Kenai Peninsula Borough, Alaska

Template:Short description Template:Use mdy dates Template:More citations needed Template:Infobox U.S. county

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.<ref name="QF">Template:Cite web</ref> The borough seat is Soldotna,<ref name="GR6">Template:Cite web</ref> the largest city is Kenai, and the most populated community is the census-designated place of Kalifornsky.

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

File:Seldovia.jpg

View of Seldovia, located along Kachemak Bay

The borough has a total area of Template:Convert, of which Template:Convert is land and Template:Convert (3.4%) is water.<ref name="GR1">Template:Cite web</ref>

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<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> 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

Template:US Census population

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 Template:Convert. There were 24,900 housing units at an average density of Template:Convert. 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%.<ref name="GR8">Template:Cite web</ref> Just under 1% were from other races combined. 1.92% reported speaking Russian at home, while 1.74% spoke Spanish.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

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.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Incorporated towns also have their own local governments and city councils. The Alaska Department of Corrections operates the Spring Creek Correctional Center near Seward <ref>"City of Seward 2020 Comprehensive Plan Volume II Template:Webarchive." City of Seward. 94/97. Retrieved on August 15, 2010.</ref><ref>"Spring Creek Correctional Center Template:Webarchive." Alaska Department of Corrections. Retrieved on August 15, 2010.</ref> 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.

Template:PresHead Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresFoot

Communities

File:Kenai Peninsula Borough Building.jpg

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.