Aniak, Alaska
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Aniak is a city located in Bethel Census Area, Alaska. As of the 2000 census, the population of the city is 572.
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Geography
Aniak is located at 61°34'44" North, 159°33'1" West (61.578821, -159.550255)Template:GR.
Aniak is on the south bank of the Kuskokwim River at the head of Aniak Slough. It is 95 km (59 miles) southwest of Russian Mission in the Yukon - Kuskokwim Delta. Aniak is 148 km (92 miles) by air northeast of Bethel.
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 22.8 km² (8.8 mi²). 16.9 km² (6.5 mi²) of it is land and 5.9 km² (2.3 mi²) of it is water. The total area is 25.82% water.
Demographics
As of the censusTemplate:GR of 2000, there are 572 people, 174 households, and 133 families residing in the city. The population density is 33.9/km² (87.8/mi²). There are 203 housing units at an average density of 12.0/km² (31.1/mi²). The racial makeup of the city is 25.00% White, 0.35% Black or African American, 68.36% Native American, 0.52% Asian, 0.00% Pacific Islander, 0.00% from other races, and 5.77% from two or more races. 1.05% of the population are Hispanic or Latino of any race.
There are 174 households out of which 51.1% have children under the age of 18 living with them, 52.9% are married couples living together, 13.2% have a female householder with no husband present, and 23.0% are non-families. 20.7% of all households are made up of individuals and 4.0% have someone living alone who is 65 years of age or older. The average household size is 3.29 and the average family size is 3.74.
In the city the population is spread out with 40.9% under the age of 18, 6.8% from 18 to 24, 27.3% from 25 to 44, 20.3% from 45 to 64, and 4.7% who are 65 years of age or older. The median age is 28 years. For every 100 females there are 108.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there are 107.4 males.
The median income for a household in the city is $41,875, and the median income for a family is $43,750. Males have a median income of $37,708 versus $34,500 for females. The per capita income for the city is $16,550. 14.0% of the population and 11.8% of families are below the poverty line. Out of the total population, 13.4% of those under the age of 18 and 12.5% of those 65 and older are living below the poverty line.
History
Aniak was the Yupik name for the area around present-day Aniak. The word means "the place where it comes out" that is, where the Aniak River flows into the Kuskokwim River.
In 1914, Tom L. Johnson homesteaded the site of a long-abandonded Yupik village in the Aniak area and opened a store and post office there. The Yupiks Willie Pete and Sam Simeon brought their families from Ohagamiut to Aniak. A trader named Semen Lukin is credited with the discovery of gold near Aniak in 1932.
Aniak today is the commercial center for the area around it. Many of its residents are fishermen.