Quinhagak, Alaska

Quinhagak is located at . It is situated on the Kanektok River and near the Arolik River, approximately a mile from the Kuskokwim Bay of the Bering Sea. According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of , of which, of it is land and of it (10.86%) is water. ==Nunalleq archaeological site==

In 2009, archaeologists from the University of Aberdeen began collaborating with village residents to excavate a nearby site three miles south known as Nunalleq, meaning "old village" in Yup'ik. The original name of the settlement is unknown but is thought to have burned down sometime around 1650. The excavation has produced over 100,000 artifacts, dating from 1350 to 1670, forming one of the best collections of pre-contact Yup'ik culture. Items illustrate all aspects of life such as masks, house foundations, oil lamps, spoons, woven baskets, and seal skin boots. The site along the coastline and is threatened by constant erosion, and the surge of storms and thawing permafrost brought on by climate change also disturb the site. These include many organic artifacts preserved in permafrost. Up to 75% of the original site is thought to have washed away as of 2013, including the original excavation site. In 2025 typhoon Halong flooded the region, destroyed the digsite, and swept up thousands of artifacts. In 2018 the Nunalleq Culture and Archaeology Center was opened to process, preserve, and make accessible items found from the site. A "digital museum" of the Nunalleq archaeological site has also been set up. ==Demographics==

Quinhagak has appeared under six different names on census records over the course of a century. It first appeared on the 1880 U.S. Census as the unincorporated Inuit village of "Quinchahamute." In 1890, it returned as "Quinhaghamiut." In 1900, it returned as "Kwiniak." In 1910, it returned as "Kwinak", with the alternative spelling of "Quinhagak." In 1920 and 1930, it appeared exclusively under its present spelling of Quinhagak. From 1940 to 1970, it was spelled as "Kwinhagak." It was formally incorporated in 1975 with the current spelling of Quinhagak. 2020 census As of the 2020 census, Quinhagak had a population of 776. The median age was 26.9 years. 37.4% of residents were under the age of 18 and 8.9% of residents were 65 years of age or older. For every 100 females there were 110.9 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 109.5 males age 18 and over. There were 192 households in Quinhagak, of which 50.5% had children under the age of 18 living in them. Of all households, 35.9% were married-couple households, 27.1% were households with a male householder and no spouse or partner present, and 27.6% were households with a female householder and no spouse or partner present. About 19.3% of all households were made up of individuals and 4.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. of 2000, there were 555 people, 137 households, and 113 families residing in the city. The population density was . There were 153 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was 96.04% Native American, 1.26% from two or more races, and 2.70% White 0.72% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. There were 137 households, out of which 50.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 56.2% were married couples living together, 12.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 16.8% were non-families. 12.4% of all households were made up of individuals, and 1.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 4.05 and the average family size was 4.52. In the city, the population was spread out, with 37.1% under the age of 18, 9.5% from 18 to 24, 29.5% from 25 to 44, 16.0% from 45 to 64, and 7.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 27 years. For every 100 females, there were 109.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 115.4 males. The median income for a household in the city was $25,156, and the median income for a family was $25,313. Males had a median income of $23,750 versus $36,250 for females. The per capita income for the city was $8,127. About 27.2% of families and 26.1% of the population were below the poverty line, including 34.0% of those under age 18 and 25.0% of those age 65 or over. ==Economy==

The village hosts a commercial fishing industry and fish plant (not operational since the Platinum Fish Processing Plants opening in 2010). Although a commercial fishing village, there has been no commercial fishing since the local processor, Coastal Villages Seafood/Coastal Villages Region Fund, stopped buying salmon since 2016. Most Quinhagak households practice subsistence hunting and gathering in addition to any wage work they are able to find, utilizing the village's excellent location for salmon and trout fishing, bird, caribou, and moose hunting, and berry picking. Much of the work available is government-funded (through the Lower Kuskokwim School District, which runs the local school, or through the Native Village of Kwinhagak). Three wind turbines installed in 2010 generate much of the village energy supply. ==Education==

Lower Kuskokwim School District operates the Kuinerrarmiut Elitnaurviat School, K-12. The school has approximately 220 students enrolled with 37 staff members. ==References==