Moving to Cordova, Alaska

Cordova is a quiet little town tucked away in a corner of Prince William Sound, about 80 km southeast of Valdez. It’s also the doorstep to the 810,000-hectare Copper River Delta, where millions of shorebirds — the largest such gathering in the Western Hemisphere — come to nest each spring. The Eyak Indians camped there to take advantage of the huge salmon runs and plentiful shellfish. White settlers were also impressed.

Today the “Million Dollar Bridge,” heavily battered by the 1964 earthquake, cuts a lonely figure at the end of the Copper River Highway, a 48-mile gravel road that traverses the wondrous wetlands of the Copper River Delta , a major breeding ground for America’s migratory birds backed by the Chugach Mountains. It is a tranquil spot for fishing, bird-watching or hiking along many of the excellent trails, such as the difficult trek up to Crater Lake. The road ends right next to the bridge and beside the incredibly active Childs Glacier .

Cordova’s harbor was explored and named by the Spaniards in 1792. January temperatures average just below freezing and July temperatures average about 11°C (53°F). It has a humid climate; the average annual precipitation is over 2000 m (80 in).

Population: 2,454. Estimated population in July 2024: 2,327 (-5.2% change)
Males: 1,336 (54.4%), Females: 1,118 (45.6%)

Zip co99574a>74

Demographics

Median resident age: 36.9 years
Median household income: $50,114
Median house value: $152,800

Population by Race

Races in Cordova:

• White Non-Hispanic (70.0%)
• American Indian (15.0%)
• Filipino (8.8%)
• Two or more races (6.7%)
• Hispanic (3.1%)
• Other race (1.3%)
• Vietnamese (0.7%)

Ancestries: German (14.5%), English (9.3%), Irish (7.8%), United States (7.6%), Swedish (5.3%), Norwegian (4.6%).

Land area: 61.4 square miles

Population by Education

For population 25 years and over in Cordova

• High school or higher: 88.6%
• Bachelor’s degree or higher: 21.4%
• Graduate or professional degree: 4.5%
• Unemployed: 6.9%
• Mean travel time to work: 10.2 minutes

For population 15 years and over in Cordova city

• Never married: 28.3%
• Now married: 57.5%
• Separated: 1.5%
• Widowed: 3.5%
• Divorced: 9.1%

11.4% Foreign born (7.9% Asia, 2.2% Latin America).

Population change in the 1990s: -109 (-4.3%).

Hospitals

Hospital/medical center in Cordova:

• CORDOVA COMMUNITY MEDICAL CENTER (602 CHASE AVE, BOX 160)

Other hospitals/medical centers near Cordova:

• VALDEZ COMMUNITY HOSPITAL (about 55 miles; VALDEZ, AK)
• VALLEY HOSPITAL (about 243 miles; PALMER, AK)
• PROVIDENCE SEWARD MEDICAL CENTER (about 258 miles; SEWARD, AK)

Airports

Airports certified for carrier operations nearest to Cordova:

• MERLE K (MUDHOLE) SMITH (about 17 miles; CORDOVA, AK; Abbreviation: CDV)
• VALDEZ PIONEER FIELD (about 55 miles; VALDEZ, AK; Abbreviation: VDZ)
• EIELSON AFB (about 299 miles; FAIRBANKS, AK; Abbreviation: EIL)

Other public-use airports nearest to Cordova:

• CORDOVA MUNI (about 2 miles; CORDOVA, AK; Abbreviation: CKU)
• THOMPSON PASS (about 44 miles; THOMPSON PASS, AK; Abbreviation: K55)
• TATITLEK (about 72 miles; TATITLEK, AK; Abbreviation: 7KA)

Colleges and Universities

Colleges/universities with over 2000 students nearest to Cordova:

• UNIVERSITY OF ALASKA ANCHORAGE (about 289 miles; ANCHORAGE, AK; Full-time enrollment: 9,453)
• UNIVERSITY OF ALASKA FAIRBANKS (about 332 miles; FAIRBANKS, AK; Full-time enrollment: 5,034)
• PENINSULA COLLEGE (about 1764 miles; PORT ANGELES, WA; Full-time enrollment: 2,374)
• WESTERN WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY (about 1799 miles; BELLINGHAM, WA; Full-time enrollment: 11,889)
• WHATCOM COMMUNITY COLLEGE (about 1802 miles; BELLINGHAM, WA; Full-time enrollment: 2,656)
• SKAGIT VALLEY COLLEGE (about 1818 miles; MT VERNON, WA; Full-time enrollment: 3,420)
• EVERGREEN STATE COLLEGE (about 1825 miles; OLYMPIA, WA; Full-time enrollment: 3,749)

Schools

Public high school in Cordova:

• CORDOVA JR/SR HIGH SCHOOL (Students: 224; Location: 100 FISHERMAN AVE.; Grades: 07 – 12)

Public primary/middle school in Cordova:

• MT. ECCLES ELEMENTARY (Students: 254; Location: 200 ADAMS ST.; Grades: PK – 06)

Libraries

Library in Cordova:

• CORDOVA PUBLIC LIBRARY (Operating income: $167,531; Location: 622 FIRST STREET; 21,353 books; 968 audio materials; 1,250 video materials; 53 serial subscriptions)