The key facts
- Nikolaevsk was founded in 1968 by five families of Old Believers from Oregon
- The population declined from 371 (1990) to an estimated 245 people (2020–2024)
- In 2025, the local school was closed, where only 21 children remained
A village founded by Old Believers is losing its residents
The Russian Old Believer village of Nikolaevsk in Alaska could completely disappear within the next 20 years due to population outflow — this is reported by the Telegram channel SHOT, which is cited by Life.ru and Gazeta.Ru. Young residents are leaving for other settlements in Alaska or other US states, and the Russian language is heard less and less often in the village.
Numbers and everyday problems
Census data confirm the population decline: in 1990, 371 people lived in Nikolaevsk, in 2020 — 328, while a sample estimate for 2020–2024 gives about 245 residents with a margin of error of 71 people. Gazeta.Ru describes the same decline as a drop 'by half' from 371 to 245 people over 35 years. In 2025, the local school was closed due to the small number of students — according to Life.ru, only 21 children remained there. The village has no sewage system or medical clinic: residents must travel 30 kilometers to receive medical care, and the water storage tank is leaking. According to SHOT, despite repeated promises, American authorities are doing nothing to improve the villagers' lives.
History of the village and other Russian villages
Nikolaevsk appeared in 1968 on the Kenai Peninsula: it was founded by five families of Old Believers who moved to Alaska from Oregon. Since then, as Gazeta.Ru notes, residents have preserved old Russian traditions, wearing sarafans and embroidered shirts. Besides Nikolaevsk, other Russian villages remain in Alaska, including Ninilchik and Voznesenka.
