Demographics of Matanuska Susitna County
Affluence Level in Matanuska Susitna County
A middle-class area roughly in line with national averages across income, home values, education, and employment.
People of Matanuska Susitna County
The people of Matanuska Susitna County, Alaska, are a predominantly white, sparsely settled population of 110,677, concentrated in the sprawling Mat-Su Valley north of Anchorage. The county is defined by a frontier character—low population density, high rates of homeownership, and a strong conservative tilt—with a foreign-born share of just 1.0% and a racial makeup that is 76.4% white, 5.2% Hispanic, 1.7% East/Southeast Asian, and 1.3% Black. Distinctive identity markers include a deep connection to subsistence and outdoor recreation, a legacy of Depression-era agricultural resettlement, and a recent influx of domestic migrants seeking affordable land and a rural lifestyle.
Settlement & growth (pre-1960)
The Matanuska Susitna region has been home to the Dena'ina and Ahtna Athabascan peoples for millennia, with seasonal settlements along the Matanuska, Susitna, and Knik Rivers. Russian colonization in the 18th and early 19th centuries had limited direct impact on the interior valley, though Russian traders and Orthodox missionaries did pass through. The United States purchased Alaska in 1867, but significant American settlement of the Mat-Su Valley did not begin until the early 20th century, spurred by the 1915 construction of the Alaska Railroad. The railroad terminus at Wasilla and the agricultural colony at Palmer became the first permanent non-Native population centers, drawing homesteaders, miners, and railroad workers from the Lower 48.
The single most transformative event in the county's human history was the Matanuska Valley Colony of 1935, a New Deal resettlement project that brought roughly 200 families from the drought-stricken Upper Midwest—primarily Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Michigan—to farm the valley. These colonists, mostly of Scandinavian and German descent, were given land, tools, and credit to establish farms around Palmer, Wasilla, and Houston. The colony's success, though uneven, established a durable agricultural base and a cultural identity rooted in self-reliance, Lutheran traditions, and a strong work ethic. By 1960, the county's population was still under 6,000, overwhelmingly white, and concentrated in the Palmer-Wasilla corridor.
Modern era (post-1965)
The 1965 Hart-Cellar Act had minimal direct effect on Matanuska Susitna County, as the region attracted almost no international immigration. Instead, the county's modern growth has been driven almost entirely by domestic migration from other parts of Alaska and the Lower 48. The construction of the George Parks Highway in the 1970s, connecting the Mat-Su Valley to Anchorage and Fairbanks, opened the area to suburban commuters. From 1970 to 2000, the population surged from roughly 6,000 to over 60,000, as families and individuals moved north from Anchorage seeking cheaper land, larger lots, and a more rural lifestyle.
The post-1965 demographic shifts have been subtle but notable. The white share has declined from over 90% in 1980 to 76.4% today, driven primarily by an increase in Hispanic residents (now 5.2%) and a small but growing East/Southeast Asian population (1.7%), concentrated in Wasilla and Palmer. The Hispanic community includes both long-term agricultural workers and newer arrivals in construction and service industries. The Black population (1.3%) and Indian subcontinent population (0.0%) remain negligible. The county has also seen a modest influx of Alaska Native residents from rural villages, particularly in Talkeetna and Willow, where subsistence lifestyles remain viable. Suburbanization has been sprawling rather than dense, with new subdivisions spreading along the Parks Highway corridor from Knik-Fairview to Big Lake and Meadow Lakes.
The future
Matanuska Susitna County is projected to continue growing at a steady pace, driven by domestic migration from Anchorage and the Lower 48, particularly from states like California, Washington, and Oregon. The population is expected to reach 130,000–140,000 by 2035, with the most rapid growth in the Wasilla and Palmer areas and along the Parks Highway corridor toward Willow. The county is becoming slightly more diverse, with the Hispanic share likely to rise to 8–10% and the East/Southeast Asian share to 3–4%, but it will remain overwhelmingly white and English-speaking. The Indian subcontinent population is expected to remain near zero. The cultural identity is evolving from a purely agricultural and frontier character to a more suburban-exurban one, with new residents drawn by remote work opportunities and the appeal of affordable land near Anchorage. The county's conservative political leanings are likely to persist, reinforced by the influx of domestic migrants seeking lower taxes and fewer regulations.
For someone moving in now, Matanuska Susitna County offers a rare combination of frontier space and modern convenience, with a population that is stable, predominantly white, and culturally conservative. The county is becoming more suburban and slightly more diverse, but its core identity—rooted in the Matanuska Valley Colony, subsistence living, and a strong sense of independence—remains intact. New arrivals will find a community that values self-reliance, outdoor recreation, and a slower pace of life, with the amenities of Anchorage just an hour away.
* Values derived from national, state, county, city and local statistics and may differ in a specific area. Last updated: 2026-07-07T07:42:48.000Z
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