Gakona Roadhouse · National Register of Historic Places
Gakona’s story
121 years in pictures
2 places on the National Register of Historic Places.
- 1905Gakona is settled
GakonaAK
With 181 residents, this town was settled in 1905.
2 bordering townsMap →
Photo: Jet Lowe · Public domain
Population
181
Census survey, 2020–24
Median home value
$350K
Census ACS
Household income
$96K
median
Median age
37.5
years
Land area
61 sq mi
Is Gakona a good place to live?
Gakona’s January low is -12°F, below both the Alaska town median (7°F) and the median of U.S. towns (22°F). Gakona has 2 places on the National Register of Historic Places, among them Gakona Roadhouse and Gakona Historic District. Gakona has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.
Small town
181 people, and everyone knows the way
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
GulkanaChistochinaGakona
Getting set up
Moving to Gakona: who provides what
Gakona is unincorporated, so Copper River Census Area and regional agencies provide most services.
PowerBirch Creek Village Elec UtilEIAHIFLD · EIA
WaterGulkana Village water system10 health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet1 providers99% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & county servicesCopper River Census AreaCopper River Census Area provides services here
Register to voteOnlineIn Alaska you can register online until 30 days before Election Day, in person until 30 days before Election Day, or by mail (received 30 days before).vote.govWho runs elections hereAbsentee and Petition OfficeState of Alaska; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Jun 2025
ZIP code9958699586 100%Census 2020
EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Sep 30, 2026.
The data
Ordered by what stands out in Gakona.
Natural hazards
The biggest natural risk in Gakona is avalanches, at a very high overall level
Expected losses in Gakona break down as 76% from avalanches and 11% from earthquakes. Its FEMA hazard score comes in at 84 of 100.
84risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
AvalanchesEarthquakes
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Who lives here
Older than Alaska overall
Here, 31% of adults 25 and older have a bachelor’s degree, against 32% in Alaska as a whole. People 65 and older are 24% of residents (14% statewide); adults 35 to 64 are 29% of residents (37% statewide). Gakona: 30% of residents are under 18.
37.5median age · AK 35.8
| Gakona | Alaska towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 18 | 30% | 24% | 22% |
| Bachelor’s degree or more, 25+ | 31% | 28% | 29% |
GakonaAlaskaUnited States
Ages · share of residents
20%
Education · adults 25 and older
No diploma4%
High school22%
Some college36%
Associate’s7%
Bachelor’s27%
Graduate4%
Women and men · all residents
48% women, 52% men
That’s an even split within the survey’s margin of ±7.3 points. Across Alaska, 47.5% of residents are women.
| Gakona | AK | U.S. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 10 | 19.9% | 13.2% | 11.6% |
| 10 to 17 | 10.5% | 10.9% | 10.3% |
| 18 to 24 | 0.6% | 9.2% | 9.1% |
| 25 to 34 | 16.6% | 15.4% | 13.7% |
| 35 to 44 | 7.2% | 14.2% | 13.2% |
| 45 to 54 | 9.4% | 11.3% | 12.2% |
| 55 to 64 | 12.2% | 11.9% | 12.7% |
| 65 to 74 | 20.4% | 9.2% | 10.2% |
| 75 and older | 3.3% | 4.6% | 7% |
| No diploma | 4% | 6.4% | 10.4% |
| High school | 21.6% | 28.9% | 26% |
| Some college | 36% | 24% | 19.1% |
| Associate’s | 7.2% | 9.1% | 8.8% |
| Bachelor’s | 27.2% | 19.8% | 21.6% |
| Graduate | 4% | 11.8% | 14.1% |
U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates · in a town of 200, single groups can be off by several points
69°summer high
Typical low → high °F
Winter-8–10°
Spring19–44°
Summer44–67°
Fall17–35°
Aug 21
typical first frost
Jun 7
typical last frost
69°
typical summer high
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Health
Gakona stands out in Alaska and nationally: a larger share of its adults have high blood pressure
14% of adults report frequent mental distress in Gakona. No town among the 42 in Alaska we compare has a higher share of adults who have diabetes than Gakona. Of 32 CDC measures, Gakona beats the Alaska average on 3 and trails it on 10. Among 42 Alaska towns, just 2 have a lower share of adults who have been diagnosed with depression than Gakona.
| Gakona | Alaska towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| High blood pressure (CDC PLACES) | 43% | 32% | 35% |
| Depression (CDC PLACES) | 18% | 21% | 23% |
| Diabetes (CDC PLACES) | 14% | 8.8% | 12% |
| Yearly checkup (CDC PLACES) | 72% | 68% | 79% |
32 measures vs. Alaska
3 better19 too close to call10 worse
| What stands out | Gakona | AK |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer adults in frequent mental distress | 13.8% | 16.1% |
| More adults treating high blood pressure | 76.1% | 68% |
| More adults with heart disease | 10.1% | 5.7% |
Providence Valdez Medical Center
97.2 mi away · emergency room
3 of 3
care shortages: primary care, dental, mental health
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Outdoors
In Gakona, 8.9% of the land is conserved
Among 42 Alaska towns, just 3 have a lower concentration of trails than Gakona. 4.0 miles of trail.
8.9%conserved
| Gakona | Alaska towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Conserved land | 8.9% | 15% | 4.3% |
| Miles of trail per square mile | 0.1 miles per square mile | 0.4 | 0.4 |
8.9%
conserved · 3,414 of 38,488 acres
4.0 mi
of trails · 0.1 per sq mi
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
Housing
Homes in Gakona sell for about $135K
The share of households in Gakona who are owner-occupiers: 72%.
$135Kmedian sale price
0
homes sold in September
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Gakona
14pages on Gakona
The big questions
After high school
Colleges nearby
None within 15 miles of Gakona; the nearest are
Alaska Bible CollegeUniversity or college · Private nonprofit · Palmer134.2 mi$9,730 tuitionUniversity of Alaska AnchorageUniversity or college · Public · Anchorage168.3 mi$7,738 in-state tuition
About 1 of every 100 Gakona residents are enrolled in college, against 5 across Alaska.
Landmarks
2 places in Gakona on the National Register of Historic Places.
About Gakona
CDP in Alaska, United States
Gakona (Ggax Kuna’ in Ahtna Athabascan) is a census-designated place (CDP) in the Copper River Census Area in the U.S. state of Alaska. As of the 2020 census, the population of the CDP was 169, down from 218 in 2010. It is home to the High-frequency Active Auroral Research Program.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Area
- 61 sq mi
- ZIP code
- 99586
Questions about Gakona
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Gakona, AK a good place to live?
Gakona has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.