Houston, Alaska: Iditarod Country in the Mat-Su Valley
Houston stretches along the Parks Highway in the Matanuska-Susitna Borough, about 57 miles north of Anchorage. With around 2,206 residents, it holds the distinction of being the official restart point for the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race. Each March, mushers and their dog teams leave the Willow-Houston area heading toward Nome, drawing spectators and media attention to this otherwise quiet stretch of highway.
The town itself has a rural, spread-out character. Lots are large, zoning is loose, and commercial development consists mostly of small businesses along the highway corridor. Little Susitna River runs through the area, providing fishing for silver and king salmon during summer runs. Houston's proximity to the larger communities of Wasilla and Palmer gives residents access to big-box retail, medical services, and schools without the higher property costs.
Population growth in the Mat-Su Borough has been steady over recent decades as families and workers priced out of Anchorage look north for affordable housing. Houston has absorbed some of that growth, though it remains far smaller and less developed than its borough neighbors.
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Houston stretches along the Parks Highway in the Matanuska-Susitna Borough, about 57 miles north of Anchorage. With around 2,206 residents, it holds the distinction of being the official restart point for the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race. Each March, mushers and their dog teams leave the Willow-Houston area heading toward Nome, drawing spectators and media attention to this otherwise quiet stretch of highway.
The town itself has a rural, spread-out character. Lots are large, zoning is loose, and commercial development consists mostly of small businesses along the highway corridor. Little Susitna River runs through the area, providing fishing for silver and king salmon during summer runs. Houston's proximity to the larger communities of Wasilla and Palmer gives residents access to big-box retail, medical services, and schools without the higher property costs.
Population growth in the Mat-Su Borough has been steady over recent decades as families and workers priced out of Anchorage look north for affordable housing. Houston has absorbed some of that growth, though it remains far smaller and less developed than its borough neighbors.
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