Population up;
bucking trend
in Southeast

By Tom Morphet

 With a population increase of 2.8 percent, Haines Borough was Alaska’s third-fastest growing community in 2008, according to annual statistics compiled by the state Department of Labor.

Only the Denali Borough (4.8 percent) and the Matanuska-Susitna Borough (3.5 percent) saw bigger increases in numbers of new residents. Haines’ growth was nine times the Southeast average (.3 percent) and nearly three times the growth rate of Juneau (1 percent).

The numbers mark the third consecutive year of local growth, following a five-year decline that started in 2000. At 2,310 residents, the population is still less than the year 2000 high-water mark of 2,392. The borough added 12 residents in 2007.

The state found 57 people moved into Haines Borough in 2008, and the biggest net gain came from immigrants from outside Alaska, said state demographer Greg Williams. The state’s numbers are based on permanent fund dividend applications and do not include population gain or loss due to births and deaths.

The borough population also doesn’t include Klukwan’s 102 residents, up from 100 in 2007, but down from 139 in 2000.

Nineteen of Alaska’s 29 boroughs and census areas have lost population since 2000 and, among regions, Southeast has seen the largest overall decline in that period, 5.6 percent. According to the state, no Southeast community has seen long-term growth since 2000.

Demographer Williams couldn’t explain the local population increase, but said the region has lost population in part due to the downturn in the timber industry, an aging population, and an absence of new industries.

In interviews this week, new residents cited low tax rates, positive publicity about the town and a sense of community as among their reasons for moving here.

Bob Lix, a retired Air Force colonel, and his wife Sally, a nurse practitioner, lived in rural California more than 25 years before moving here in April. Bridge players, they were smitten by Southeast Alaska during a tournament held on the state ferry in 2003.

Ready to leave California, they had previously scouted senior communities in Arizona, Texas and eastern Washington, but “didn’t relish the idea of living in a largely senior population,” Bob said.

“We considered Juneau but we liked the smaller-town atmosphere and community spirit (in Haines),” Sally said. “It’s a town where we can get involved.” A low tax burden, relatively mild Alaskan weather, and a road out of Haines also were factors, the couple said.

They bought a First Avenue home that met their three criteria: a view, room to garden, and within walking distance to town. “I think you’re going to find more seniors moving up here, especially people who can do things for themselves,” Sally said.

Recent migrants also include younger adults, including summer tour guides putting down roots.

Hilary McNamara, 28, and husband Sean, 36, bought a house in Haines in May, after cruising through Southeast in 2007. Hilary, a dietician from Dallas, and Sean, a former private ferry operator in Washington state, decided on Haines after visiting the town, Juneau and Gustavus in January 2008.

“They didn’t have the community and the winter life that Haines did. You guys have more to do. It’s more of a community,” Hilary said. Local writer Heather Lende’s book, “If You Lived Here, I’d Know Your Name,” also was a big factor, she said.      

Sean McNamara drives a boat for a local tour company. Hilary said she and her husband are now trying to figure out how to make a living. Even if she has to travel from Haines to work in her profession, it’s worth it, she said. “We’re here.”

McNamara said even her parents back in Dallas are excited about the move. “They’re stoked. They want to move. They couldn’t believe how beautiful it was.”

Realtor Jim Studley said he expects to see a lot more migration to Haines. Its isolation and low crime rate, plus a modern infrastructure, amount to a combination of security and amenities that’s rare elsewhere, he said.

           Studley said he believes more people move here from other parts of Alaska than come from the Lower 48 and said the state tally may be missing some new arrivals, as not all qualify or apply for the permanent fund dividend.