Matanuska-Susitna Borough (often referred to as the Mat-Su Borough) is a

borough A borough is an administrative division in various English language, English-speaking countries. In principle, the term ''borough'' designates a self-governing walled town, although in practice, official use of the term varies widely. History ...

located in the

U.S. state In the United States, a state is a constituent political entity, of which there are 50. Bound together in a political union, each state holds governmental jurisdiction over a separate and defined geographic territory where it shares its so ...

Alaska Alaska ( ) is a non-contiguous U.S. state on the northwest extremity of North America. Part of the Western United States region, it is one of the two non-contiguous U.S. states, alongside Hawaii. Alaska is also considered to be the north ...

. 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. The borough is part of the Anchorage Metropolitan Statistical Area, along with the municipality of Anchorage on its south. The Mat-Su Borough is so designated 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

The borough seat is Palmer, and the largest community is the census-designated place of

Knik-Fairview, Alaska Knik-Fairview is a census-designated place (CDP) in Matanuska-Susitna Borough, Alaska, United States. It is part of the Anchorage, Alaska Anchorage metropolitan area, Metropolitan Statistical Area. At the 2020 United States census, 2020 census th ...

. As of the 2020 census, the population was 107,081, up from 88,995 in 2010. It is the fastest growing subdivision in Alaska. According to the

United States Census Bureau The United States Census Bureau, officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the Federal statistical system, U.S. federal statistical system, responsible for producing data about the American people and American economy, econ ...

, the borough has a total area of , of which is land and (2.6%) is water.

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 The Chugach National Forest is a United States National Forest in south central Alaska. Covering portions of Prince William Sound, the Kenai Peninsula and the Copper River (Alaska), Copper River Delta, it was formed in 1907 from part of a larger ...

(part) * Denali National Park and Preserve (part) ** Denali Wilderness (part) * Lake Clark National Park and Preserve (part) ** Lake Clark Wilderness (part)

Demographics

As of the

census A census (from Latin ''censere'', 'to assess') is the procedure of systematically acquiring, recording, and calculating population information about the members of a given Statistical population, population, usually displayed in the form of stati ...

of 2000, there were 59,322 people, 20,556 households, and 15,046 families residing in the borough. The

population density Population density (in agriculture: Standing stock (disambiguation), standing stock or plant density) is a measurement of population per unit land area. It is mostly applied to humans, but sometimes to other living organisms too. It is a key geog ...

was . There were 27,329 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the borough was 87.55%

White White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no chroma). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully (or almost fully) reflect and scatter all the visible wa ...

, 0.69%

Black Black is a color that results from the absence or complete absorption of visible light. It is an achromatic color, without chroma, like white and grey. It is often used symbolically or figuratively to represent darkness.Eva Heller, ''P ...

African American African Americans, also known as Black Americans and formerly also called Afro-Americans, are an Race and ethnicity in the United States, American racial and ethnic group that consists of Americans who have total or partial ancestry from an ...

, 5.50% Native American, 0.70% Asian, 0.12%

Pacific Islander Pacific Islanders, Pasifika, Pasefika, Pacificans, or rarely Pacificers are the peoples of the list of islands in the Pacific Ocean, Pacific Islands. As an ethnic group, ethnic/race (human categorization), racial term, it is used to describe th ...

, 0.86% from other races, and 4.57% from two or more races. 2.50% of the population were

Hispanic The term Hispanic () are people, Spanish culture, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or broadly. In some contexts, Hispanic and Latino Americans, especially within the United States, "Hispanic" is used as an Ethnici ...

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 Marriage, also called matrimony or wedlock, is a culturally and often legally recognised union between people called spouses. It establishes rights and obligations between them, as well as between them and their children (if any), and b ...

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

Republicans have carried the Matanuska-Susitna borough in every election except for

1964 Events January * January 1 – The Federation of Rhodesia and Nyasaland is dissolved. * January 5 – In the first meeting between leaders of the Roman Catholic and Orthodox churches since the fifteenth century, Pope Paul VI and Patria ...

. 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 The year 2020 was heavily defined by the COVID-19 pandemic, which led to global Social impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, social and Economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, economic disruption, mass cancellations and postponements of even ...

, 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.

Sarah Palin Sarah Louise Palin (; Heath; born February 11, 1964) is an American politician, commentator, and author who served as the ninth governor of Alaska from 2006 until her resignation in 2009. She was the 2008 Republican vice presidential nomi ...

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

Communities

Cities

Houston Houston ( ) is the List of cities in Texas by population, most populous city in the U.S. state of Texas and in the Southern United States. Located in Southeast Texas near Galveston Bay and the Gulf of Mexico, it is the county seat, seat of ...

* Palmer (Borough seat) * Wasilla

Census-designated places

* Big Lake * Buffalo Soapstone *

Butte In geomorphology, a butte ( ) is an isolated hill with steep, often vertical sides and a small, relatively flat top; buttes are smaller landforms than mesas, plateaus, and table (landform), tablelands. The word ''butte'' comes from the French l ...

* 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 Willows, also called sallows and osiers, of the genus ''Salix'', comprise around 350 species (plus numerous hybrids) of typically deciduous trees and shrubs, found primarily on moist soils in cold and temperate regions. Most species are known ...

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 Ransomware is a type of malware that Encryption, encrypts the victim's personal data until a ransom is paid. Difficult-to-trace Digital currency, digital currencies such as paysafecard or Bitcoin and other cryptocurrency, cryptocurrencies are com ...

attack, forcing employees to do without computers, using electric typewriters where available. The borough declared a state of emergency and incurred over $2 million in costs. The method is thought to have been a targeted

phishing Phishing is a form of social engineering and a scam where attackers deceive people into revealing sensitive information or installing malware such as viruses, worms, adware, or ransomware. Phishing attacks have become increasingly sophisticate ...

e-mail; data left by the malware indicated Mat-Su was the 210th target attacked.

Education

The school district is Matanuska-Susitna Borough School District.
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Gallery

References

External links

official government website

Borough Facebook

Borough newsroom
Borough map, 2000 census: Alaska Department of LaborBorough map, 2010 census: Alaska Department of Labor
{{Authority control Matanuska-Susitna Borough, Alaska, *Matanuska Alaska boroughs Populated places established in 1964 1964 establishments in Alaska