The history of Healy is intertwined with that of coal mining and construction of the Alaska Railroad, which both began in the area in 1918 and 1919 respectively. Healy was originally named Healy Fork after the Healy River. The Healy River was named after Capt. John J. Healy, manager of the North American Trading and Transportation Company.
Geography
Healy is located at . The George Parks Highway runs through the community, leading south to Denali Park and north to Nenana. According to the United States Census Bureau, the Healy CDP has a total area of, of which is land and, or 0.03%, is water. By area, it is the second-largest CDP in the United States, exceeded by only Willow, Alaska.
Climate
As is typical of the Alaska Interior, Healy experiences a subarctic climate with very long, bitterly cold winters and short, warm summers, and straddles the border between USDA Plant Hardiness Zone 2 and 3, indicating the coldest temperature of the year is typically around. Average temperatures are below freezing from early October to mid-April, though occasionally chinook winds will push temperatures up to even in the depths of winter. In summer, temperatures reach on 34 afternoons and on 5.4, with an average of one morning not falling below. The first frost typically occurs in late August, but sometimes it can happen during the first half of that month. A majority of the annual precipitation of occurs during summer as well. Extreme temperatures have ranged from up to.
Healy first appeared on the 1930 U.S. Census as the unincorporated community of "Healey Fork." In 1940, it appeared as Healy Fork. It was shortened to *Healy beginning in 1950. It was made a census-designated place in 1980.
Note there was also another locale named "Healey Village" on the 1930 & 1940 U.S. Censuses. It was stated that this place was located in the Fairbanks Recording District rather than Nenana. It is unclear whether this was a geographic error on the census and both places were located at or around Healy Fork and merged in 1950, or if the former was a native village on or near present-day Healy Lake.
At the 2000 census there were 1,000 people, 436 households, and 245 families in the CDP. The population density was 1.5 people per square mile. There were 604 housing units at an average density of 0.9 per square mile. The racial makup of the CDP was 90.20% White, 0.30% Black or African American, 2.30% Native American, 1.90% Asian, 0.70% Pacific Islander, 0.80% from other races, and 3.80% from two or more races. 2.00%. were Hispanic or Latino of any race. Of the 436 households 33.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 48.4% were married couplesliving together, 3.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 43.6% were non-families. 37.6% of households were one person and 0.9% were one person aged 65 or older. The average household size was 2.29 and the average family size was 3.12. The age distribution was 27.4% under the age of 18, 5.5% from 18 to 24, 34.3% from 25 to 44, 30.6% from 45 to 64, and 2.2% 65 or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females, there were 132.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 142.8 males. The median household income was $60,000 and the median family income was $77,806. Males had a median income of $65,729 versus $30,227 for females. The per capita income for the CDP was $28,225. About 2.5% of families and 4.9% of the population were below the poverty line, including 3.9% of those under age 18 and none of those age 65 or over.
Education
K-12 students attend Tri-Valley School, operated by the Denali Borough School District. The district is headquartered in Healy.
