Editing Nikiski, Alaska

{{Use mdy dates|date=April 2024}}
{{Infobox settlement
|official_name            = Nikiski, Alaska
|settlement_type          = [[Census-designated place]]
|nickname                 = 
|motto                    =

<!-- Images -->
|image_skyline            = Downtown Nikiski.jpg
|imagesize                = 
|image_caption            = 
|image_flag               = 
|image_seal               =

<!-- Maps -->
| image_map             = Nikiski_Municipal_Map.png
| map_caption           = Location in Kenai Peninsula Borough, Alaska
|image_map1               = 
|mapsize1                 = 
|map_caption1             =

<!-- Location -->
|subdivision_type         = Country
|subdivision_name         = United States
|subdivision_type1        = [[U.S. state|State]]
|subdivision_name1        = [[Alaska]]
|subdivision_type2        = [[List of boroughs and census areas in Alaska|Borough]]
|subdivision_name2        = [[Kenai Peninsula Borough, Alaska|Kenai Peninsula]]
|government_footnotes     = 
|government_type          = 
|leader_title             = Borough [[mayor]]
|leader_name              = [[Peter Micciche]]
|leader_title1            = [[Alaska Senate|State senator]]
|leader_name1             = [[Jesse Bjorkman]] ([[Republican Party (United States)|R]])
|leader_title2            = [[Alaska House of Representatives|State rep.]]
|leader_name2             = [[Ben Carpenter]] (R)
|established_title        = 
|established_date         =

<!-- Area -->
|area_footnotes           = <ref name="CenPopGazetteer2020">{{cite web|title=2020 U.S. Gazetteer Files|url=https://www2.census.gov/geo/docs/maps-data/data/gazetteer/2020_Gazetteer/2020_gaz_place_02.txt|publisher=United States Census Bureau|accessdate=October 29, 2021}}</ref>
|area_magnitude           = 
|area_total_km2           = 196.65
|area_land_km2            = 179.94
|area_water_km2           = 16.71
|area_total_sq_mi         = 75.93
|area_land_sq_mi          = 69.48
|area_water_sq_mi         = 6.45

<!-- Population -->
|population_as_of         = [[2020 United States census|2020]]
|population_footnotes     = 
|population_total         = 4456
|population_density_km2   = 24.76
|population_density_sq_mi = 64.14

<!-- General information -->
|timezone                 = [[Alaska Time Zone|Alaska (AKST)]]
|utc_offset               = -9
|timezone_DST             = AKDT
|utc_offset_DST           = -8
|elevation_footnotes      = 
|elevation_m              = 39
|elevation_ft             = 128
|coordinates              = {{coord|60|42|28|N|151|15|46|W|region:US_type:city|display=inline,title}}
|postal_code_type         = [[ZIP code]]
|postal_code              = 99635
|area_code                = [[Area code 907|907]]
|blank_name               = [[Federal Information Processing Standard|FIPS code]]
|blank_info               = 02-54050
|blank1_name              = [[Geographic Names Information System|GNIS]] feature ID
|blank1_info              = 1416651
|website                  = 
|footnotes                = 
|pop_est_as_of = 
|pop_est_footnotes = 
|population_est = 
|unit_pref = Imperial
}}
'''Nikiski''' is a [[census-designated place]] (CDP) in [[Kenai Peninsula Borough, Alaska|Kenai Peninsula Borough]], [[Alaska]], United States. The population was 4,456 at the [[2020 United States census|2020 census]],<ref name="2020 Census Data">{{cite web|url = https://live.laborstats.alaska.gov/cen/2020-census-data.html|title = 2020 Census Data - Cities and Census Designated Places|format = Web|publisher = State of Alaska, Department of Labor and Workforce Development|access-date = October 31, 2021}}</ref> down from 4,493 in 2010.<ref name="Census 2010">{{Cite web| url=http://factfinder2.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/DEC/10_DP/G001/1600000US0254050| title=Geographic Identifiers: 2010 Demographic Profile Data (G001): Nikiski CDP, Alaska| publisher=U.S. Census Bureau, American Factfinder| access-date=January 22, 2019}}{{dead link|bot=medic|date=April 2020}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}</ref>

==Geography==
Nikiski is located at {{coord|60|42|28|N|151|15|46|W|type:city}} (60.707891, -151.262646)<ref name="GR1">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/geographies/reference-files/time-series/geo/gazetteer-files.html|publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]]|access-date=April 23, 2011|date=February 12, 2011|title=US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990}}</ref> on the west side of the [[Kenai Peninsula]]. It lies along the shore of [[Cook Inlet]] between [[Salamatof, Alaska|Salamatof]] to the south and the [[Swanson River]] to the northeast. It is bordered across the Swanson River by the [[Point Possession, Alaska|Point Possession]] CDP.

According to the [[United States Census Bureau]], the Nikiski CDP has a total area of {{convert|196.7|km2|order=flip}}, of which {{convert|179.8|km2|order=flip}} are land and {{convert|16.8|km2|order=flip}}, or 8.57%, are water.<ref name="Census 2010"/> The CDP is in a low-lying region covered by several lakes, including [[Stormy Lake (Alaska)|Stormy Lake]], Suneva Lake, Daniels Lake, Timberlost Lake, Island Lake, Foreland Lake, Bernice Lake, and Cabin Lake.

The main road access is via the [[Kenai Spur Highway]], which leads south {{convert|11|mi}} to the city of [[Kenai, Alaska|Kenai]] and north to [[Captain Cook State Recreation Area]]. A second road, the Nikiski Emergency Escape Route, also leads south to the City of Kenai.

==Demographics==
{{US Census population
|1880= 74
|1980= 1109
|1990= 2743
|2000= 4327
|2010= 4493
|2020= 4456
|align-fn=center
|footnote=U.S. Decennial Census<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/decennial-census.html|title=U.S. Decennial Census|publisher=Census.gov|access-date=June 6, 2013}}</ref>
}}
[[File:Industrial pier Salamatof beach.jpg|thumb|Piers extending into Cook Inlet from in-use and vacant industrial facilities]]
Nikiski first appeared on the 1880 U.S. Census as the unincorporated [[Tinneh]] villages of "Kultuk" (AKA Nikishka No. 3) and "Titukilsk and Nikishka". Kultuk had a population of 17, and Titukilsk and Nikishka had a population of 57,<ref>{{cite web |title=Statistics of the Population of Alaska |url=https://www2.census.gov/prod2/decennial/documents/1880a_v1-17.pdf |website=United States Census Bureau |date=1880}}</ref> all of whom were Tinneh Natives.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Rr9RAQAAMAAJ&q=Titukilsk&pg=PA49|title=Geological Survey Professional Paper|date=January 13, 2019|publisher=U.S. Government Printing Office|access-date=January 13, 2019|via=Google Books}}</ref> There apparently were no census reports from 1880 until 1980, when the area was organized as "Nikishka" and made a census-designated place (CDP). The name was altered to "Nikiski" in 1990 and has reported as such on each successive census.

As of the census<ref name="GR2">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov |publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]] |access-date=January 31, 2008 |title=U.S. Census website }}</ref> of 2000, there were 4,327 people, 1,514 households, and 1,130 families residing in the CDP.  The population density was {{convert|62.2|PD/sqmi|PD/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}.  There were 1,766 housing units at an average density of {{convert|25.4|/sqmi|/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}.  The racial makeup of the CDP was 87.2% [[Race (United States Census)|White]], 0.1% [[Race (United States Census)|Black]] or [[Race (United States Census)|African American]], 7.6% [[Race (United States Census)|Native American]], 0.7% [[Race (United States Census)|Asian]], 0.5% [[Race (United States Census)|Pacific Islander]], 0.8% from [[Race (United States Census)|other races]], and 3.1% from two or more races.  1.3% of the population were [[Race (United States Census)|Hispanic]] or [[Race (United States Census)|Latino]] of any race.

There were 1,514 households, out of which 41.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 60.9% were married couples living together, 7.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 25.3% were non-families. 20.8% of all households were made up of individuals, and 3.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.  The average household size was 2.86 and the average family size was 3.31.

In the CDP, the population was spread out, with 33.5% under the age of 18, 6.3% from 18 to 24, 29.8% from 25 to 44, 24.5% from 45 to 64, and 5.9% who were 65 years of age or older.  The median age was 34 years. For every 100 females, there were 109.0 males.  For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 111.3 males.

The median income for a household in the CDP was $51,176, and the median income for a family was $55,969. Males had a median income of $50,673 versus $26,779 for females. The [[per capita income]] for the CDP was $20,128.  About 9.3% of families and 11.4% of the population were below the [[poverty line]], including 13.0% of those under age 18 and 7.5% of those age 65 or over.

==History==
[[File:Lighthouse Inn Nikiski.jpg|thumb|A motel from the area's boom days, now abandoned]] 
Nikiski was once home to an [[Agrium]] [[fertilizer]] plant, which was once the Kenai Peninsula Borough's largest employer.<ref name="auto">{{Cite news|url=http://homernews.com/homer-news/business/2013-10-30/agrium-explores-reopening-its-nikiski-plant|title=Agrium explores reopening its Nikiski plant|date=October 30, 2013|work=Homer News|access-date=March 30, 2017|language=en-US}}</ref> The facility closed in 2008 due to natural gas shortages, but the company continues to explore reopening it.<ref name="auto"/>

==Notable people==
* [[Mike Chenault]], longest-serving [[List of Speakers of the Alaska House of Representatives|speaker]] of the [[Alaska House of Representatives]]
* [[Mike Navarre]], politician
* [[Norman Olson]], owner of two [[Militia organizations in the United States|private militias]]

==See also==
{{Portal|Alaska}}
*[[Nikiski High School]]

==References==
{{wikivoyage}}
<references />

==External links==
* {{Commons category-inline}}
* [http://www.northroader.com Northroader.com]

{{Kenai Peninsula Borough, Alaska}}

{{authority control}}

[[Category:Census-designated places in Alaska]]
[[Category:Census-designated places in Kenai Peninsula Borough, Alaska]]
[[Category:Populated coastal places in Alaska on the Pacific Ocean]]