Keeping the character
of the valley

About MatSu2050

No Borough in Alaska has grown at a faster rate in the past 20 years. So, why is everyone moving here?

Here’s a hint: it’s the character of the valley.

Many people have moved to the Mat-Su for the same reason the native people and later settlers did: the bounty. The first farmers literally carved their fields out of the wilderness. There are no better agricultural lands in the state and the wilderness they “tamed” is 24,000 square miles of natural diversity. Our rivers and streams are home to all five species of salmon. We have healthy populations of moose, caribou, sheep, bear, lynx, wolverine, snowshoe hare, and more. And the lakes and open spaces are pitstops for migratory birds like geese, ducks, cranes, and seabirds.

Some people move here because the Mat-Su Borough is one big outdoor playground. Miles upon miles of public land is open to hunting and fishing, hiking, snow machining, rafting, skiing, the list goes on. The glaciers and mountains are spectacular and a magnet for tourists and Alaskans. Some people are moving to the Mat-Su because you can still afford a five-acre lot with a house and there are few municipal restrictions. Roughly 30 percent of valley residents commute to Anchorage for work. It’s handy and unique to have the economic center of the state 50 minutes in one direction and Matanuska Glacier 50 minutes in the other direction.

What’s the impact of all that growth?
These things all make up the character of the valley and they are attracting new residents at a clip. The Mat-Su is the fastest growing area in the state between 2000 and 2010, the borough population increased by 58%! The forecast is for continued, steady growth. With all the people come their needs: schools, roads, waste and water infrastructure, maintenance services, etc. Instead of “What will the Mat-Su be like in 2050?” perhaps we should ask this: What do we want the Mat-Su to be like in 2050?

MatSu2050.org was created by a coalition of diverse groups concerned about the rapid growth of the Mat-Su Borough and the impact on our lifestyle. How we grow is grounded in educated land use decisions. MatSu2050.org is a place to gather studies and other information that helps us assess the full value of lands in the Mat-Su Borough.

MatSu2050 has contributions of knowledge, time and money from these organizations: