Landing Fields - Alaska, 1917
Hughes’s story
106 years in pictures
Census counts: 45 in 1920, 85 in 2020. The archive holds 12 old photos and papers going back to 1917 and a map from 1955 on.
- 1920Hughes is settled
HughesAK
A town of 81, settled in 1920.
Photo: Federal Aviation Administration, Alaskan Region · Public domain
Is Hughes a good place to live?
Hughes has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.
Small town
81 people, and everyone knows the way
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
Getting set up
The full setup list →Moving to Hughes: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in Hughes, and how to reach them.
PowerAlaska Village Elec Coop65.9¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterHughes Public Water Supply4 health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
InternetProviders and speedsData pending · D4
Trash & dumpNot on file yetWe don’t have Hughes’ trash rules yet
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 code9974599745 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 Hughes.
Health
Hughes stands out in Alaska and nationally: a larger share of its adults have diabetes
27% of adults smoke cigarettes in Hughes, above both the Alaska town median (16%) and the median of U.S. towns (14%). No town among the 42 in Alaska we compare has a higher share of adults who have high blood pressure than Hughes. Hughes: 21% of adults have been diagnosed with depression. Only 4 of the 42 Alaska towns we compare have a higher share of adults who sleep under 7 hours than Hughes.
| Hughes | Alaska towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fair or poor health (CDC PLACES) | 30% | 18% | 19% |
| Smoke cigarettes (CDC PLACES) | 27% | 16% | 14% |
| Frequent physical distress (CDC PLACES) | 20% | 13% | 14% |
| Food insecurity (CDC PLACES) | 32% | 13% | 14% |
32 measures vs. Alaska
0 better12 too close to call20 worse
| What stands out | Hughes | AK |
|---|---|---|
| More adults facing food insecurity | 31.9% | 14.3% |
| More adults without reliable transportation | 19.3% | 9% |
| More adults facing a utility shut-off | 16.5% | 8.2% |
2 of 3
care shortages: dental, mental health
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Schools
The schools Hughes’s kids attend
Its public schools are run by the Yukon-Koyukuk School District.
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Johnny Oldman SchoolLargest public high schoolGrades PK–12 | Grades PK–12 | 29 | C |
NCES · EDFacts
Natural hazards
Top of a moderate hazard risk in Hughes: cold waves
Hughes’ natural-hazard score from FEMA stands at 56 of 100. Of the losses FEMA expects here, 60% come from cold waves and 16% from avalanches. Households locally have drawn federal disaster aid in 2 declared disasters, most recently in 2013.
56risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Cold wavesAvalanchesWildfire
2
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA disaster declarations and aid · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Hughes
11pages on Hughes
The big questions
Out and about
After high school
Colleges nearby
None within 15 miles of Hughes; the nearest are
About 0 of every 100 Hughes residents are enrolled in college, against 5 across Alaska.
About Hughes
City in Alaska, United States
Hughes (Koyukon: Hut’odlee Kkaakk’et) is a city in Yukon-Koyukuk Census Area, Alaska, United States. The population was 85 at the 2020 census, up from 77 in 2010.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Area
- 3.0 sq mi
- Elevation
- 377 ft
- ZIP code
- 99745
Questions about Hughes
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Hughes, AK a good place to live?
Hughes has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.