wheres should I retire?
You are here: Home > Alaska > Prince of Wales Island

Retirement Living In Prince of Wales Island - Alaska


Jump to: Area, Characteristics, Cost, Amenities, Climate, Demographics, Housing, Assistance

Area Description

Prince of Wales Island is friendly, scenic, and beautiful. Our 12 communities are surrounded by the Tongass National Forest, Native lands, and State lands. POW Island is the third largest Island in the U.S. There are trails to hike, fish to be caught, caves to be visited, Canoe Point Waterfall to visit, and so much more!
CITY OF CRAIG is known for its cemetery trail- a walk in the past, dates back to the 1800's and sports a meandering trail up small hills, around the bay where coastal birds may be viewed, through the forest, and fit for family members of all ages and levels.
COFFMAN COVE is producer of the annual 'By the Sea' Arts & Seafood Festival held the 2nd week of August and is rapidly gaining fame! We sport many USFS trails which lead to fishing streams, cabins, opportunities for canoeing, boating, kayaking, and so much more!
HOLLIS is home to Inter-Island Ferry Authority, a daily ferry service to & from Ketchikan.
Klawock local Master Carvers have erected 21 totem poles replicated from originals in their maiden home- Tuxekan.
HYDABURG village to the Haida Native is well-known for maintaining their traditional language, food-gathering & preserving, while sporting a traditional Totem Park.
KASAAN, is known for the completion and remodeling of the only standing Haida Whale House in the USA and boasts an outstanding, meandering Totem walk.Tours are available.
NAUKATI BAY was once a logging camp owned by Louisiana Pacific, turned over to the State and sold to residents. The oyster nursery raises oyster spat and sells them locally, far and wide. Tours available. Well-maintained trails, numerous creeks & lakes are nearby, off the Scenic Byway.
Port Protection site of the popular TV show. Population 63. Principal industry is commercial fishing. Full-lodging & self-service lodging is available. Accessible by boat and float plane.
WHALE PASS community boasts 22 households. Ancient Native fish traps and petroglyphs are seen at nearby salmon streams. Whale watching anyone?

Includes Cities/Towns: Craig, Klawock.

Region Characteristics





Area Amenities

Things to Do, Recreation & Fitness
   Prince of Wales Island has State parks to meet your camping needs along with USFS cabins available for your bookings. For the do-it-your-selfer, available for rent are skiffs, kayaks, paddle boats, cars, vans; you may hire a charter, walk the docks to see commercial fishing boats, take a picnic to Canoe Point and enjoy the most awesome sights, hike the trail, picnic underneath the waterfall; travel to the Northend of the Island and take a USFS tour of El Capital Caves, spectacular; visit the totem parks in Kasaan, Klawock, Hydaburg; watch for Whales, drive the loop, and so much more!

Cultural Activities
Totem Pole raisings in Hydaburg, Klawock, & Kasaan; Hydaburg & Klawock have totem carving sheds open to the public; Annual 'By the Sea' Arts & Seafood Festival in Coffman Cove; Arts Extravaganza held in a different community every year. Hydaburg is host to 'Culture Camp' during July; annual Whale Fest, Fish Egg, & Kayaking Festival in Craig; Independence Day festivities - Skunk Cabbage Fest at Naukati Bay;

Public transportation
Car rentals are available to meet you at the IFA ferry terminal in Hollis; airport in Klawock; airport in Craig. There is a local taxi that will pick up at those locations as well.

Medical Facilities


City of Craig, Klawock, Kasaan, Coffman Cove, Hydaburg have medical clinics that services walk-ins. Dental care is available. Most communities have EMS availability.


What Will The Climate And Weather Be Like If I Retire In Prince of Wales Island, Alaska?

For those of you that retire in Prince of Wales Island, you will have colder temperatures than other areas of the USA.

Winter temperatures are cold with averages in the mid 30's and highs in the low 40's. Nights are cold with lows in the low 30's. Expect a lot of rainy days in the winter, great for a day of shopping in Prince of Wales Island! Assume a few days of snow with some days having snow remaining on the ground.

Spring temperatures are cold with averages in the mid 40's and highs in the low 50's. Nights are cold with lows in the upper 30's. Expect a lot of rainy days in the Spring, great for a day of shopping in Prince of Wales Island!

Summertime in Prince of Wales Island is a great time to enjoy your retirement with a day at the lake, a local festival or other outdoor activity! Summer temperatures are cool with averages in the upper 50's and highs in the low 60's. Nights are cool with lows in the low 50's. Expect a lot of rainy days in the Summer.

If you retire in Prince of Wales Island, you can look forward to fall weather activities such as biking on a bike path, hiking, enjoying a walking path and more! Fall temperatures are cold with averages in the mid 40's and highs in the low 50's. Nights are cold with lows in the low 40's. Expect a lot of rainy days in the Fall.

Monthly Temperature Ranges

 Month  Low  Avg  High
 Jan  31 F°  36 F°  41 F°
 Feb  32 F°  37 F°  42 F°
 Mar  33 F°  39 F°  45 F°
 Apr  36 F°  43 F°  50 F°
 May  42 F°  49 F°  56 F°
 Jun  47 F°  54 F°  60 F°
 Jul  51 F°  58 F°  64 F°
 Aug  52 F°  58 F°  65 F°
 Sep  47 F°  53 F°  60 F°
 Oct  41 F°  46 F°  52 F°
 Nov  35 F°  39 F°  44 F°
 Dec  32 F°  36 F°  41 F°

Monthly Average # of Hot and Cold Days

 Month  Days Greater Than 90 F°  Days Less Than 32 F°  Days Less Than 0 F°
 Jan  0  14  0
 Feb  0  13  0
 Mar  0  13  0
 Apr  0  6  0
 May  0  1  0
 Jun  0  0  0
 Jul  0  0  0
 Aug  0  0  0
 Sep  0  0  0
 Oct  0  2  0
 Nov  0  9  0
 Dec  0  14  0

Rain & Humidity

 Month  Rainfall  Rainy Days  Humidity
 Jan  11 "  23  30 %
 Feb  8 "  18  29 %
 Mar  9 "  22  31 %
 Apr  7 "  18  34 %
 May  5 "  18  40 %
 Jun  4 "  17  44 %
 Jul  5 "  18  48 %
 Aug  7 "  18  49 %
 Sep  12 "  22  46 %
 Oct  14 "  25  42 %
 Nov  12 "  23  35 %
 Dec  11 "  22  33 %

Snow

 Month  Snowfall  Snow On Ground Days  Snowy Days
 Jan  9 "  8  4
 Feb  8 "  6  3
 Mar  6 "  4  3
 Apr  1 "  1  1
 May  0 "  0  0
 Jun  0 "  0  0
 Jul  0 "  0  0
 Aug  0 "  0  0
 Sep  0 "  0  0
 Oct  0 "  0  0
 Nov  4 "  3  2
 Dec  7 "  6  4


Natural Disaster Areas

Cost of Living for Prince of Wales Island, AK

Prince of Wales Island, Alaska cost of living for Housing, Healthcare, Transportation, Taxes, Utilities, etc.:

 Cost of Living

Demographics

Race

Religion

Political Party

Age

Senior Housing Options





 Housing fills up fast on Prince of Wales Island, as do RV parks so make your reservation as early as possible. State parks are on a first come, first serve, basis. USFS cabin rentals fill up quickly and may be booked online.

Senior Assistance in Prince of Wales Island, AK

Prince of Wales Island, Alaska offers the following assistance for seniors:
Meals to elderly persons homes are available. There is a van that buses the elders from Hydaburg to Klawock by appointment and Craig now has a transportation for those going to senior lunches, doctor appts, etc., by appointment.

What Job or Volunteer Opportunities Does Prince of Wales Island Offer For Retirees?

Public libraries, HOPE, Fire Dept, schools, are always looking for volunteers and Prince of Wales Chamber of Commerce is always looking for willing volunteers to participate in our many programs, such as: Scholarship Committees, TRADE Show volunteers, Board of Directors, etc.

Additional Information

Visitor Information

Relocation Information


Back to: Area, Characteristics, Cost, Amenities, Climate, Demographics, Housing, Assistance

     





Disclaimer Privacy Contact Us