The borough seat is Palmer, and the largest community is the census designated-place of Knik-Fairview, Alaska. As of the 2010 census, the population was 88,995. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the borough has a total area of, of which is land and is water.
As of the census of 2000, there were 59,322 people, 20,556 households, and 15,046 families residing in the borough. The population density was 2 people per square mile. There were 27,329 housing units at an average density of 1 per square mile. The racial makeup of the borough was 87.55% White, 0.69% Black or African American, 5.50% Native American, 0.70% Asian, 0.12% Pacific Islander, 0.86% from other races, and 4.57% from two or more races. 2.50% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. There were 20,556 households out of which 42.30% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 58.90% were married couples living together, 9.10% had a female householder with no husband present, and 26.80% were non-families. 20.30% of all households were made up of individuals and 4.10% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.84 and the average family size was 3.29. In the borough the population was spread out with 32.20% under the age of 18, 7.40% from 18 to 24, 31.10% from 25 to 44, 23.40% from 45 to 64, and 5.90% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 34 years. For every 100 females, there were 108.20 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 108.10 males. Schools in the borough are administered by the Matanuska-Susitna Borough School District.
Politics and government
Matanuska-Susitna Borough was the largest of fifteen county-equivalents in America carried by Ross Perot in the 1992 presidential election; apart from that Republicans have carried the borough in every election since 1968. Vern Halter is the mayor of the Matanuska-Susitna Borough. The borough has a strong manager form of government. John Moosey is the borough manager. Long-time Manager John Duffy retired in 2010. Sarah Palin was previously the mayor of Wasilla, the largest city in the borough.
In July 2018, the borough's computer systems, including the library and animal shelter, were hit by a ransomware attack, forcing employees to do without computers, using electric typewriters where available. The borough declared a state of emergency and incurred over $2 million in costs. The method is thought to have been a targeted phishing e-mail; data left by the malware indicated Mat-Su was the 210th target attacked.
