Alaska Vital Statistics 2016 Annual Report.

• Position: ALASKA TRENDS

As its many wanderers, explorers, travelers, homesteaders, and entrepreneurs know, Alaska is the ideal location for individuals and families who want to make their own way in the world. The state has a diverse, distinctive population. Boasting more than 586,400 square miles of land and a 2016 state population of about 740,000, or 1.3 people per square mile, Alaska is ideal for those in search of some space between themselves and their neighbors. Though city dwellers can certainly get their fill of art, culture, fine dining, and a multitude of business opportunities in the state's metropolitan areas including Anchorage, Fairbanks, and Juneau, those looking to raise their families away from the hustle and bustle city life have nearly endless choices when it comes to where and how to live in Alaska. The Alaska Vital Statistics 2016 Annual Report released this fall by the Alaska Division of Public Health offers an inside look at the diverse population that calls Alaska home.

2016 Births

* Alaska mothers gave birth to 11,213 babies.

* The month of June had the most births (982), while February had the fewest (840).

* The median age of mothers was 28 years and the median age of fathers was 30 years.

* The youngest mother was 13 years old, and the youngest father was 14 years old.

* The oldest mother was 51 years old and the oldest father was 73 years old.

* Emma was the most popular girl's name and William was the most popular boy's name.

2016 Adoptions

* There were 570 adoptions recorded in Alaska.

* 421 adoptions took place through the Alaska state court system.

* 23 adoptions took place through the Alaska Native tribal court system.

* The median age at adoption was 4 years old.

2016 Marriages/Separations/Divorces

* There were 5,272 marriages in Alaska in 2016, including approximately 81 same-sex marriages.

* The month of June had the most marriages at 731.

* The median age at marriage was 28 years for women and 30 years for men.

* There were 2,942 separations in Alaska, including 1,579 divorces in 2016.

* The median age at separation was 36 for women and 38 for men.

Another report, released in late fall by the Annie E. Casey Foundation, found similar results to those compiled by the Alaska Division of Public Health.

The 2017 Race for Results: Building a Path to Opportunity for All Children reports

Approximately 12,000 babies are born in Alaska each year. Babies born at normal birth weight start life with one foot forward and 94 percent of...