Eklutna is located at the head of the Knik Arm of Cook Inlet, at the mouth of the Eklutna River, 25 miles northeast of Anchorage, Alaska. It is within the boundaries of the Unified Municipality of Anchorage.
It lies at approximately 61° 28' N Latitude, 149° 22' W Longitude (Sec. 24, T016N, R001W, Seward Meridian). The community is located in the Anchorage Recording District. The area encompasses 6 sq. miles of land and 4 sq. miles of water.
The Eklutna area was the site of many Athabascan Indian villages as long as 800 years ago. Today's residents are descendants of the Tanaina tribe. A railroad station was built in 1918, and Russian Orthodox missionaries arrived in the 1840s. Brightly-colored "Spirit Houses" in the Russian Slavic style now lend character to Eklutna. The Eklutna Power House supplies hydroelectric power to Anchorage, Alaska.
12.6% of the population are Alaska Natives. A federally recognized tribe is located in the community. It is an Athabascan village with a subsistence lifestyle. The Russian Orthodox religion is prevalent.
During the April 1990 U.S. Census, there were 139 total housing units, and 16 of these were vacant. 195 jobs were estimated to be in the community. The official unemployment rate at that time was 3.5%. 29.1% of all adults were not in the work force. The median household income was $66,946, and 8% of residents were living below the poverty level.
The majority of homes are fully plumbed, with a community well water system and individual septic tanks. Chugach Electric Association purchases power from the federally owned Eklutna Hydro Facility.
Eklutna residents are employed in a variety of occupations in Anchorage, Eagle River, and the Mat-Su Valley. They are actively developing tourism opportunities.
The Alaska Railroad has a siding here which is one of the few that is accessible by road.
