To express the idea of a place that is inhabited, you can use a noun phrase like:
* inhabitant: A person or animal that lives in a particular place.
* residence: A place where someone lives.
* dwelling: A house or other place of residence.
* habitation: The act of living in a place, or the place itself.
* settlement: A place where people have come to live and build homes.
For example, instead of saying "The island was inhabited", you could say:
* "The island had many inhabitants."
* "The island was a popular residence for fishermen."
* "The island had several dwellings scattered around."
* "The island offered habitation to many families."
* "The island was a thriving settlement."