Kenai Peninsula Continues Steady Growth As Alaska Population Tops 741,000

Author: Peyton Hernandez |

The Kenai Peninsula Borough continues to grow steadily, adding 347 new residents from July 2023 to July 2024, according to population estimates released by the Alaska Department of Labor and Workforce Development.

 

The borough’s population reached 61,350, up from 58,799 in 2020 — an overall gain of 2,551 residents in four years, with an average annual growth rate of 1.00%.

 

Growth in the Kenai Peninsula was driven by both net migration (+211) and natural increase (+136), setting it apart from most of the state.

 

Twenty-one of Alaska’s 30 boroughs and census areas lost population over the past year, including the Kodiak Island Borough, which saw the state’s largest decline (-196).

 

Statewide, Alaska’s population grew by 2,274 people in the past year — a 0.3% increase — bringing the total to 741,147, the highest since 2018. However, Alaska continued to see net outmigration for the 12th consecutive year, with 1,163 more people leaving than moving in. That was offset by 3,437 more births than deaths.

 

Alaska’s population is also aging: the number of residents 65 and older grew by 4%, while both the working-age population (18–64) and children under 18 declined slightly.

 

The Kenai Peninsula remains one of the state’s growing regions.

 

View the complete data here (Excel).

Author: Peyton Hernandez

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