Alaska Became 49th State 65 Years Ago

January 3, 2024: On Jan. 3, 1959, Alaska became the 49th state. Ninety-two years earlier, in 1867, the U.S. Government purchased the land from Russia for $7.2 million U.S. dollars ($151 million adjusted to 2022 dollars).

Alaska has the lowest population density of any U.S. state, with just 1.1 people per square mile, compared to New Jersey, the most densely populated state, which has 1,263 people per square mile. It is also the largest state, with a total land area of 571,951 square miles, compared to Rhode Island, the smallest state, with 1,034 square miles. The median individual income is $41,962; of the 733,583 people living there today, 41.1% are college-educated.

Scott Rasmussen is founder and president of the Rasmussen Media Group. He is a political analyst, author, public speaker, independent public opinion pollster and columnist for Creators Syndicate. Read Scott Rasmussen's Reports — More Here.