The City of Girdwood was formed during the 1960s, but the community was unified with the City of Anchorage and the Greater Anchorage Area Borough in 1975. There are a number of seasonal-use homes in Girdwood. Because Girdwood is part of the Municipality of Anchorage, 2000 Economic Census Data may be incomplete, not applicable or significantly different from current data.The average temperatures in January range from 8 to 21 degrees; in July, average temperatures range from 51 to 65. Annual precipitation is 80 inches, including 69 inches of snowfall.

Girdwood has a gravel airstrip that measures 2,088' long by 73' wide. The Alaska Railroad provides daily train service in the summer. Nearby Anchorage provides a number of transportation options.