Wrangell loses more working-age residents as senior citizen population grows

Wrangell lost 147 working-age residents — defined as between the ages of 20 and 64 — from 2020 to 2024, according to the state’s latest numbers.

Meanwhile, the community’s senior citizen population — 65 and older — grew by 91 during the same period.

The loss of working-age residents likely is a big reason for the chronic labor shortage in town, particularly among Front Street businesses.

The town is getting older, with the median age increasing from 48 years old in 2020 to 49.1 years old in 2024, according to data released by the Alaska Department of Labor earlier this month.

Wrangell’s closes...