Labor Department Estimates Alaska's 1999 Population

September 21, 1999
No. 00-13

Alaska's statewide population increased by 0.8% or 4,900 persons for the period July 1, 1998 to July 1, 1999, according to population estimates released today by the Alaska Department of Labor and Workforce Development. The number of people living in the state climbed from a revised 1998 population estimate of 617,082 to a provisional 1999 estimate of 622,000. Alaska's growth was slower than the 1.0% growth rate for the U.S. as a whole.

Since the 1990 census, Alaska's population increased 13.1% or 71,957 persons. On an average annual basis, the rate of growth was 1.3% during the nine-year period. Alaska's most rapid growth in this decade occurred during the 1990-93 period.

After a brief upturn in population growth in 1997-98, Alaska has returned to the decade's pattern of population growth slowed by net migration out of the state. Out migration this last year was large enough to offset a third of Alaska's natural increase.

Natural increase (births minus deaths) between July 1, 1998 and July 1, 1999 added 7,300 persons to Alaska's population. (See Table 1.) Almost 2,400 more persons left Alaska than migrated in. Since 1990, natural increase added 83,621 to Alaska's population, while net migration has accounted for an overall loss of 521 persons.

Fourteen of Alaska's 27 boroughs and census areas lost population during the last year. (See Table 2.) The largest population increases occurred in the Municipality of Anchorage, Matanuska-Susitna Borough, Fairbanks North Star Borough, Kenai Peninsula Borough, Kodiak, Bethel, North Slope, and Juneau Borough. These eight boroughs accounted for 82.9% of the state's population, and enough population increase to outweigh losses in other areas since mid-1998.

The Southeast region had an overall decline, with a natural increase of 595, and a net migration of -1,052. Population loss from the closure of the Ketchikan pulp mill, lower levels of timber harvesting and a contraction of the private sector contributed to the decline. Only Juneau and Haines grew, primarily due to natural increase.

Migration out of Southwestern Alaska was strong. Evidence indicates that this flow is from rural villages to urban centers. If not for natural increase, this region's population would have declined over the year. Factors such as disappointing earnings from commercial fishing and scarce local employment opportunities may underlie this pattern.

All areas in the Gulf Coast region experienced modest growth. Migration to the region was positive, but natural increase was the main growth factor. A relatively stable economy helps sustain growth.

Government spending cuts and lower gold prices have hurt Northern and Interior Alaska. All of Northern and Interior Alaska, except the North Slope Borough, had out-migration. Fairbanks North Star Borough, North Slope Borough and Northwest Arctic Borough continued to grow through natural increase.

Only Anchorage and Matanuska-Susitna Boroughs added a substantial number of persons between 1998-99, accounting for almost 75 percent of statewide growth. Anchorage had a net migration loss and grew primarily through natural increase. The Mat-Su Borough was the only area of the state to grow primarily through in-migration. Mat-Su's growth rate of 2.8% was the fastest of any area of the state between July 1998 and July 1999. Most of the migration to Mat-Su came from the Municipality of Anchorage.

Population estimates for boroughs, census areas and more than 300 urban and rural places are available on the Research and Analysis Internet site at:

https://laborstats.alaska.gov/

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