Ekwok, Alaska
|
|
Ekwok is a city located in Dillingham Census Area, Alaska. As of the 2000 census, the population of the city is 130.
| Contents |
Geography
Ekwok is located at 59°20'57" North, 157°29'7" West (59.349260, -157.485404)Template:GR.
Ekwok is on the Nushagak River in southwestern Alaska, 69 km (43 miles) northeast of Dillingham.
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 44.9 km² (17.3 mi²). 41.4 km² (16.0 mi²) of it is land and 3.5 km² (1.4 mi²) of it is water. The total area is 7.85% water.
Demographics
As of the censusTemplate:GR of 2000, there are 130 people, 42 households, and 29 families residing in the city. The population density is 3.1/km² (8.1/mi²). There are 56 housing units at an average density of 1.4/km² (3.5/mi²). The racial makeup of the city is 6.15% White, 0.00% Black or African American, 91.54% Native American, 0.00% Asian, 0.00% Pacific Islander, 0.00% from other races, and 2.31% from two or more races. 0.00% of the population are Hispanic or Latino of any race.
There are 42 households out of which 47.6% have children under the age of 18 living with them, 61.9% are married couples living together, 7.1% have a female householder with no husband present, and 28.6% are non-families. 28.6% of all households are made up of individuals and 4.8% have someone living alone who is 65 years of age or older. The average household size is 3.10 and the average family size is 3.93.
In the city the population is spread out with 43.8% under the age of 18, 3.8% from 18 to 24, 26.2% from 25 to 44, 19.2% from 45 to 64, and 6.9% who are 65 years of age or older. The median age is 32 years. For every 100 females there are 113.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there are 114.7 males.
The median income for a household in the city is $16,250, and the median income for a family is $20,000. Males have a median income of $38,750 versus $35,750 for females. The per capita income for the city is $11,079. 32.1% of the population and 29.2% of families are below the poverty line. Out of the total population, 24.4% of those under the age of 18 and 40.0% of those 65 and older are living below the poverty line.
History
Ekwok means "end of the bluff" in Yupik. It is the oldest continuously occupied Yupik village on the Nushagak River. During the 1800s, the settlement was used in the spring and summer as a fish camp, and in the fall as a base camp for picking berries. By 1923, it was the largest settlement along the river.
From the early 1900s until 1941, mail was delivered by dog sled from Dillingham. in 1941 a post office opened in Ekwok. Before 1960, most of the buildings in Ekwok were located in a low area near the river. After a flood in the early 1960s, the village was relocated to its current location.