Kodiak

About Kodiak

Kodiak (Alutiiq: Sun'aq; Russian: Кадьяк) is the main city and one of seven communities on Kodiak Island in Kodiak Island Borough, Alaska. All commercial transportation between the island's communities and the outside world goes through this city via ferryboat or airline. As of the 2020 census, the population of the city was 5,581, down from 6,130 in 2010. It is the tenth-largest city in Alaska.

Inhabited by Alutiiq Natives for more than 7,000 years, Kodiak was settled in 1792 by subjects of the Russian crown. Originally named Paul's Harbor, it was the capital of Russian Alaska. Russian harvesting of the area's sea otter pelts led to the near extinction of the animal in the following century and led to wars with and enslavement of the natives for over 150 years. The city has experienced two natural disasters in the 20th century: a volcanic ashfall from the 1912 eruption of Novarupta and a tsunami from the 1964 Alaska earthquake. Since the earthquake, Kodiak has been the headquarters of the Native Village of Afognak, an Alutiiq federally recognized Alaska Native tribe.

After the Alaska Purchase by the United States in 1867, Kodiak became a commercial fishing center which continues to be the mainstay of its economy. A lesser economic influence includes tourism, mainly by those seeking outdoor adventure trips. Salmon, halibut, the unique Kodiak bear, elk, Sitka deer (black tail), and mountain goats attract hunting tourists as well as fishermen to the Kodiak Archipelago. The Alaska Department of Fish and Game maintains an office in the city and a website to help hunters and fishermen obtain the proper permits and learn about the laws specific to the Kodiak area.

The city has four public elementary schools, a middle and high school, as well as a branch of the University of Alaska. An antenna farm at the summit of Pillar Mountain above the city historically provided communication with the outside world before fiber optic cable was run. Transportation to and from the island is provided by ferry service on the Alaska Marine Highway as well as local commercial airlines.

Text: Wikipedia · CC BY-SA 4.0

Kodiak weather: 7-day forecast

Source: National Weather Service (NOAA).

Live webcams in Kodiak

Webcams: Windy.com

Living in Kodiak

Median household income

$90,292

Median home value

$347,100

Median rent

$1,571/mo

Median age

40.2

Map of Kodiak

Tap any street on the map to see it in Street View below. Map: © OpenStreetMap contributors.

Kodiak Street View

Drag the image to look around and tap the arrows on the ground to move. If it says there is no imagery, tap a nearby street on the map above.

Kodiak, AK population

Kodiak had 5,581 residents in the 2020 Census.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Decennial Census.

Kodiak at a glance

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau (Gazetteer, ZCTA), USGS GNIS, Wikidata.

Towns near Kodiak

• Mill Bay2.8 mi NE
• Kodiak Station6.4 mi W
• Ouzinkie9.4 mi N
• Womens Bay11.7 mi SW
• Chiniak15.8 mi S
• Port Lions16.8 mi W
• Aleneva25.7 mi NW

Straight-line distance between town centers.

Frequently asked questions about Kodiak