Port Clarence first appeared on the 1890 U.S. Census as an unincorporated area of 485 residents. Of those, 276 were White, 144 were Natives, 62 were "Other" and 3 were Asian. The census enumerators included 11 small native villages of Anelo, Chainruk, Kachegaret, Kalulegeet, Kaveazruk, Kovogzruk, Metukatoak, Nuk, Perebluk, Shinnapago & Toakzruk. They also included the following six vessels that were in the area as well: the whaling steamers "J.H. Freeman" & "Grampus"; barques "Bounding Billow" & "Reindeer"; and the brigs "F.A. Barstow" & "W.H. Meyer." Port Clarence would not be separately reported again on the census until 1980, when it was made a census-designated place (CDP).