Houston, Alaska
Houston is a city of 1,834 people in Matanuska-Susitna Borough, Alaska, founded in June 6, 1966.
Why visit Houston
Townapedia lists 2 parks and trails, 2 places to eat and 4 places to stay in and around town.
July is the warmest month, with average highs of 71°F; January lows average -2°F, and about 62 inches of snow fall in a normal year.
Weather in Houston
Forecast from the National Weather Service. Full forecast
About Houston
Houston is a city in Matanuska-Susitna Borough, Alaska, United States. It is part of the Anchorage, Alaska Metropolitan Statistical Area. It is located roughly 33 miles from downtown Anchorage, though it is a 57-mile drive between the two points. The population was 1,975 at the 2020 census, up from 1,912 in 2000.
From the Wikipedia article Houston, Alaska (this version), under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Parks, trails and playgrounds2
Restaurants and cafes2
Where to stay4
Churches and places of worship1
History
Houston Siding was first listed on a blueprint map of the Alaska Railroad in 1917 as part of the growing mining operations in the area. It was heavily used by the U.S. Navy during World War II, after which the mines were abandoned.
Houston was incorporated as a third-class city in 1966, and later re-designated as a second-class city in 1973.
On August 30, 1972, George Boney, the chief justice of the Alaska Supreme Court and at the time the youngest chief justice of any U.S. state supreme court, died in Houston (at Cheri Lake) in a boating accident which resulted in drowning.
On June 3, 1996, the Miller's Reach wildfire covered more than 37,000 acres (14,973 ha) in Houston and adjacent Big Lake. Property loss included 454 buildings; it cost over $16 million.
From the History section of Houston, Alaska on Wikipedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Gas and EV charging1
Schools, colleges and libraries6
Midnight Sun Family Learning Center
School · 5.6 mi
7275 W Midnight Sun Cir, Wasilla
Map of Houston
16 places. The map loads OpenStreetMap tiles when you open it.
Climate by month
Monthly table
| Month | High | Low | Rain | Snow |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 16°F | -2°F | 0.7 in | 10.9 in |
| Feb | 26°F | 2°F | 0.9 in | 9.0 in |
| Mar | 34°F | 7°F | 0.6 in | 8.7 in |
| Apr | 48°F | 23°F | 0.4 in | 2.3 in |
| May | 61°F | 34°F | 1.1 in | 0.3 in |
| Jun | 69°F | 44°F | 1.8 in | 0.0 in |
| Jul | 71°F | 49°F | 2.6 in | 0.0 in |
| Aug | 67°F | 46°F | 3.4 in | 0.0 in |
| Sep | 57°F | 37°F | 2.9 in | 0.1 in |
| Oct | 40°F | 24°F | 1.8 in | 4.4 in |
| Nov | 23°F | 6°F | 1.1 in | 11.3 in |
| Dec | 18°F | 0°F | 1.5 in | 15.0 in |
U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 for Whites Crossing (9 mi away), rain and snow from Anderson Lake, NOAA NCEI.
People and cost of living
American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020-2024, U.S. Census Bureau. Estimates have margins of error, larger for small towns.
Disaster history
Matanuska-Susitna Borough has had 17 federal disaster declarations since 2000, most often for severe storms.
- 2026-04-07: Severe Storm (Winter Storm)
- 2022-03-14: Severe Winter Storm And Straight-Line Winds (Severe Storm)
- 2020-04-09: Covid-19 Pandemic (Biological)
- 2020-03-13: Covid-19 (Biological)
- 2019-08-22: Deshka Landing Fire (Fire)
- 2019-08-20: Mckinley Fire (Fire)
OpenFEMA disaster declarations summaries.
Getting there and nearby towns
Big Lake Airport (BGQ) is the nearest airport with scheduled flights listed in OpenStreetMap, 6 miles away.
- Meadow Lakes 6 mi east, about 10 min by car
- Knik-Fairview 9 mi southeast, about 15 min by car
- Big Lake 9 mi southwest, about 14 min by car
- Wasilla 11 mi east, about 18 min by car
- Tanaina 13 mi east, about 20 min by car
- North Lakes 16 mi east, about 26 min by car
- Gateway 19 mi east, about 31 min by car
- Farm Loop 21 mi east, about 34 min by car
- Butte 27 mi east, about 44 min by car
- Anchorage 35 mi southeast, about 56 min by car
Drive times are estimates from straight-line distance, not routes.
Local news
Headlines from INDB, the NEMICO news database.
Reviews, tips and questions
Loading what members have shared...
Sources and licences
- NCES EDGE (Public domain): public schools
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 (Public domain): climate by month
- OpenFEMA (Public domain): disaster declarations
- OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL 1.0): places, airports, map data
- U.S. Census Bureau (Public domain): population, income, housing, education, commute
- Wikidata (CC0 1.0): elevation, founding date, time zone, website
- Wikimedia Commons (see each image): photos
- Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0): overview and history text
Photo credits
- Along the AK-3 in Houston, approaching intersection with Cheri Lake Road, Haydn Blackey, CC BY-SA 2.0
- W Parks Hwy, Bernt Rostad, CC BY 2.0
- Mike working at Voice for Christ, Jeff Noble, CC BY 2.0
- Nordic skating on Meadow Creek, in the Mat-Su Valley of Alaska, Mudflattop, CC BY 4.0
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