City · Alaska
Kenai, Alaska
Kenai, city, in Kenai Peninsula Borough, Alaska. Kenai had 7,924 residents on July 1, 2025 by the Census Bureau's estimate, up 6.8% since 2020; the 2020 Census counted 7,424 and the ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates put it at 7,641 (±21). GEOID 0238420.
Residents, July 2025 estimate
7,924
Census Bureau estimate (no margin published)
2020 Census count: 7,424 · ACS 2020-2024: 7,641 ±21
Median household income
$87,083
±$17,346 (90% margin)
Alaska: $92,788
Median home value
$283,900
±$14,096 (90% margin)
Alaska: $352,900
Median gross rent
$1,138
±$103 (90% margin)
Alaska: $1,419
Where is Kenai and what county is it in?
Kenai is a city in Kenai Peninsula Borough, Alaska. It covers 29.1 square miles of land, 255 residents per square mile in 2020.
Kenai is the same area as Census Tract 6 of Kenai Peninsula Borough: the tract's figures are Kenai's own.
Source: 2024 Gazetteer and 2020 place-by-county files, U.S. Census Bureau · Census reference files
How many people live in Kenai, and is it growing?
The Census Bureau estimates that 7,924 people lived in Kenai on July 1, 2025, up 6.8% since 2020, faster than Alaska (+0.5%). The 2020 Census counted 7,424 residents. The 2020-2024 American Community Survey, a five-year sample, puts the population at 7,641 (±21).
| Measure | Kenai | Kenai Peninsula Borough | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total population | 7,641 ±21 | 60,413 | −101 |
| Households | 3,051 ±240 | 24,371 | no clear change |
| Average household size | 2.46 ±0.19 | 2.40 | no clear change |
| Housing units | 3,456 ±252 | 32,836 | no clear change |
Kenai's population since 2000
From 6,942 in 2000 to 7,924 in 2025: up 14.1%. The 2000, 2010 and 2020 figures are census counts, each for Kenai as it was drawn that year: a place that annexed land, or a community that has since incorporated, covered a different area then. The 2005 figure is the Census Bureau's intercensal estimate, revised to fit the 2000 and 2010 counts and drawn on 2010 boundaries; 2015 and 2025 are July 1 estimates made from the census before them.
Source: The 2000, 2010 and 2020 Census counts and the Census Bureau's population estimates (intercensal 2000-2010, Vintage 2020, Vintage 2025) · Census population estimates
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026); Census PEP Vintage 2025 (SUB-EST2025, CO-EST2025); 2020 Census P.L. 94-171 · Check it at data.census.gov
Who lives in Kenai?
The median resident of Kenai is 34.4 years old; 24.6% are under 18 and 12.5% are 65 or older. The largest group is non-Hispanic white residents at 69.2%, then non-Hispanic residents of two or more races at 13.7%. 5.1% of residents were born outside the United States.
| Measure | Kenai | Kenai Peninsula Borough | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 34.4 ±2.2 | 41.4 | −3.2 |
| Under 18 years | 24.6% ±3.3 pts | 22.0% | – |
| 65 years and over | 12.5% ±2.3 pts | 20.0% | – |
| Male | 50.9% ±2.9 pts | 52.1% | – |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 7.8% ±3.5 pts | 4.4% | no clear change |
| White alone, not Hispanic | 69.2% ±4.7 pts | 77.5% | no clear change |
| Black or African American alone, not Hispanic | 0.9% ±0.7 pts | 0.6% | – |
| Asian alone, not Hispanic | 3.4% ±1.7 pts | 1.8% | no clear change |
| American Indian and Alaska Native alone, not Hispanic | 4.8% ±1.4 pts | 6.1% | – |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, not Hispanic | 0.2% ±0.4 pts | 0.3% | – |
| Two or more races, not Hispanic | 13.7% ±3.7 pts | 8.4% | – |
| Some other race alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±0.3 pts | 0.8% | – |
| Born outside the United States | 5.1% ±1.8 pts | 3.7% | no clear change |
| Speak a language other than English at home (age 5+) | 9.8% ±3.6 pts | 6.4% | – |
| Civilian veterans (age 18+) | 6.5% ±2.4 pts | 10.0% | – |
| With a disability | 13.7% ±3.6 pts | 17.3% | – |
| No health insurance coverage | 8.0% ±2.6 pts | 11.5% | −6.3 pts |
| High school graduate or higher (age 25+) | 96.1% ±2.1 pts | 94.7% | – |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (age 25+) | 28.1% ±5.8 pts | 29.8% | +8.7 pts |
| Graduate or professional degree (age 25+) | 8.5% ±3.4 pts | 10.3% | – |
| Lived in the same house a year earlier | 82.2% ±6.0 pts | 88.2% | – |
| Moved from another state in the past year | 3.3% ±2.0 pts | 2.5% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profiles DP02, DP05) · Check it at data.census.gov
What do households in Kenai earn?
Half of Kenai's 3,051 households earn less than $87,083 a year (±$17,346), against $80,538 in Kenai Peninsula Borough and $92,788 in Alaska. In 2015-2019 it was $75,501 in 2024 dollars; the margins of error cannot tell the two periods apart. 13.2% of residents live below the poverty line.
| Measure | Kenai | Kenai Peninsula Borough | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $87,083 ±$17,346 | $80,538 | no clear change |
| Mean household income | $103,074 ±$9,844 | $105,973 | – |
| Per capita income | $42,891 ±$4,699 | $44,190 | no clear change |
| People below the poverty line | 13.2% ±5.4 pts | 11.8% | no clear change |
| Children under 18 below the poverty line | 18.2% ±15.1 pts | 14.4% | – |
| Households receiving SNAP | 9.1% ±3.3 pts | 9.6% | – |
| Households with a computer | 99.1% ±0.7 pts | 95.7% | – |
| Households with a broadband subscription | 94.8% ±2.6 pts | 89.3% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP03) · Check it at data.census.gov
What does housing cost in Kenai?
Owners occupy 70.3% of Kenai's occupied homes and renters 29.7%. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $283,900 by its owner (±$14,096). The median renter pays $1,138 a month including utilities, and 25.2% of renters pay 35% or more of their income on rent.
| Measure | Kenai | Kenai Peninsula Borough | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value (owner-occupied) | $283,900 ±$14,096 | $323,200 | no clear change |
| Median gross rent | $1,138 ±$103 | $1,184 | no clear change |
| Renters paying 35% or more of income on rent | 25.2% ±9.3 pts | 38.4% | −20.1 pts |
| Median monthly owner costs, with a mortgage | $1,733 ±$153 | $1,904 | – |
| Owner-occupied homes | 70.3% ±5.6 pts | 77.0% | no clear change |
| Renter-occupied homes | 29.7% ±5.6 pts | 23.0% | – |
| Housing units | 3,456 ±252 | 32,836 | no clear change |
| Homeowner vacancy rate | 0.0% ±1.2 pts | 0.8% | – |
| Rental vacancy rate | 6.2% ±4.7 pts | 6.9% | – |
| Single-family detached homes | 70.1% ±5.2 pts | 82.5% | – |
| Mobile homes | 0.6% ±1.0 pts | 4.0% | – |
| Built 2020 or later | 0.3% ±0.5 pts | 1.4% | – |
| Built 2010 to 2019 | 13.3% ±4.6 pts | 13.0% | – |
| Built 1939 or earlier | 0.6% ±1.0 pts | 0.8% | – |
| Households with no vehicle | 3.1% ±1.9 pts | 4.9% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP04) · Check it at data.census.gov
How many new homes is Kenai building?
Builders took permits for 77 new housing units in Kenai in 2025 (77 in single-family houses), 9.7 per 1,000 residents against 1.2 across Alaska.
Counts of units in permits a local office issued; not every permitted unit is built. A year marked with months was reported for part of the year.
Source: Building Permits Survey, annual place files 2019-2025, U.S. Census Bureau · Census Building Permits Survey
How do people in Kenai work and get to work?
70.3% of Kenai's workers drive alone and 4.9% work from home. The average trip to work takes 15.5 minutes. The unemployment rate in 2020-2024 averaged 7.4%.
| Measure | Kenai | Kenai Peninsula Borough | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| In the labor force (age 16+) | 66.5% ±4.8 pts | 56.0% | – |
| Unemployment rate | 7.4% ±3.9 pts | 7.0% | no clear change |
| Drove alone to work | 70.3% ±7.5 pts | 65.9% | – |
| Carpooled | 15.2% ±5.2 pts | 12.3% | – |
| Public transportation | 0.0% ±0.7 pts | 0.4% | – |
| Walked | 3.5% ±3.2 pts | 5.4% | – |
| Worked from home | 4.9% ±2.9 pts | 10.5% | no clear change |
| Mean travel time to work | 15.5 min ±1.7 | 20.7 min | no clear change |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP03) · Check it at data.census.gov
What census tracts are in Kenai?
1 census tract lies mostly in Kenai (2020 census blocks).
| Tract | Residents, 2020-2024 | Median household income |
|---|---|---|
| Tract 6Kenai Peninsula Borough | 7,641 | $87,083 |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026); 2020 block assignment files (tract share = share of the tract's census blocks in Kenai) · Census block assignment files
How does Kenai compare with other places in Alaska?
By the Census Bureau's July 2025 estimates, Kenai is the 3,761st-most populous of the 19,476 U.S. incorporated places that have one and the 7th-most populous of 149 in Alaska.
Kenai ranks 37th of 69 places in Alaska with 1,000 or more residents and a reliable estimate, by median household income.
| Measure | Rank | Of |
|---|---|---|
| Population, July 2025 estimate | 7th | 149 |
| Growth 2020-2025 (PEP) | 6th | 26 |
| Residents per square mile | 21st | 71 |
| Median household income | 37th | 69 |
| Per capita income | 42nd | 71 |
| Median home value | 53rd | 66 |
| Median gross rent | 43rd | 62 |
| Poverty rate | 17th | 57 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 33rd | 69 |
| Median age | 56th | 71 |
| Owner-occupied share | 38th | 68 |
| Work from home | 43rd | 50 |
| Travel time to work | 41st | 69 |
Kenai's figures with every place in Alaska (CSV)
Every place in Alaska, sortable · Compare Kenai with other places
Source: PlainCities ranks computed from the American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) and PEP Vintage 2025 · How ranks are computed
How reliable are the figures for Kenai?
11 of the 57 figures for Kenai on this page carry a coefficient of variation over 40% and are marked with a ring: they come from a small sample, so read them as rough.
The American Community Survey samples about one household in eight over five years, so every figure is an estimate with a 90% margin of error (shown under each value). A ring marks an estimate whose coefficient of variation is over 40%. A change is called only when the gap between the two periods is larger than their combined 90% margin (the square root of the sum of the two squared margins), the Census Bureau's test. How to read a margin of error.
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026): margins of error as published · ACS technical documentation
How these figures are made: methodology and release checks · reading a margin of error · every state · corrections
Not on this page: crime, weather and schools for Kenai are other agencies' records. Crime: the FBI's Crime Data Explorer · climate: NOAA's U.S. Climate Normals · schools: the National Center for Education Statistics' public schools in Kenai.