Wainwright is the third largest village in the North Slope Borough with a population of 546 according to the 2000 census.  The population of the village peaked in the late 1990's at around 650 residents and has been declining in the past 5 years.  Ninety percent of the residents are Inupiaq Eskimos.  There are approximately 179 housing units in Wainwright.

The private sector is larger in Wainwright than in most other villages; approximately 55 percent of the work force is employed by private businesses, mostly the village and regional corporations.  The Borough employs close to 29 percent of the work force, and the school district employs another 11.7 percent.

Occupations in the village are broken down into the following areas according to the 2000 census data:

The North Slope Borough provides public electricity and maintains a water and sewer treatment facility.  The Borough also provides trash pick-up services.  The village has a post office, a hotel and restaurant, a cooperative store, and a store run by the Olgoonik Corporation.

There is a health clinic staffed by community health aides, with emergency ambulance services.  Other public facilities include a police station, a fire station, a post office, a vehicle maintenance facility, a community center, and teacher housing.  There is a public transit system and a local cab service.  Fuel services include marine gas, diesel, propane, and gasoline.  City law prohibits the possession, sale and importation of alcohol.