Cordova, AK

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 (year 2000): 2,454. Estimated population in July 2005: 2,327 (-5.2% change)
Males: 1,336 (54.4%), Females: 1,118 (45.6%)

Zip code: 99574

Median resident age: 36.9 years
Median household income: $50,114 (year 2000)
Median house value: $152,800 (year 2000)

Races in Cordova:

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

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%).