Southeast Fairbanks Census Area is a census area located in the U.S. state of Alaska. As of the 2020 census, the population was 6,808, down from 7,029 in 2010. It is part of the unorganized borough and therefore has no borough seat. Its largest communities are Deltana and Tok, both unincorporated CDPs.
Contents
Geography
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the census area has a total area of 25,059 square miles (64,900 km2), of which 24,769 square miles (64,150 km2) is land and 291 square miles (750 km2) (1.2%) is water. For comparison, it is slightly bigger than the state of West Virginia.
Adjacent boroughs and census areas
Fairbanks North Star Borough, Alaska – Northwest
Yukon-Koyukuk Census Area, Alaska – North
Copper River Census Area, Alaska – South
Matanuska-Susitna Borough, Alaska – Southwest
Denali Borough, Alaska – West
Yukon Territory, Canada – East
National protected areas
Tetlin National Wildlife Refuge (part)
Wrangell-St. Elias National Park and Preserve (part)
Wrangell-Saint Elias Wilderness (part)
Yukon-Charley Rivers National Preserve (part)
Politics
Southeast Fairbanks is one of the most Republican parts of Alaska, frequently giving Republican candidates well over 70% of the vote. Southeast Fairbanks has consistently mirrored Alaska's overall electoral preferences, voting for the statewide winner in every presidential election since Alaska's statehood in 1960. Donald Trump received the highest share of the vote ever out of any candidate in Southeast Fairbanks in 2024 with 81.9%.
Demographics
2020 census
As of the 2020 census, the county had a population of 6,808 and a median age of 39.6 years. 23.3% of residents were under the age of 18 and 17.1% of residents were 65 years of age or older. For every 100 females there were 120.8 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 126.4 males age 18 and over.
The racial makeup of the county was 74.7% White, 1.1% Black or African American, 12.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.3% Asian, 0.2% Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander, 2.0% from some other race, and 8.7% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino residents of any race comprised 5.5% of the population. The most reported ancestries were:
German (10%)
English (8%)
Irish (7.8%)
Russian (4.9%)
Northway Village (3.1%)
Ukrainian (2.8%)
Native Village of Tetlin (2.6%)
Mexican (2%)
Puerto Rican (2%)
Scottish (1.7%)
0.0% of residents lived in urban areas, while 100.0% lived in rural areas.
There were 2,445 households in the county, of which 29.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them and 17.9% had a female householder with no spouse or partner present. About 30.2% of all households were made up of individuals and 11.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. There were 3,513 housing units, of which 30.4% were vacant. Among occupied housing units, 75.1% were owner-occupied and 24.9% were renter-occupied. The homeowner vacancy rate was 2.3% and the rental vacancy rate was 21.0%.
2000 census
As of the 2000 census, there were 6,174 people, 2,098 households, and 1,506 families living in the census area. The population density was 0.25 people per square mile (0.097 people/km2). There were 3,225 housing units at an average density of 0.13 per square mile (0.050/km2). The racial makeup of the census area was 78.99% White, 1.98% Black or African American, 12.71% Native American, 0.68% Asian, 0.15% Pacific Islander, 0.73% from other races, and 4.76% from two or more races. 2.70% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. 4.29% reported speaking an Athabaskan language at home, while 4.02% speak Russian, 3.76% Ukrainian, and 2.34% Spanish.
Of the 2,098 households, 39.40% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 58.20% were married couples living together, 8.60% had a female householder with no husband present, and 28.20% were non-families. 23.50% of households were one person, and 5.50% were one person aged 65 or older. The average household size was 2.80 and the average family size was 3.34.
In the census area, the population was spread out, with 32.80% under the age of 18, 7.60% from 18 to 24, 27.80% from 25 to 44, 25.70% from 45 to 64, and 6.10% 65 or older. The median age was 34 years. For every 100 females, there were 107.20 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 108.60 males.
Communities
Cities
Delta Junction
Eagle