Quinhagak, Alaska

Quinhagak (/ˈkwɪnəhɑːk/;[4] also spelled Kwinhagak) is a city in the state of Alaska in the United States. It is in the Bethel Census Area. In 2020, there were 776 people living there.[3]

Kuinerraq
City
Sign at Quinhagak, Alaska airport (May 2011).jpg
Coordinates: 59°45′12″N 161°54′10″W / 59.75333°N 161.90278°W / 59.75333; -161.90278Coordinates: 59°45′12″N 161°54′10″W / 59.75333°N 161.90278°W / 59.75333; -161.90278
CountryUnited States
StateAlaska
Census AreaBethel
IncorporatedFebruary 13, 1975[1]
Area
 • Total4.69 sq mi (12.14 km2)
 • Land4.10 sq mi (10.62 km2)
 • Water0.59 sq mi (1.52 km2)
Elevation
16 ft (5 m)
Population
 • Total776
 • Density189.27/sq mi (73.07/km2)
Time zoneUTC-9 (Alaska (AKST))
 • Summer (DST)UTC-8 (AKDT)
ZIP code
99655
FIPS code02-64600
GNIS feature ID1408462

Its name is Kuinerraq in the Central Alaskan Yup'ik language. This name was used as early as 1000 A.D.

Location

Quinhagak is located at 59°45′12″N 161°54′10″W / 59.753374°N 161.902701°W / 59.753374; -161.902701.[5] The city is on the Kanektok River. The Arolik River is nearby. It is about 1 mile (1.6 km) from the Kuskokwim Bay of the Bering Sea.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city covers 4.7 square miles (12.1 km2). It is 4.1 square miles (10.6 km2) of land and 0.6 square miles (1.5 km2) of water. About 12.5% of the city's area is water.[2]

Demographics

In 2020, there were 776 people living in Quinhagak. These people made up 192 households. The population density was 189.3 people per square mile (73.1 people/km².) The people were 94.2% Native American, 1.7% white, and 4.0% multiple races. 0.4% were Hispanic or Latino of any race.[3]

The median income (middle) for a household was $33,125 per year. The median income for a family was $38,750 per year.[6] The per capita income for the whole city was $10,820.[7] 39.2% of the population was below the poverty line.[8]

Economy

Most of the people in Quinhagak are subsistence hunter-gatherers. This means that they hunt, fish, and pick berries and plants to eat but not to sell. There are lots of salmon, trout, birds, caribou, moose, and berries around the city. There is a little bit of work for money available through the government. The Lower Kuskokwim School District and the Native Village of Kwinhagak have some wage jobs.

During the summer salmon season, there are some commercial fishing and canning jobs. In the summer, migrant workers come to Quinhagak to work salmon fishing and canning.

History

Just outside the community there is the Nunalleq archaeological site. This site has been called "[o]ne of the most productive archaeological digs in North America". [9]

References

  1. 1996 Alaska Municipal Officials Directory. Juneau: Alaska Municipal League/Alaska Department of Community and Regional Affairs. January 1996. p. 125.
  2. 2.0 2.1 "2020 U.S. Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved October 29, 2021.
  3. 3.0 3.1 3.2 "DP1: PROFILE OF GENERAL POPULATION AND HOUSING CHARACTERISTICS". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved September 12, 2023.
  4. "Quinhagak". Alaska Community Information Summaries (CIS). Archived from the original on 2011-06-05. Retrieved 2010-11-30.
  5. "US Gazetteer files: 2000 and 1990". United States Census Bureau. 2005-05-03. Retrieved 2008-01-31.
  6. "S1901: INCOME IN THE PAST 12 MONTHS (IN 2021 INFLATION-ADJUSTED DOLLARS)". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved September 12, 2023.
  7. "S1902: MEAN INCOME IN THE PAST 12 MONTHS (IN 2021 INFLATION-ADJUSTED DOLLARS)". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved September 12, 2023.
  8. "S1701: POVERTY STATUS IN THE PAST 12 MONTHS". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved September 12, 2023.
  9. https://www.adn.com/alaska-news/rural-alaska/2023/09/16/archaeology-project-in-quinhagak-is-about-the-future-as-much-as-the-past/