Kenai Peninsula Borough

The Kenai Peninsula Borough is a borough in southcentral Alaska, incorporated on 1 January 1964, with its seat at Soldotna. It had 58,799 residents at the 2020 census and covers 24,752 square miles, including most of the Kenai Peninsula and a large area of mainland Alaska across Cook Inlet.[1]

Geography

The borough covers 24,752 square miles in total, of which 16,075 are land and 8,677 water; the infobox gives water as 35.1 percent of the area, while the article text gives 3.4 percent, so the two figures conflict. It borders the Municipality of Anchorage and the Matanuska-Susitna Borough to the north, the Chugach Census Area to the east, the Lake and Peninsula Borough to the west and the Kodiak Island Borough to the south.[1]

Protected lands

Federal areas in whole or part include Kenai Fjords National Park, Kenai National Wildlife Refuge, the Gulf of Alaska unit of Alaska Maritime National Wildlife Refuge, Chugach National Forest, Katmai National Park and Preserve and Lake Clark National Park and Preserve.[1]

Population

The population grew from 6,097 in 1960 to 14,250 in 1970, 25,282 in 1980, 40,802 in 1990, 49,691 in 2000, 55,400 in 2010 and 58,799 in 2020, with a 2025 estimate of 61,951. The 2020 median age was 42.3, and 22.6 percent of residents lived in urban areas.[1]

Communities

Kenai is the largest city by the article text, while the infobox lists Kalifornsky, the most populated community. The article lists 31 communities, including Anchor Point, Cooper Landing, Hope, Homer-area Fritz Creek and Halibut Cove, Kasilof, Moose Pass, Nanwalek, Nikiski, Nikolaevsk, Ninilchik, Port Graham, Seldovia Village, Sterling and Tyonek.[1]

Government and services

A borough-wide government based in Soldotna, with a mayor and an assembly, collects sales and property taxes and funds road maintenance, waste collection, emergency services and major school funding. It also responded to spruce bark beetle damage from the late 1990s and early 2000s. One school district serves the whole borough, and incorporated towns have their own councils.[1]

Fisheries

Bear Lake, Tutka Bay and the Trail Lakes have hosted salmon enhancement managed by the Cook Inlet Aquaculture Association, and some hatchery fish are released into the Homer fishing lagoon.[1]

FAQs

What is the borough seat? Soldotna.

When was it incorporated? 1 January 1964.

How many people live there? 58,799 at the 2020 census.

Which national park is in it? Kenai Fjords National Park, among others.

Sources

1. Wikipedia: Kenai Peninsula Borough, Alaska

Editorially reviewed by Specialty Digest Editorial TeamLast reviewed November 12, 2026Researched and drafted with AI assistanceReport an issue