Sutton-Alpine, Alaska


Sutton is a census-designated place in the Matanuska-Susitna Borough in the U.S. state of Alaska. It is part of the Anchorage, Alaska Metropolitan Statistical Area. At the 2010 census the population was 1,447, up from 1,080 in 2000. The CDP includes the former coal mining community and road construction camp of Sutton, as well as the former mining camps of Eska and Jonesville.

Geography

Sutton is located at , 52–72 miles northeast of Anchorage along the Glenn Highway.
According to the United States Census Bureau, the CDP has a total area of 151.6 square miles, of which, 151.3 square miles of it is land and 0.3 square miles of it is water.

Climate

Sutton has a continental subarctic climate with cold, snowy winters and mild summers.

Demographics

Sutton-Alpine first appeared on the 1940 U.S. Census as the unincorporated village of "Sutton." It did not appear on the 1950 census, but did return in 1960 and 1970. In 1980, Sutton was made a census-designated place. In 2000, the name was changed to the present Sutton-Alpine. The area of the CDP includes the aforementioned Sutton as well as the former mining villages of Eska and Jonesville.
As of the census of 2000, there were 1,080 people, 278 households, and 179 families residing in the CDP. The population density was 7.1 people per square mile. There were 352 housing units at an average density of 2.3/sq mi. The racial makeup of the CDP was 67.50% White, 4.54% Black or African American, 22.41% Native American, 0.28% Asian, 0.37% Pacific Islander, 0.74% from other races, and 4.17% from two or more races. 1.57% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.
There were 278 households out of which 34.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 52.5% were married couples living together, 6.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 35.3% were non-families. 29.5% of all households were made up of individuals and 6.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.53 and the average family size was 3.09.
In the CDP the population was spread out with 19.3% under the age of 18, 9.8% from 18 to 24, 40.7% from 25 to 44, 25.0% from 45 to 64, and 5.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females, there were 208.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 261.8 males.
The median income for a household in the CDP was $35,652, and the median income for a family was $36,563. Males had a median income of $31,827 versus $28,750 for females. The per capita income for the CDP was $20,436. About 6.9% of families and 11.3% of the population were below the poverty line, including 15.8% of those under age 18 and 5.7% of those age 65 or over.