Denali Borough is a borough in Alaska, United States, home to North America’s highest peak, Denali, and much of Denali National Park and Preserve. It had a population of 1,619 at the 2020 census and covers 12,777 square miles (33,090 km2) centred near 63°47′20″N 150°11′30″W.
Healy is the borough seat, and its postal code is 99743. Anderson is the borough’s only incorporated city; the rest of the borough is unincorporated, made up of census-designated places and small communities along the Parks Highway and the Alaska Railroad. The Alaska time zone applies (UTC−9, UTC−8 during daylight saving).
Towns & Villages in Denali Borough
Denali Borough has one incorporated city and a handful of unincorporated communities and census-designated places strung along the George Parks Highway and the Alaska Railroad corridor. CDP = census-designated place; Unincorp. = unincorporated community with no formal municipal government.
| Place | Type | Pop. | ZIP |
|---|---|---|---|
| Healy | CDP · seat | 966 | 99743 |
| Anderson | City | 177 | 99744 |
| Cantwell | CDP | — | 99729 |
| Denali Park | CDP | — | 99755 |
| Ferry | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Clear | Unincorp. | — | 99704 |
| Kantishna | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Usibelli | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Suntrana | Unincorp. | — | — |
ZIP Codes
- 99743 — Healy (borough seat, PO Box and standard delivery)
- 99744 — Anderson
- 99729 — Cantwell
- 99755 — Denali National Park (serves Denali Park CDP)
- 99704 — Clear (Clear Space Force Station)
Ferry, Kantishna, Usibelli and Suntrana are small unincorporated communities without their own post office and are served by the nearest listed ZIP along the highway or rail corridor.
Geography
Denali Borough is Alaska’s third-largest borough by land area, stretching from the Alaska Range north across rolling boreal forest and tundra to the Tanana River valley. Denali National Park and Preserve covers a large share of the borough’s southern half, and the Nenana River cuts through the Healy–Denali Park corridor alongside the Parks Highway. The borough has almost no civil-township structure — land outside Anderson and the CDPs is unorganized.
The borough is bordered by the Yukon-Koyukuk Census Area to the west and north, the Fairbanks North Star Borough to the northeast, the Southeast Fairbanks Census Area to the east, and the Matanuska-Susitna Borough to the south.
Demographics
Denali Borough had 1,619 residents at the 2020 census, down from 1,826 in 2010. Healy is the largest community at 966 people, followed by Anderson at 177. The borough has long ranked as one of Alaska’s highest-income boroughs on a per-capita basis, well above the Alaska median of $88,121 for household income, reflecting well-paid mining, rail and federal-installation jobs relative to the borough’s small year-round population. Density is well under one person per square mile given the borough’s vast unpopulated wilderness area.
Economy & Local Life
Tourism tied to Denali National Park and Preserve drives much of the summer economy around Healy and Denali Park, with lodges, guiding outfits and the park’s own visitor operations. The Usibelli Coal Mine, Alaska’s only operating coal mine, is based near Healy and has run continuously since the 1940s. Clear Space Force Station, a missile early-warning radar installation, anchors the community of Clear. The Alaska Railroad and the Parks Highway are the borough’s economic lifelines, carrying tourists, freight and coal south to Fairbanks and Anchorage.
History
Denali Borough was incorporated on December 7, 1990, one of the last boroughs formed under Alaska’s borough system. It takes its name from Denali (Koyukon for “the tall one”), long used locally before the peak’s federal renaming from Mount McKinley was formalized in 2015. Coal mining at Usibelli began in the 1940s to supply Ladd Field (now Fort Wainwright) near Fairbanks, and the completion of the Alaska Railroad and later the Parks Highway opened the area to the tourism that now dominates its summer economy.
Getting There
The George Parks Highway (Alaska Route 3) runs the length of the borough and is the only road connection; the Alaska Railroad parallels it with seasonal passenger service to Healy and Denali Park.
- Fairbanks — about 110 miles north
- Anchorage — about 240 miles south
- Talkeetna — about 140 miles south
- Nenana — about 65 miles north
The nearest commercial airport is Fairbanks International Airport (FAI); Anchorage’s Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport (ANC) also serves the borough via the Parks Highway or rail.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Denali Borough?
It is in central Alaska, on the Parks Highway between Fairbanks and Anchorage, and contains Denali National Park and Preserve.
What is the population of Denali Borough?
1,619 people at the 2020 census.
How big is Denali Borough?
12,777 square miles (33,090 km2), making it one of Alaska’s largest boroughs by land area.
What is the borough seat of Denali Borough?
Healy is the borough seat and largest community.
How many towns are in Denali Borough?
One incorporated city (Anderson) plus several unincorporated communities and census-designated places, including Healy, Cantwell, Denali Park, Clear, Ferry, Kantishna, Usibelli and Suntrana.
What ZIP codes are in Denali Borough?
99743 (Healy), 99744 (Anderson), 99729 (Cantwell), 99755 (Denali National Park) and 99704 (Clear).
Why is it called Denali Borough?
It is named for Denali, North America’s highest peak, which lies partly within the borough.
More counties in this state: Towns and villages in Alaska.