Matanuska-Susitna Borough, Alaska

Matanuska-Susitna Borough (often referred to as the Mat-Su Borough) is a borough located in the U.S. state of Alaska. Its borough seat is Palmer, and the largest community is the census-designated place of Knik-Fairview. As of the 2020 census, the borough's population was 107,081.^[3]

Matanuska-Susitna Borough
Borough
Ruth Glacier
Flag Seal
Location within the U.S. state of Alaska
Alaska's location within the U.S.
Coordinates: 62°24′N 149°35′W
Country	United States
State	Alaska
Incorporated	January 1, 1964[1][2]
Named after	Matanuska River and Susitna River
Seat	Palmer
Largest CDP	Knik-Fairview
Government
• Borough Mayor	Edna DeVries
Area
• Total	25,258 sq mi (65,420 km2)
• Land	24,608 sq mi (63,730 km2)
• Water	650 sq mi (1,700 km2)  2.6%
Population  (2020)[3]
• Total	107,081
• Estimate  (2024)	117,613
• Density	4.3515/sq mi (1.6801/km2)
Time zone	UTC−9 (Alaska)
• Summer (DST)	UTC−8 (ADT)
Congressional district	At-large
Website	www.matsugov.us

The borough is part of the Anchorage Metropolitan Statistical Area, along with the municipality of Anchorage on its south.

The Mat-Su Borough is designated as so because it contains the entire Matanuska and Susitna Rivers. They empty into Cook Inlet, which is the southern border of the Mat-Su Borough. It is one of the few agricultural areas of Alaska.

Geography

Mount Bradley in Matanuska-Susitna Borough, Alaska, 2014

The borough seat is Palmer,^[4] and the largest community is the census-designated place of Knik-Fairview, Alaska.

As of the 2020 census, the population was 107,081, up from 88,995 in 2010. It is the fastest growing subdivision in Alaska.^[5]

According to the United States Census Bureau, the borough has a total area of 25,258 square miles (65,420 km²), of which 24,608 square miles (63,730 km²) is land and 650 square miles (1,700 km²) (2.6%) is water.^[6]

Adjacent boroughs and census areas

• Denali Borough, Alaska - north
• Southeast Fairbanks Census Area, Alaska - northeast
• Copper River Census Area, Alaska - east
• Chugach 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

National protected areas in the borough

• 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

Historical population

Census	Pop.	Note	%±
1960	5,188		—
1970	6,509		25.5%
1980	17,816		173.7%
1990	39,683		122.7%
2000	59,322		49.5%
2010	88,995		50.0%
2020	107,081		20.3%
2024 (est.)	117,613	[7]	9.8%
U.S. Decennial Census[8] 1790–1960[9] 1900–1990[10] 1990–2000[11] 2010–2020[3]

As of the census of 2000, there were 59,322 people, 20,556 households, and 15,046 families residing in the borough. The population density was 2 people per square mile (0.77 people/km²). There were 27,329 housing units at an average density of 1 per square mile (0.39/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

The midway area of the Alaska State Fair, held annually in Palmer during late August and early September

United States presidential election results for Matanuska-Susitna Borough, Alaska^[12]

Year	Republican		Democratic		Third party(ies)
	No.	%	No.	%	No.	%
1960	1,152	52.20%	1,055	47.80%	0	0.00%
1964	964	43.72%	1,241	56.28%	0	0.00%
1968	1,076	46.42%	892	38.48%	350	15.10%
1972	2,004	66.62%	694	23.07%	310	10.31%
1976	2,884	60.70%	1,485	31.26%	382	8.04%
1980	5,012	61.36%	1,316	16.11%	1,840	22.53%
1984	9,944	73.69%	2,940	21.79%	610	4.52%
1988	8,856	65.01%	4,172	30.63%	594	4.36%
1992	7,564	39.13%	4,379	22.66%	7,385	38.21%
1996	11,306	59.81%	4,522	23.92%	3,074	16.26%
2000	17,976	69.31%	5,379	20.74%	2,579	9.94%
2004	17,569	72.71%	6,201	25.66%	394	1.63%
2008	30,246	74.50%	9,297	22.90%	1,056	2.60%
2012	27,339	72.68%	9,317	24.77%	959	2.55%
2016	31,947	74.39%	8,598	20.02%	2,398	5.58%
2020	38,492	71.90%	12,849	24.00%	2,195	4.10%
2024	40,140	72.50%	13,343	24.10%	1,882	3.40%

Republicans have carried the Matanuska-Susitna borough in every election except for 1964.^[13] Though the borough has aligned with the statewide presidential election winner in Alaska in every election since statehood, it has come to stand out as one of the most Republican areas in Alaska, alongside the neighboring, less populated Southeast Fairbanks Census Area. In 2020, around 20% of Donald Trump's vote share in the state came from this borough alone.

Edna DeVries is the mayor of the Matanuska-Susitna Borough. The borough has a strong-manager form of government. Mike Brown is the borough manager. Long-time Manager John Duffy retired in 2010.^[14]

Sarah Palin was previously the mayor of Wasilla, the largest city in the borough.

Communities

Cities

• Houston
• Palmer (Borough seat)
• Wasilla

Census-designated places

• Big Lake
• Buffalo Soapstone
• Butte
• Chase
• Chickaloon
• Eureka Roadhouse
• Farm Loop
• Fishhook
• Gateway
• Glacier View
• Knik River
• Knik-Fairview
• Lake Louise
• Lazy Mountain
• Meadow Lakes
• North Lakes
• Petersville
• Point MacKenzie
• Skwentna
• South Lakes
• Susitna
• Susitna North
• Sutton-Alpine
• Talkeetna
• Tanaina
• Trapper Creek
• Willow

Unincorporated community

• Alexander Creek

Cyber attack

In July 2018, the borough's computer systems, including the library and animal shelter, were hit by a ransomware attack, forcing employees to do without computers, using electric typewriters where available.^[15] The borough declared a state of emergency^[16] and incurred over $2 million in costs.^[17] The method is thought to have been a targeted phishing e-mail; data left by the malware indicated Mat-Su was the 210th target attacked.^[18]

Education

The school district is Matanuska-Susitna Borough School District.^[19]

Gallery

A freshwater pond on Trimble Glacier, in the Tordrillo Mountains, in the far south-west of Mat-Su Borough

See also

• Alaska portal

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