The Kenai Peninsula: a haven for retirees.

• Author: Barbour, Tracy
• Position: Regional Review

[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

The Kenai Peninsula is inarguably among the state's most scenic and frequented regions. Situated on Alaska's southern coast between Cook Inlet and Prince William Sound, the peninsula is filled with an abundance of wildlife, from puffins and sea lions to harbor seals and humpback whales. The region also encompasses an amazing landscape accented by beautiful parks, flowing rivers and glistening glaciers. It includes the rugged Kenai Fjords National Park, which includes the Chugach National Forest,. Kenai National Wildlife Refuge and Kachemak Bay State Park. The Kenai Fjords National Park is a popular destination. The park maintains several trails near Exit Glacier, giving visitors a rare and up-close opportunity to see how a glacier can reshape a landscape and encroach on its surroundings.

[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

Often simply called "the Kenai," the Kenai Peninsula is a large expanse of land that extends about 150 miles southwest from the Chugach Mountains. It contains the Kenai Peninsula Borough, which is home to 8 percent of the state's population and 6 percent of its employment. The borough has a population of more than 53,500 people, about 19,300 of whom live within its four largest incorporated cities: Kenai, Soldotna, Homer and Seward. These cities have 7,115, 4,021, 5,551 and 2,609 inhabitants, respectively, according to 2009 Census Bureau estimates.

The rest of the borough's residents live in Anchor Point, Clam Gulch, Cohoe, Cooper Landing, Crown Point, Fox River, Fritz Creek, Halibut Cove, Happy Valley, Hope, Jakolof Bay, Kachemak, Kalifornsky, Kasilof, Moose Pass, Nanwalek, Nikiski, Nikolaevsk, Ninilchik, Port Graham, Primrose, Ridgeway, Salamatof, Seldovia, Sterling and Tyonek. Some of these smaller communities are located off the road system and are accessible only by boat or float plane.

OLDER POPULATION

With its bountiful wildlife, breathtaking vistas and endless possibilities for outdoor activities, the Kenai Peninsula is a magnet for tourists and independent travelers. The Kenai is renowned for being Alaska's playground. "It's a fun place," said Alaska Department of Labor Economist Alyssa Shanks in a July interview. "Loads of people from Anchorage and the Mat-Su Valley and beyond go there on their weekends to fish, camp and explore."

The Kenai Peninsula Borough is also a mecca for retirees in Alaska. The peninsula has warm, sunny weather in the summer, milder winters and numerous recreational opportunities. It also has property tax incentives for older residents and a lower cost of living (due, in...