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Wainwright

Ulġuniq
Wainwright during the summer months with the Arctic Ocean in the background
Wainwright during the summer months with the Arctic Ocean in the background
Wainwright, Alaska is located in Alaska
Wainwright, Alaska
Wainwright, Alaska
Location in Alaska
Country United States
State Alaska
Borough North Slope
Incorporated December 31, 1962
Area
 • Total 28.04 sq mi (72.61 km2)
 • Land 10.31 sq mi (26.71 km2)
 • Water 17.72 sq mi (45.90 km2)
Elevation
26 ft (8 m)
Population
 (2020)
 • Total 628
 • Density 60.89/sq mi (23.51/km2)
Time zone UTC−9 (Alaska (AKST))
 • Summer (DST) UTC−8 (AKDT)
ZIP code
99782
Area code 907
FIPS code 02-82750
GNIS feature ID 1411728, 2418869

Wainwright ( Ulġuniq in Iñupiaq), also known as Ulguniq or Kuuk is a city in North Slope Borough, Alaska, United States. At the 2010 census the population was 556, making it the third largest city in the North Slope Borough, up from 546 in 2000. The community was named after Wainwright Lagoon, which in turn was named after Lt. John Wainwright, an officer under Capt. F.W. Beechey, who were the first non-native people to travel to the lagoon in 1826. An unincorporated area known as Wainwright Inlet by 1890, Wainwright was founded as an incorporated municipality in 1904.

Geography and climate

Wainwright is located on the Chukchi Sea about 72 miles southwest of Barrow.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 42.5 square miles (110 km2), of which, 17.6 square miles (46 km2) of it is land and 24.9 square miles (64 km2) of it (58.63%) is water.

Wainwright has an Arctic climate with temperatures all the way from -56 to 80°F. There is little precipitation, mostly snow. The Chukchi Sea is unfrozen from mid-July through September.

Climate data for Wainwright
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Record high °F (°C) 38
(3)
35
(2)
36
(2)
40
(4)
45
(7)
66
(19)
80
(27)
76
(24)
70
(21)
43
(6)
37
(3)
30
(−1)
80
(27)
Average high °F (°C) −6.4
(−21.3)
−12.9
(−24.9)
−8.3
(−22.4)
7.9
(−13.4)
26.9
(−2.8)
41.6
(5.3)
50
(10)
47.3
(8.5)
36.7
(2.6)
23
(−5)
8
(−13)
−5.5
(−20.8)
17.4
(−8.1)
Daily mean °F (°C) −13.8
(−25.4)
−19.9
(−28.8)
−15.3
(−26.3)
0.6
(−17.4)
21.1
(−6.1)
36.0
(2.2)
43.2
(6.2)
41.7
(5.4)
32.4
(0.2)
17.6
(−8.0)
1.7
(−16.8)
−12
(−24)
11.1
(−11.6)
Average low °F (°C) −21.2
(−29.6)
−26.9
(−32.7)
−22.4
(−30.2)
−6.8
(−21.6)
15.2
(−9.3)
30.3
(−0.9)
36.3
(2.4)
36.1
(2.3)
28.1
(−2.2)
12.2
(−11.0)
−4.7
(−20.4)
−18.6
(−28.1)
4.8
(−15.1)
Record low °F (°C) −50
(−46)
−56
(−49)
−49
(−45)
−38
(−39)
−14
(−26)
14
(−10)
22
(−6)
21
(−6)
6
(−14)
−19
(−28)
−37
(−38)
−50
(−46)
−56
(−49)
Average rainfall inches (mm) 0.15
(3.8)
0.1
(2.5)
0.15
(3.8)
0.3
(7.6)
0.2
(5.1)
0.26
(6.6)
1.57
(40)
2.06
(52)
0.56
(14)
0.77
(20)
0.17
(4.3)
0.08
(2.0)
6.37
(161.7)
Average precipitation days 3 2 3 5 5 4 9 12 8 9 5 2 67
Source: WRCC

Demographics

Historical population
Census Pop.
1890 72
1920 99
1930 197 99.0%
1940 341 73.1%
1950 227 −33.4%
1960 253 11.5%
1970 315 24.5%
1980 405 28.6%
1990 492 21.5%
2000 546 11.0%
2010 556 1.8%
2020 628 12.9%
U.S. Decennial Census

Wainwright first appeared on the 1890 U.S. Census as the unincorporated area of "Wainwright Inlet." This included the native settlement Kugmiut, camps on Kug River, Setorokamiut, Nuklwok, Nutnago & Shinnowok. All 72 residents were native. It did not appear again on the census until 1920, this time as Wainwright. It was formally incorporated in 1962.

Turnaround Point on Cook's Third Voyage at 70 44N - off Wainwright Alaska. Photo taken 25 July 2017
On 18 August 1778 at this location ( 70 44N) off Wainwright and 50 miles or so North of Icy Cape Cook decided that his path North through the Northwest passage was completely blocked by ice and turned South again. Photo taken 24 July 2017.

As of the 2010 United States Census, there were 556 people living in the city. The racial makeup of the city was 90.1% Native American, 7.9% White and 1.6% from two or more races. 0.4% were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

At the 2000 census, there were 546 people, 148 households and 117 families living in the city. The population density was 31.1 per square mile (12.0/km2). There were 179 housing units at an average density of 10.2 per square mile (3.9/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 6.78% White, 0.18% Black or African American, 90.29% Native American, and 2.75% from two or more races.

There were 148 households, of which 50.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 50.7% were married couples living together, 16.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 20.3% were non-families. 18.2% of all households were made up of individuals, and 3.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.69 and the average family size was 4.17.

37.7% of the population were under the age of 18, 13.4% from 18 to 24, 27.8% from 25 to 44, 14.3% from 45 to 64, and 6.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 24 years. For every 100 females, there were 114.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 117.9 males.

The median household income was $54,722 and the median family income was $58,125. Males had a median income of $36,667 versus $40,313 for females. The per capita income for the city was $16,709. About 8.5% of families and 12.5% of the population were below the poverty line, including 18.4% of those under age 18 and 5.3% of those age 65 or over.

Education

There is one school in Wainwright, the Alak School of the North Slope Borough School District, which serves students pre-K through grade 12.

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Wainwright (Alaska) para niños

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