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Twentysomethings aren't fleeing Juneau en masse, contrary to popular rumor.

"I think that's probably the most common misperception," state demographer Greg Williams said.

Juneau lost about 1.6 percent of its population in 2007, according to the Juneau Economic Development Council's annual Economic Indicators report, prepared by the Juneau-based McDowell Group.

That slight decline, to 30,305 from 30,811, is best thought of as a slight net outflow, according to Williams, and "fairly stable."

That is, we don't have any more people leaving than in past years. Rather, those who leave haven't been replaced with quite as many.

"It's the factors that drive people to move here that slow down," Williams said.

That's also true nationwide, he said. People are moving less, as housing and jobs are harder to find.

Juneau continues to have - like the rest of Alaska - exceptionally high turnover, at 8 to 10 percent a year. Williams described it as a core of longtime residents, and a population segment that "churns."

"We have the highest turnover of any place in the country except Washington, D.C.," said Williams.

Juneau's demographic picture, on the whole, looks more like the rest of the country than the rest of the state.

Alaska is one of the youngest states, with 31 percent of its overall population between ages 5 and 24. Its median age is 32.6, compared to the national median of 36.6.

Juneau is the oldest part of the state - and older than the national average, with a median of 38.8.

"In some ways, we're blessed," said Brian Holst, executive director of the Juneau Economic Development Council. "We have a lot of people in a very productive period in their lives, 45 to 65. That helps define a little bit how Juneau's economy is."

Noting a growth in jobs, he said, "We're in a good position."

That's not true for other parts of Southeast, which on the whole has lost 5 percent of its population in the last seven years.

Southeast's smaller cities are no longer losing population now as they were just after the mills closed in the mid-1990s. But that stabilization doesn't mean the economic depression has lightened, and this winter people expect higher costs than ever.

Wrangell gained 2 percent this year, but is down overall in population by 16 percent since 2000. This year, Wrangell Chamber of Commerce president Janell Privett said, people are spending their Alaska Permanent Fund dividends on staple items, not fun. People aren't leaving, but they're worried.

"We're seeing businesses that are afraid of this winter," said Privett. "It's scary."

Prince of Wales Island's numbers also dropped 16 percent since 2000.

Things are looking grim there, said Thorne Bay Mayor Jim Gould. The municipal landfill, which serves the entire island, is facing capital costs the city doesn't know how to cover. Petro Alaska, the town's only home fuel company, just closed its Thorne Bay location. Each business that closes matters a great deal in this town of 467.

But while times are tough, most people in Thorne Bay are sticking it out.

"I'm not hearing about people leaving," Gould said.

Find more current population and economic trends online in the annual Economic Indicators report from JEDC at jedc.org.

• Contact reporter Kate Golden at 523-2276 or kate.golden@juneauempire.com.