The area maintains a traditional Tlingit culture with influences from the original Eyaks, as well as Russian, English and American traders and miners. Fishing and subsistence activities are prevalent.Yakutat's economy is dependent on fishing, fish processing and government. 174 residents hold commercial fishing permits. A cold storage plant is the major private employer. Recreational fishing opportunities, both saltwater and freshwater fishing in the Situk River, are world-class.

Yakutat has a diverse cultural history. The original settlers are believed to have been Eyak-speaking people from the Copper River area who were conquered by the Tlingits. Yakutat means "the place where the canoes rest." In the 18th and 19th centuries, English, French, Spanish and Russian explorers came to the region. Fur traders were attracted to the region's sea otters. The Russian-American Co. built a fort in Yakutat in 1805 to harvest sea otter pelts.Yakutat has a maritime climate characterized by relatively mild, often rainy weather. Average summer temperatures range from 42 to 60; winter temperatures average 17 to 39. Yakutat receives some of the heaviest precipitation in the state, averaging 132 inches, including 219 inches of snowfall.