Beluga is a

census-designated place A census-designated place (CDP) is a Place (United States Census Bureau), concentration of population defined by the United States Census Bureau for statistical purposes only. CDPs have been used in each decennial census since 1980 as the count ...

(CDP) in Kenai Peninsula Borough,

Alaska Alaska ( ; russian: Аляска, Alyaska; ale, Alax̂sxax̂; ; ems, Alas'kaaq; Yup'ik: ''Alaskaq''; tli, Anáaski) is a state located in the Western United States on the northwest extremity of North America. A semi-exclave of the U.S. ...

United States The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territori ...

. The population was 20 at the 2010 census, down from 32 in 2000.

Geography

Beluga is located in the northern part of Kenai Peninsula Borough at (61.133962, -151.164741), on the northwest side of

Cook Inlet Cook Inlet ( tfn, Tikahtnu; Sugpiaq: ''Cungaaciq'') stretches from the Gulf of Alaska to Anchorage in south-central Alaska. Cook Inlet branches into the Knik Arm and Turnagain Arm at its northern end, almost surrounding Anchorage. On its so ...

. The community is on the Alaskan mainland rather than the

Kenai Peninsula The Kenai Peninsula ( Dena'ina: ''Yaghenen'') is a large peninsula jutting from the coast of Southcentral Alaska. The name Kenai (, ) is derived from the word "Kenaitze" or "Kenaitze Indian Tribe", the name of the Native Athabascan Alaskan trib ...

proper. It is bordered to the north by

Matanuska-Susitna Borough Matanuska-Susitna Borough (often referred to as the Mat-Su Borough) is a borough located in the U.S. state of Alaska. Its county seat is Palmer, and the largest community is the census-designated place of Knik-Fairview. The borough is part of ...

and to the south by the Tyonek CDP. Access is by air or by water, as the road network is local only. According to the

United States Census Bureau The United States Census Bureau (USCB), officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the U.S. Federal Statistical System, responsible for producing data about the American people and economy. The Census Bureau is part of t ...

, the CDP has a total area of , of which are land and , or 0.72%, are water. The southern border of the CDP is the Chuitna River, and the Beluga River flows through the northern part of the CDP.

Demographics

Beluga first appeared on the 2000 U.S. Census as a census-designated place (CDP). As of the

census A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring, recording and calculating information about the members of a given population. This term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common censuses in ...

of 2000, there were 32 people, 13 households, and 7 families residing in the CDP. The population density was . There were 54 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the CDP was 75.00%

White White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no hue). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully reflect and scatter all the visible wavelengths of light. White o ...

and 25.00% Native American. There were 13 households, out of which 38.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 61.5% were married couples living together, and 38.5% were non-families. 23.1% of all households were made up of individuals, and none had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.46 and the average family size was 3.00. In the CDP, the population was spread out, with 25.0% under the age of 18, 31.3% from 25 to 44, 34.4% from 45 to 64, and 9.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 42 years. For every 100 females, there were 128.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 140.0 males. The median income for a household in the CDP was $0, and the median income for a family was $0. Males had a median income of $0 versus $0 for females. The

per capita income Per capita income (PCI) or total income measures the average income earned per person in a given area (city, region, country, etc.) in a specified year. It is calculated by dividing the area's total income by its total population. Per capita i ...

for the CDP was $0. There were no families and none of the population living below the

poverty line The poverty threshold, poverty limit, poverty line or breadline is the minimum level of income deemed adequate in a particular country. The poverty line is usually calculated by estimating the total cost of one year's worth of necessities for t ...

, including no under eighteens and none of those over 64. Two prominent features are a small general store and the Chugach Electric power plant, which powers about half of Anchorage. The plant is situated on a gas reserve, which allows for on-site extraction of the

gas Gas is one of the four fundamental states of matter (the others being solid, liquid, and plasma). A pure gas may be made up of individual atoms (e.g. a noble gas like neon), elemental molecules made from one type of atom (e.g. oxygen), or ...

to be used to fuel the plant.

Fishing

There are three main fishing rivers: the Beluga in the north ( king salmon, silver salmon, and sockeye salmon), the Chuitna in the south (king salmon and silver salmon), and Three Mile Creek in the middle (silver salmon). Two other rivers, the Theodore and the Lewis (both with king salmon and silver salmon), are a short distance northeast of the CDP. There are countless freshwater lakes in the Beluga area. A record pike caught in one was and was caught using ice fishing gear. Many set net fishers also fish from shore commercially to make a living. A good catch is about 100 salmon.

References

{{authority control Census-designated places in Alaska Census-designated places in Kenai Peninsula Borough, Alaska Populated coastal places in Alaska on the Pacific Ocean Road-inaccessible communities of Alaska