record high F = 47
|Apr record high F = 62
|May record high F = 78
|Jun record high F = 86
|Jul record high F = 87
|Aug record high F = 85
|Sep record high F = 75
|Oct record high F = 60
|Nov record high F = 48
|Dec record high F = 43
|year record high F = 87
|Jan avg record high F = 34.5
|Feb avg record high F = 31.8
|Mar avg record high F = 36.5
|Apr avg record high F = 45.5
|May avg record high F = 63.0
|Jun avg record high F = 69.0
|Jul avg record high F = 75.2
|Aug avg record high F = 72.9
|Sep avg record high F = 64.0
|Oct avg record high F = 47.2
|Nov avg record high F = 36.2
|Dec avg record high F = 35.2
|year avg record high F = 77.8
|Jan high F = 11.0
|Feb high F = 11.0
|Mar high F = 18.9
|Apr high F = 29.5
|May high F = 45.6
|Jun high F = 54.2
|Jul high F = 61.2
|Aug high F = 59.9
|Sep high F = 51.4
|Oct high F = 33.0
|Nov high F = 19.4
|Dec high F = 12.2
|year high F = 33.9
|Jan mean F = 4.9
|Feb mean F = 3.3
|Mar mean F = 10.9
|Apr mean F = 21.3
|May mean F = 38.4
|Jun mean F = 47.9
|Jul mean F = 54.8
|Aug mean F = 53.1
|Sep mean F = 44.2
|Oct mean F = 27.0
|Nov mean F = 13.5
|Dec mean F = 5.7
|year mean F = 27.1
|Jan low F = -1.3
|Feb low F = -4.4
|Mar low F = 2.9
|Apr low F = 13.2
|May low F = 31.1
|Jun low F = 41.4
|Jul low F = 48.5
|Aug low F = 46.3
|Sep low F = 37.0
|Oct low F = 21.0
|Nov low F = 7.5
|Dec low F = -0.8
|year low F = 20.2
|Jan avg record low F = -30.1
|Feb avg record low F = -32.5
|Mar avg record low F = -25.0
|Apr avg record low F = -10.6
|May avg record low F = 16.6
|Jun avg record low F = 31.9
|Jul avg record low F = 39.0
|Aug avg record low F = 35.3
|Sep avg record low F = 24.1
|Oct avg record low F = 0.9
|Nov avg record low F = -16.3
|Dec avg record low F = -29.9
|year avg record low F = -40.8
|Jan record low F = -59
|Feb record low F = -50
|Mar record low F = -50
|Apr record low F = -32
|May record low F = -11
|Jun record low F = 25
|Jul record low F = 32
|Aug record low F = 28
|Sep record low F = 6
|Oct record low F = -20
|Nov record low F = -47
|Dec record low F = -52
|year record low F = -59
|precipitation colour = green
|Jan precipitation inch = 0.69
|Feb precipitation inch = 0.51
|Mar precipitation inch = 0.70
|Apr precipitation inch = 0.63
|May precipitation inch = 0.87
|Jun precipitation inch = 1.35
|Jul precipitation inch = 2.28
|Aug precipitation inch = 3.04
|Sep precipitation inch = 2.28
|Oct precipitation inch = 1.24
|Nov precipitation inch = 1.09
|Dec precipitation inch = 0.91
|year precipitation inch = 15.59
|unit precipitation days = 0.01 inch
|Jan precipitation days = 7.6
|Feb precipitation days = 6.6
|Mar precipitation days = 8.5
|Apr precipitation days = 7.8
|May precipitation days = 7.7
|Jun precipitation days = 10.2
|Jul precipitation days = 13.5
|Aug precipitation days = 15.9
|Sep precipitation days = 13.4
|Oct precipitation days = 10.7
|Nov precipitation days = 10.0
|Dec precipitation days = 9.3
|year precipitation days = 121.2
|Jan snow inch = 4.5
|Feb snow inch = 3.6
|Mar snow inch = 5.3
|Apr snow inch = 3.6
|May snow inch = 1.5
|Jun snow inch = 0.0
|Jul snow inch = 0.0
|Aug snow inch = 0.0
|Sep snow inch = 0.2
|Oct snow inch = 3.0
|Nov snow inch = 6.4
|Dec snow inch = 5.4
|year snow inch = 33.5
|unit snow days = 0.01 inch
|Jan snow days = 6.8
|Feb snow days = 5.8
|Mar snow days = 7.5
|Apr snow days = 6.0
|May snow days = 1.8
|Jun snow days = 0.0
|Jul snow days = 0.0
|Aug snow days = 0.0
|Sep snow days = 0.2
|Oct snow days = 5.5
|Nov snow days = 8.6
|Dec snow days = 8.3
|year snow days = 50.5
|source 1 = [[Western Regional Climate Center|WRCC]]<ref>{{Cite web
|url = https://wrcc.dri.edu/cgi-bin/cliNORMNCDC.pl?ak9564
|title = NCDC 1961–1990 Monthly Normals, UNALAKLEET FLD, ALASKA (509564) 
|publisher = [[Western Regional Climate Center]]
|date = January 27, 2024
|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20240127054659/https://wrcc.dri.edu/cgi-bin/cliNORMNCDC.pl?ak9564
|archive-date = January 27, 2024}}</ref>
|source 2 = XMACIS (snowfall)<ref>[https://xmacis.rcc-acis.org/ XMACIS]</ref>
}}

==Demographics==
{{update|date=February 2025|reason=Newer information is available from the 2020 census reports}}
{{US Census population
|1880= 100
|1890= 175
|1900= 241
|1910= 247
|1920= 285
|1930= 261
|1940= 329
|1950= 469
|1960= 574
|1970= 434
|1980= 623
|1990= 714
|2000= 747
|2010= 688
|2020= 765
|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>{{failed verification|date=February 2025|reason=No mention of Unalakleet at this reference}}
}}
Unalakleet first appeared on the 1880 U.S. Census as the unincorporated [[Inuit]] village of "Oonalakleet."<ref>{{Cite web | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Rr9RAQAAMAAJ&q=unalakleet&pg=PA49 |title = Geological Survey Professional Paper|year = 1949}}</ref> All 100 of its residents were listed as Inuit.<ref>{{cite web |title=Statistics of the Population of Alaska |url=https://www2.census.gov/prod2/decennial/documents/1880a_v1-17.pdf |website=United States Census Bureau |date=1880}}</ref> It was listed in the 1890 census as ''"Unalaklik."'' Of its 175 residents, 170 were Native, 3 were Creole (mixed Russian & Native), and 2 were White.<ref>{{cite web |title=Report on Population and Resources of Alaska at the Eleventh Census: 1890 |url=http://www2.census.gov/prod2/decennial/documents/1890a_v8-01.pdf |website=United States Census Bureau |publisher=Government Printing Office}}</ref> It was listed again as ''Unalaklik'' in 1900 and in 1910 under that name, although the latter census also listed it as spelled ''Unalakleet''. Since 1920, it has been recorded in the censuses as Unalakleet. It was formally incorporated in 1974.

===2020 census===
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;"
|+'''Unalakleet city, Alaska – Racial and ethnic composition'''<br><small>{{nobold|''Note: the US Census treats Hispanic/Latino as an ethnic category. This table excludes Latinos from the racial categories and assigns them to a separate category. Hispanics/Latinos may be of any race.''}}</small>
!Race / Ethnicity <small>(''NH = Non-Hispanic'')</small>
!Pop 2000<ref name=2000CensusP004>{{Cite web|title=P004: Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2000: DEC Summary File 1 – Unalakleet city, Alaska |url=https://data.census.gov/table?g=160XX00US0280660&tid=DECENNIALSF12000.P004|website=[[United States Census Bureau]] |access-date= }}</ref>
!Pop 2010<ref name=2010CensusP2>{{Cite web|title=P2: Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2010: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) – Unalakleet city, Alaska |url=https://data.census.gov/cedsci/table?q=p2&g=160XX00US0280660&tid=DECENNIALPL2010.P2|website=[[United States Census Bureau]] |access-date= }}</ref>
!{{partial|Pop 2020}}<ref name=2020CensusP2>{{Cite web|title=P2: Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2020: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) – Unalakleet city, Alaska |url=https://data.census.gov/cedsci/table?q=p2&g=160XX00US0280660&tid=DECENNIALPL2020.P2|website=[[United States Census Bureau]] |access-date= }}</ref>
!% 2000
!% 2010
!{{partial|% 2020}}
|-
|[[Non-Hispanic or Latino whites|White]] alone (NH)
|88
|98
|style='background: #ffffe6; |111
|11.78%
|14.24%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |14.51%
|-
|[[Non-Hispanic or Latino African Americans|Black or African American]] alone (NH)
|2
|4
|style='background: #ffffe6; |1
|0.27%
|0.58%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |0.13%
|-
|[[Native Americans in the United States|Native American]] or [[Alaska Native]] alone (NH)
|636
|531
|style='background: #ffffe6; |636
|85.14%
|77.18%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |83.14%
|-
|[[Asian Americans|Asian]] alone (NH)
|0
|4
|style='background: #ffffe6; |2
|0.00%
|0.58%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |0.26%
|-
|[[Native Hawaiian]] or [[Pacific Islander Americans|Pacific Islander]] alone (NH)
|0
|0
|style='background: #ffffe6; |0
|0.00%
|0.00%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |0.00%
|-
|[[Race and ethnicity in the United States census|Other race]] alone (NH)
|0
|0
|style='background: #ffffe6; |0
|0.00%
|0.00%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |0.00%
|-
|[[Multiracial Americans|Mixed race or Multiracial]] (NH)
|19
|44
|style='background: #ffffe6; |8
|2.54%
|6.40%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |1.05%
|-
|[[Hispanic and Latino Americans|Hispanic or Latino]] (any race)
|2
|7
|style='background: #ffffe6; |7
|0.27%
|1.02%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |0.92%
|-
|'''Total'''
|'''747'''
|'''688'''
|style='background: #ffffe6; |'''765'''
|'''100.00%'''
|'''100.00%'''
|style='background: #ffffe6; |'''100.00%'''
|}

===2010 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 2010, there were 688 people, 225 households, and 172 families residing in the city.  The population density was {{convert|237.2|PD/sqmi|PD/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}.  There were 268 housing units at an average density of {{convert|92.4|/sqmi|/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}.  The racial makeup of the city was 15.0% [[Race (United States Census)|White]], 0.6% [[Race (United States Census)|Black]] or [[Race (United States Census)|African American]], 77.3% [[Race (United States Census)|Native American]], 0.1% from [[Race and ethnicity in the United States Census|other races]], and 6.4% from two or more races.  1.0% of the population were [[Race (United States Census)|Hispanic]] or [[Race (United States Census)|Latino]] of any race. In 2013 there were 882 people.

There were 224 households, out of which 46.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 47.3% were married couples living together, 21.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 21.9% were non-families. 18.8% of all households were made up of individuals, and 5.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.  The average household size was 3.33 and the average family size was 3.82.

The population was spread out, with 37.5% under the age of 18, 6.2% from 18 to 24, 26.6% from 25 to 44, 21.6% from 45 to 64, and 8.2% who were 65 years of age or older.  The median age was 31 years. For every 100 females, there were 114.7 males.  For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 124.5 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $42,083, and the median income for a family was $45,625. Males had a median income of $41,964 versus $32,500 for females. The [[per capita income]] for the city was $15,845.  About 12.5% of families and 11.0% of the population were below the [[poverty line]], including 11.3% of those under age 18 and 10.0% of those age 65 or over.

==Role in mushing races==
Unalakleet is the first checkpoint on the Norton Sound in the famous [[Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race]], some {{convert|851|mi|km}} from the start in Anchorage. The first [[mushing|musher]] to reach this checkpoint each year is awarded the [[Gold Coast Award]], which includes $2,500 in gold nuggets. Unalakleet also plays an important role in the ''Iron Dog'' snowmobile race.

==Education==
The [[Mission Covenant Church of Sweden]] established a mission in Unalakleet in 1887. The [[Evangelical Covenant Church]] later started a boarding high school in 1954. It served students from all over western Alaska until it closed in 1985 due to changing educational practices following establishment of home rule in the 1970s. Most villages in Alaska established local schools, including high schools.

The district office for the [[Bering Strait School District]] has been located in Unalakleet since 1983. Serving fifteen village schools, the Bering Strait School District covers territory of approximately {{convert|75000|sqmi|km2}}.

Unalakleet's local schools include Unalakleet School, a K-12 school that is internally divided into Unalakleet Elementary, Unalakleet Middle School, and Unalakleet High School. The combined school population of Unalakleet Schools is 195, 180 of whom are full or part [[Alaska Native]].

==Athletics==

Unalakleet High School maintains an active and successful athletics program, offering student participation in basketball, mix-six volleyball, wrestling, cross-country running, cross-country skiing/biathlon, track and field, and Native Youth Olympics.

Despite its classification as a 1A-sized institution (fewer than 60 students), Unalakleet has long competed at the 2A level (60–150 students) in basketball. Since 1991, no school has qualified for the Alaska 2A state basketball tournament more frequently than Unalakleet. The boys’ basketball program has secured a total of seven state championships, with three attributed to Covenant High. The most recent title came in 2025. Unalakleet has had three Alaska 2A Player of the Year in boys’ basketball: Kevin Ivanoff (1992), Aidan Ivanoff (2019), and Paxson Commack (2025).

In volleyball, Unalakleet High School has won two state championships in the mix-six division. The school has also achieved success in individual sports. In track and field, Ourea Busk captured consecutive state titles in the 400-meter dash in 2023 and 2024, and also won back-to-back Division III state championships in cross-country running in those same years. In wrestling, Jack Koutchak III earned a state championship in the 103-pound weight class in 1999.

==Transportation and law==
[[Unalakleet Airport]] is a central hub for outlying villages, providing air cargo and air taxi services. It is served by frequent cargo services by Everts Air Cargo and [[Northern Air Cargo]]. Daily flights to Nome and outlying villages are made by [[Bering Air]] and [[Ryan Air Services|Ryan Air]].

Unalakleet has an [[Alaska State Troopers]] station. Its local police department works with local VPOs and VPSOs. A court system serves Unalakleet and surrounding villages.

==Healthcare==
Unalakleet health services are provided by the Anikkan Inuit Iluaqutaat Sub-Regional Clinic, a division of [[Norton Sound Health Corporation]], based in [[Nome, Alaska]]. The clinic has permanent staff including medical providers, certified health aides, behavioral health specialists, and a pharmacist. It also hosts specialists in other fields regularly throughout the year.

==Notable people==

*[[William E. Beltz]] (1912–1960), carpenter, politician, lived in Unalakleet
*[[Ticasuk Brown]] (1904–1982), educator, writer; born and raised in Unalakleet

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
* [http://library.state.ak.us/asp/edocs/2007/04/ocn123495361.pdf 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.&#93;.] Hosted by [https://web.archive.org/web/20071012120420/http://library.state.ak.us/asp/ Alaska State Publications Program].

{{Nome Census Area, Alaska}}

{{authority control}}

[[Category:Cities in Alaska]]
[[Category:Cities in Nome Census Area, Alaska]]
[[Category:Populated coastal places in Alaska on the Pacific Ocean]]
[[Category:Sámi-American history]]