Kodiak Island County

Note: Alaska uses “boroughs” (county-equivalents). Kodiak Island County = Kodiak Island Borough.

Population

• 13,101 (2020 Census)
• ~12,8K (2023 Census estimate; modest decline since 2020)

Age

• Median age: ~33–34 years (ACS 2019–2023)
• Under 18: ~28–30%
• 65 and over: ~8–10%

Sex

• Male: ~58–60%
• Female: ~40–42%

Race and Hispanic origin (ACS 2019–2023; mutually exclusive where noted)

• White, non-Hispanic: ~34–36%
• Asian, non-Hispanic: ~28–31% (notably large Filipino community)
• American Indian/Alaska Native, non-Hispanic: ~12–13%
• Two or more races, non-Hispanic: ~8–10%
• Native Hawaiian/Other Pacific Islander, non-Hispanic: ~1–2%
• Black/African American, non-Hispanic: ~0.5–1%
• Hispanic/Latino (any race): ~11–13%

Households (ACS 2019–2023)

• Total households: ~4,000–4,100
• Average household size: ~3.1–3.2 (above U.S. average)
• Family households: ~70–75% of households
• Married-couple households: ~54–56% of households
• Households with children under 18: ~40–45%
• Average family size: ~3.6–3.8

Insights

• The borough is majority-minority with a large Asian (especially Filipino) population.
• Male-skewed population reflects fishing/seafood industries and the U.S. Coast Guard presence.
• Larger households and higher share of family households than the U.S. overall.

Kodiak Island Borough (AK) — email usage and access snapshot

• Population/density: 13,101 residents (2020 Census) across ~6,550 sq mi; ~2.0 people per sq mi. City of Kodiak is the hub; most other communities are off the road system.
• Estimated email users: ~9,900 residents use email (at least monthly), derived from national adoption rates applied to local age structure.
• Age distribution of email users:
  • 13–17: ~0.8k (8%)
  • 18–34: ~3.2k (32%)
  • 35–54: ~3.4k (34%)
  • 55–64: ~1.2k (12%)
  • 65+: ~1.2k (12%)
• Gender split: Population is male‑skewed (58% male / 42% female), and email users mirror this (5.7k men; ~4.2k women).
• Digital access and trends:
  • City of Kodiak has cable/fiber backbones with gigabit tiers; Kodiak is a regional fiber landing hub.
  • Outlying villages (e.g., Ouzinkie, Port Lions, Larsen Bay, Old Harbor, Akhiok, Karluk) rely more on microwave/satellite; low‑earth‑orbit satellite availability since 2022 has improved speeds and reliability.
  • Mobile connectivity is strong along the road system; 5G is limited. Seasonal and remote workers show higher mobile‑first email usage.
  • Ongoing state/federal investments are targeting middle‑mile and last‑mile upgrades, reducing the urban–village connectivity gap.

Mobile phone usage in Kodiak Island County (Borough), Alaska — 2024 snapshot

Population base and context

• Population: 13,101 (2020 Census). Urban hub: City of Kodiak (~5.6k); several small, remote villages (Akhiok, Karluk, Larsen Bay, Old Harbor, Ouzinkie, Port Lions) and the largest U.S. Coast Guard base.
• Terrain/island geography, maritime economy, and dispersed settlements shape network buildout and usage patterns differently from road-system Alaska.

User estimates and adoption

• Adult smartphone users: approximately 8,200–9,000 residents (central estimate ~8,600). Method: 2020 adult population base applied to contemporary U.S./Alaska rural smartphone adoption rates.
• Total active mobile lines (human and data-only devices): roughly 14,000–17,000 subscriptions, reflecting multi-SIM/device usage (phones, hotspots, tablets) among households, small businesses, the Coast Guard, and the fishing sector.
• Mobile-only internet households: materially above the statewide share due to limited fixed options in villages and seasonal housing; concentrated mobile-only use outside Kodiak city, with mixed fixed/mobile use in town.
• Seasonality: pronounced summer surge in prepaid and short-term lines tied to fishing and cannery work; network traffic peaks June–September.

Demographic factors and how they influence usage

• Younger, more male, and more international than Alaska overall during peak season (fishing and military). This skews usage toward:
  • Higher smartphone penetration and data consumption among 18–44.
  • Higher share of prepaid lines (short-term workers).
  • Heavier messaging and over-the-top calling among multilingual households.
• Notably large Alaska Native (Alutiiq/Sugpiaq) and Filipino communities relative to statewide averages. Village residents rely more on mobile data for primary connectivity where wireline is unavailable or cost-prohibitive.
• Coast Guard presence (thousands of active-duty personnel, dependents, and civilian staff) drives strong device-per-person ratios, FirstNet uptake for public safety, and demand for reliable coverage on and near base facilities.

Digital infrastructure and coverage

• Radio access:
  • LTE is the workhorse technology borough-wide. 5G service is limited or absent across the borough; availability, where present, is typically low-band and confined to the Kodiak town area. This contrasts with Anchorage/Mat-Su/Fairbanks/Juneau corridors where 5G footprints are established.
  • Carriers: GCI and AT&T provide the primary native coverage in and around Kodiak city and on key road corridors; Verizon service is available but relies partly on partner/roaming arrangements; T-Mobile presence is limited and commonly rides on partner networks.
  • Maritime coverage: near-shore LTE coverage is generally usable within a few miles of Kodiak city, harbors, and key channels; offshore coverage drops quickly and shifts to marine VHF, satellite messengers, or Iridium/Inmarsat for safety.
• Backhaul and core:
  • Subsea fiber connects Kodiak to the mainland via the Kodiak–Kenai fiber link, providing high-capacity backhaul into Anchorage—an advantage relative to many Western Alaska communities that still depend heavily on long microwave or satellite hops.
  • Remote village backhaul is mixed: some microwave-fed sites; the smallest settlements still fall back to satellite for resiliency or primary service, which constrains capacity and elevates latency.
• Site distribution and resilience:
  • Macro sites cluster around the City of Kodiak, the Coast Guard base, and population centers (Ouzinkie, Port Lions, Old Harbor, Larsen Bay). Terrain shadowing limits coverage in valleys and behind ridgelines; small cells and repeaters are selectively deployed in town facilities and on base.
  • Public safety: E911 and Wireless Emergency Alerts supported; AT&T FirstNet adoption is strong among local responders and federal assets.

How Kodiak differs from Alaska statewide

• Coverage mix: Far less 5G availability than the state’s main urban corridor; LTE remains dominant.
• Backhaul strength in the hub, constraints at the edge: Kodiak city benefits from subsea fiber backhaul comparable to urban Alaska, but outer villages resemble remote Western Alaska in capacity and latency constraints.
• Higher seasonality: Larger swings in active lines and traffic due to fishing and tourism than the statewide average.
• More prepaid and short-duration subscriptions: Driven by seasonal labor and transients; the statewide market skews more to postpaid in urban areas.
• Greater reliance on mobile as primary internet outside the hub: Mobile-only households are more common in villages than Alaska’s urban centers.
• Maritime-critical footprint: Unlike most of the state, near-shore maritime LTE coverage and interoperability with satellite comms materially influence network planning and device choices.

Operational implications

• Network planning must prioritize: coastal corridors, harbor facilities, and base operations; ruggedized sites with backup power for weather resilience; microwave/satellite redundancy for villages.
• User behavior: heavier hotspot use, group plans for seasonal crews, and device churn around fishing seasons; higher adoption of satellite messengers among mariners and backcountry users compared with the state average.

Sources and basis

• Population and settlement pattern: U.S. Census (2020).
• Adoption ranges: contemporary Pew Research smartphone adoption benchmarks applied to local demographics; Alaska carrier public coverage disclosures; FCC mobile deployment data patterns for rural Alaska; publicly documented Kodiak–Kenai subsea fiber presence.

Kodiak Island County (officially Kodiak Island Borough), Alaska — Social media usage snapshot (2025)

Population base

• Total residents: ~13,000
• Residents aged 13+: ~10,800

Overall usage

• Social media users (13+): ~8,400 (≈78% penetration)

Gender breakdown (of social media users)

• Men: 58% (~4,900 users)
• Women: 42% (~3,500 users)

Age breakdown (share of social media users; counts rounded)

• 13–17: 9.6% (~800)
• 18–24: 11.2% (~940)
• 25–34: 22.5% (~1,890)
• 35–44: 19.5% (~1,630)
• 45–54: 13.9% (~1,170)
• 55–64: 13.8% (~1,160)
• 65+: 9.6% (~800)

Most-used platforms in Kodiak (share of social media users; monthly use)

• YouTube: 82–85%
• Facebook: 66–70%
• Facebook Messenger: 70–75%
• Instagram: 44–48%
• TikTok: 34–40%
• Snapchat: 28–32%
• Reddit: 20–23%
• X (Twitter): 18–21%
• Pinterest: 22–27%
• LinkedIn: 14–18%
• WhatsApp: 15–20%

Behavioral trends and local nuances

• Community-first usage: Facebook Groups are central for buy/sell/trade, fishing gear, road/weather alerts, ferry/flight updates, school notices, and emergency info. Local pages and municipal updates see strong engagement.
• Seasonal patterns: Spring–summer fishing peaks drive upticks in hiring posts, gear marketplace activity, marina and harbor updates, and crew logistics. Storm events and winter conditions boost real-time local information sharing.
• Demographic skew: A sizable Coast Guard and commercial fishing presence elevates usage among men 18–44 and supports above-average engagement on YouTube, Reddit, and X for news, sports, and how-to content.
• Youth behavior (13–24): Heavy daily use of TikTok, Snapchat, and Instagram Reels; creator-style short video outperforms static posts. School- and team-affiliated accounts amplify reach.
• 25–44 adults: Facebook + Messenger are the default for community coordination and marketplace activity; Instagram is strong for local businesses, food, and events.
• 45+ adults: Facebook dominates for family, community, and news; YouTube is popular for DIY, repairs, and regional outdoors content.
• Content cadence: Evenings (7–10 pm AKT) and early mornings see the highest local engagement; midday dips are common for on-vessel or shift work schedules.
• Messaging over public posts: Many transactions and service inquiries move quickly from public posts to Messenger/DMs; concise listings with clear photos and prices convert best.
• Cultural and language mix: English is primary, with meaningful activity among Tagalog/Filipino and some Spanish speakers; bilingual posts and visuals improve reach.

Notes on figures

• Counts and percentages are 2025 modeled local estimates derived from Kodiak’s age/sex profile (Census/ACS) combined with current U.S. platform adoption rates (Pew Research) adjusted for Kodiak’s male-skewed, working-age population.