Kenai Peninsula Borough, Alaska

Kenai Peninsula Borough is a borough of the U.S. state of Alaska. As of the 2020 census, the population was 58,799, up from 55,400 in 2010.^[3] The borough seat is Soldotna,^[4] the largest city is Kenai, and the most populated community is the census-designated place of Kalifornsky.

Kenai Peninsula Borough
Borough
Left to right, from top: Overhead view of Homer and Kachemak Bay, sunrise on Kachemak Bay, view of Kenai Lake, the Coral Seymour Memorial Ballpark, view of Mount Alice at Seward, view of the Kenai Mountains
Seal
Location within the U.S. state of Alaska
Alaska's location within the U.S.
Coordinates: 60°25′00″N 151°15′00″W
Country	United States
State	Alaska
Incorporated	January 1, 1964[1][2]
Named after	Kenai Peninsula
Seat	Soldotna
Largest city	Kalifornsky
Area
• Total	24,752 sq mi (64,110 km2)
• Land	16,075 sq mi (41,630 km2)
• Water	8,677 sq mi (22,470 km2)  35.1%
Population  (2020)
• Total	58,799
• Estimate  (2024)	61,259
• Density	2.4/sq mi (0.92/km2)
Time zone	UTC−9 (Alaska)
• Summer (DST)	UTC−8 (ADT)
Congressional district	At-large
Website	www.kpb.us

The borough includes most of the Kenai Peninsula and a large area of the mainland of Alaska on the opposite side of Cook Inlet.

Geography

View of Seldovia, located along Kachemak Bay

The borough has a total area of 24,752 square miles (64,110 km²), of which 16,075 square miles (41,630 km²) is land and 8,677 square miles (22,470 km²) (3.4%) is water.^[5]

Adjacent boroughs and census areas

• Bethel Census Area, Alaska - northwest
• Matanuska-Susitna Borough, Alaska - north
• Municipality of Anchorage, Alaska - north
• Chugach Census Area, Alaska - east
• Lake and Peninsula Borough, Alaska - west
• Kodiak Island Borough, Alaska - south

National protected areas

• Alaska Maritime National Wildlife Refuge (part of Gulf of Alaska unit)
  • Chiswell Islands
  • Tuxedni Wilderness
• Chugach National Forest (part)
• Katmai National Park and Preserve (part)
  • Katmai Wilderness (part)
• Kenai Fjords National Park
• Kenai National Wildlife Refuge
  • Kenai Wilderness
• Lake Clark National Park and Preserve (part)
  • Lake Clark Wilderness (part)

Ecology

Bear Lake, Tutka Bay, and the Trail Lakes, have been the site of salmon enhancement activities. All three sites are managed by the Cook Inlet Aquaculture Association^[6] Some of the fish hatched at these facilities are released into the famous Homer fishing hole. Cook Inlet Keeper and the Cook Inlet Regional Citizen's Advisory Council are groups that attempt to influence public policy on the use of the area's resources.

Demographics

Historical population

Census	Pop.	Note	%±
1960	6,097		—
1970	14,250		133.7%
1980	25,282		77.4%
1990	40,802		61.4%
2000	49,691		21.8%
2010	55,400		11.5%
2020	58,799		6.1%
2024 (est.)	61,259	[7]	4.2%
U.S. Decennial Census[8] 1790-1960[9] 1900-1990[10] 1990-2000[11] 2010-2020[3]

2020 census

As of the census of 2020, there were 58,799 people.

2000 census

As of the census of 2000, there were 49,700 people, 18,400 households, and 12,700 families residing in the borough. The population density was 1 people/km² (2.6 people/sq mi). There were 24,900 housing units at an average density of 2 units per square mile (0.77 units/km²). The racial makeup of the borough was 86% White, 7% Native American, 2% Hispanic or Latino (any race), and 4% from two or more races. Black or African Americans, Asians, and Pacific Islanders each were less than 1%.^[12] Just under 1% were from other races combined. 1.92% reported speaking Russian at home, while 1.74% spoke Spanish.^[13]

Of the 18,400 households, 38% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 55% were married couples living together, 9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 31% were non-families. 25% of households were one person, and 5% were one person aged 65 or older. The average household size was 2.6 and the average family size was 3.2.

In the borough the population was spread out, with 30% under the age of 18, 7% from 18 to 24, 30% from 25 to 44, 26% from 45 to 64, and 7% 65 or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females, there were 109 males; for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 110 males.

Government and infrastructure

There is a borough-wide government based in Soldotna, consisting of a strong mayor and an assembly of representatives from all areas of the borough. They collect sales and property taxes and provide services such as road maintenance, waste collection facilities, emergency services and major funding for public schools, along with mitigation of damage from spruce bark beetles that infested the borough in the late 1990s and early 2000s.^[14] Incorporated towns also have their own local governments and city councils. The Alaska Department of Corrections operates the Spring Creek Correctional Center near Seward ^[15][16] and the Wildwood Correctional Complex near Kenai.

Kenai Peninsula is one of the most Republican boroughs in the state, having last backed a Democrat for president in 1968.

United States presidential election results for Kenai Peninsula Borough, Alaska^[17]

Year	Republican		Democratic		Third party(ies)
	No.	%	No.	%	No.	%
2024	21,861	65.50%	10,347	31.00%	1,168	3.50%
2020	21,761	64.10%	10,965	32.30%	1,222	3.60%
2016	18,408	67.02%	7,578	27.59%	1,481	5.39%
2012	17,157	67.35%	7,721	30.31%	598	2.35%
2008	18,949	67.30%	8,362	29.70%	845	3.00%
2004	10,478	67.93%	4,648	30.13%	299	1.94%
2000	15,053	66.81%	4,633	20.56%	2,846	12.63%
1996	10,606	58.13%	5,177	28.37%	2,462	13.49%
1992	6,902	37.50%	4,828	26.23%	6,676	36.27%
1988	8,633	61.05%	4,718	33.37%	789	5.58%
1984	10,297	70.38%	3,687	25.20%	646	4.42%
1980	7,020	60.78%	2,178	18.86%	2,352	20.36%
1976	4,697	60.32%	2,528	32.46%	562	7.22%
1972	3,214	57.45%	1,520	27.17%	860	15.37%
1968	2,044	39.35%	2,169	41.76%	981	18.89%
1964	1,265	35.49%	2,299	64.51%	0	0.00%
1960	1,573	47.29%	1,753	52.71%	0	0.00%

Communities

The George A. Navarre Building on Binkley Street in downtown Soldotna serves as the administrative headquarters for the borough and its school district. Navarre moved to Kenai in 1957, owned and operated a variety of Kenai-based businesses, and was the borough's mayor from 1966 to 1972. His son, Mike Navarre, was mayor from 1996 to 1999 and 2011 to 2017.

Cities

• Homer
• Kachemak
• Kenai
• Seldovia
• Seward
• Soldotna (Borough seat)

Census-designated places

• Anchor Point
• Bear Creek
• Beluga
• Clam Gulch
• Cohoe
• Cooper Landing
• Crown Point
• Diamond Ridge
• Fox River
• Fritz Creek
• Funny River
• Halibut Cove
• Happy Valley
• Hope
• Kalifornsky
• Kasilof
• Lowell Point
• Moose Pass
• Nanwalek
• Nikiski
• Nikolaevsk
• Ninilchik
• Point Possession
• Port Graham
• Primrose
• Ridgeway
• Salamatof
• Seldovia Village
• Sterling
• Sunrise
• Tyonek

Unincorporated communities

• Jakolof Bay
• Kachemak Selo
• Razdolna
• Voznesenka

Ghost town

• Portlock

Education

The school district for the whole borough is Kenai Peninsula Borough School District.^[18]

See also

• Alaska portal

• 2006 Arctic Winter Games
• Kalgin Island
• List of airports in the Kenai Peninsula Borough
• State parks on the Kenai Peninsula