Matanuska-Susitna

Formed January 1, 1964 (9^th borough)

Matanuska-Susitna Borough (107,082), Palmer (5,937), Wasilla (7,831)

The Modern courthouse looks like it belongs in this area of the state.  The courthouse is located on Denali between Cottonwood and Dogwood streets.  The borough was created on January 1, 1964 as the 9^th borough.  Interstate Highway A1 crosses north to south through the borough from Denali Borough to Anchorage Municipality.  McCool Carlson Green Architects provided the designs.  The borough’s name comes from two local rivers.  The borough seat is named for trader George Palmer. 

Matanuska-Susitna Borough government consists of a sheriff, financial director, a mayor, district attorney, and a clerk (executive).  It has 7 assembly members (legislative.)  Twenty-six Superior Judges and Fifteen District Judges serve the Third Judicial District which includes the Matanuska-Susitna Borough (judicial.)  The borough is in central Alaska just to the northeast of Anchorage, Alaska.  The center of the borough is 29.3 miles North of Palmer nearer Willow.  The borough is surrounded clockwise by Denali Borough and Southeast Fairbanks, Chugach and Copper River Census Areas, Municipality of Anchorage, Kenai Peninsula Borough, and Bethel Census Area. 

The area of the borough is 24707 square miles.  It is 6 of 30 in size.  It ranks 2 out of 30 in population in the state.  It has a density of 4.59 persons per square mile making it 4 out of 30 in the state.  Matanuska-Susitna Borough has 15.8% of its population in its incorporated areas.  The borough is pronounced MAT-UH-NOO-SKA SUE-SIT-NA.  The borough seat is located in the south part of the borough near the southern border.  The largest city is also located in the southern part of the borough.  Palmer is the borough seat and Wasilla is the largest city.  Palmer is 5.5% of the borough population while Wasilla is 7.3% of the borough population.  This borough is in the Anchorage Metropolitan Statistical Area.