Bethel Census Area, Alaska

Census Area in AK, US

By Neilsberg Research

Last updated May 1, 2026

Key Indicators

A quick look at key numbers

Population

18,394

Source: U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS) 2020-2024 5-Year Estimates

Median Age

years ∙ half population younger than 29, half older

Diversity Index

29.8%

chance two random people differ in race and ethnicity

Nativity

1.8%

foreign-born population

98.2%Native

1.8% Foreign-born

Geographic Context

Location, size, and surroundings

About

Bethel Census Area is a census area within an unorganized borough in the state of Alaska, United States, defined by the U.S. Census Bureau for statistical purposes and does not have a local government of its own.

Location

Census Area in AK, US

Co-ordinates

DEC60.929141° N, 160.152625° W

DMS60° 55′ 44.91″ N, 160° 09′ 09.45″ W

Population Density & area

0.452/sq mi (0.175/km²)

Total Area

45,556 sq mi (117,988 km²)

Land Area

40,661 sq mi (105,310 km²) · 89.3%

Water Area

4,895 sq mi (12,678 km²) · 10.7%

Demographics & Living

Who lives here, how households are formed, and community composition

Population Composition

Key characteristics of the population

Sex Distribution

53.2% male

Male 53.2%

Female 46.8%

males per 100 females

Bethel Census Area 113.9

Alaska 110.6

United States 98

Nativity

1.8%

foreign-born population

98.2%Native

1.8% Foreign-born

% Foreign-born

Bethel Census Area 1.8%

Alaska 7.7%

United States 14.1%

Age Distribution

How the population is spread across age groups

Median Age

years ∙ half population younger than 29, half older

Bethel Census Area

Alaska

35.8

United States

38.9

Dependency ratio

75.6

dependents per 100 working-age adults

Bethel Census Area 75.6

Alaska 61

United States 64.4

AGE DISTRIBUTION

Distribution of age group

Median age

	Bethel Census Area	Alaska	United States
Age Group
Children (Under 18)	34.7%	24.1%	22%
Working age (18-64)	56.9%	62.1%	60.8%
Senior (65+)	8.4%	13.8%	17.2%
Dependency ratio
Total dependency ratio	75.6	61	64.4
Child dependency ratio	60.9	38.8	36.1
Old-age dependency ratio	14.7	22.3	28.3

Racial & Ethnic Composition

Racial and ethnic makeup and how it compares

Race & Ethnicity

White

8.3%

Black

1.2%

Asian

1.6%

Hispanic

1.5%

Other

87.4%

Note: White, Black, and Asian refer to individuals belonging to a single race and not of Hispanic origin. Hispanics may be of any race.

Diversity Index

29.8%

chance two random people differ in race and ethnicity

Bethel Census Area 29.8%

Alaska 62.8%

United States 61.4%

Note: The Diversity Index (DI), based on the Blau Index, measures the probability that two randomly selected individuals differ in race and ethnicity. Values range from 0 (no diversity) to 1 (high diversity) and are shown as percentages.

RACIAL & ETHNIC COMPOSITION

Race & Ethnicity

Percentage of Bethel Census Area population

	Bethel Census Area	Alaska	United States
Hispanic or Latino	1.5%	7.3%	19.3%
Mexican	1%	3.9%	11.3%
Puerto Rican	0%	0.9%	1.8%
Cuban	0%	0.3%	0.8%
Other Hispanic / Latino	0.4%	2.2%	5.5%
Not Hispanic or Latino	98.5%	92.7%	80.7%
One race	94.2%	82.4%	76.4%
White	8.3%	57.7%	57.4%
Black or African American	1.2%	2.9%	11.9%
American Indian and Alaska Native	83.2%	13.2%	0.5%
Asian	1.6%	6.4%	5.9%
Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander	0%	1.5%	0.2%
Some Other Race	0%	0.7%	0.6%
Two or more races (Multiracial)	4.3%	10.3%	4.3%

Household & Families Composition

Household size, type, and family structure

Household structure

75.3% family

Family 75.3%

Non family 24.7%

% family households

Bethel Census Area 75.3%

Alaska 63.9%

United States 64.2%

Average household size

3.63

persons per household

Bethel Census Area

3.63

Alaska

2.61

United States

2.53

Household & Family COMPOSITION

Households

Percentage of Bethel Census Area population

	Bethel Census Area	Alaska	United States
Total households	4,828	270,533	129,227,496
Average houshold size	3.63	2.61	2.53
Family households	3,636	172,968	82,990,528
Average family size	4.29	3.23	3.14
Married couple family	2,150	130,414	60,637,388
Other families	1,486	42,554	22,353,140
Male householder	576	15,511	6,572,819
Female householder	910	27,043	15,780,321
Non-family households	1,192	97,565	46,236,968
One-person households	998	76,856	37,140,836
Male householder	746	41,041	16,871,444
Senior (65+) living alone	177	11,611	5,225,110
Female householder	252	35,815	20,269,392
Senior (65+) living alone	84	14,574	10,089,070
Other living arrangements	194	20,709	9,096,132

Housing Profile

Housing stock, ownership, rentals, and cost burdens

Total housing units

6,011

housing units

Bethel Census Area 6,011

Alaska 328,491

United States 143,775,355

Occupancy status

80.3% occupied

Occupied 80.3%

Vacant 19.7%

vacancy rate

Bethel Census Area 19.7%

Alaska 17.6%

United States 10.1%

Housing Characteristics

How the housing supply is structured and used

Types of Housing unit

82%

Single family houses

82%

Apartments in multi-unit structures

16%

Mobile homes

2.1%

Boat, RV, van, etc

Median Year Built

1988

Half of houses were built before 1988, and half after.

Historic ∙ 1939 or earlier

0.8%

Postwar & mid-century ∙ 1940 - 1969

Late 20th century ∙ 1970 - 1999

62.6%

Modern ∙ 2000 or later

29.4%

Note: Median year built reflects occupied units only; distribution includes all units.

Housing Characteristics

Units, rooms & bedrooms

Physical characteristics of housing units

	Bethel Census Area	Alaska	United States
Rooms per unit
Median rooms	3.8	4.8	5.5
1–3 rooms	40.4%	24.7%	15.1%
4–6 rooms	56.5%	51.6%	51.6%
7+ rooms	3%	23.7%	33.4%
Bedrooms
No bedroom / studio	7.1%	6.1%	2.9%
1 bedroom	16.5%	13.4%	10.9%
2 bedrooms	24.6%	25%	25%
3 bedrooms	35.6%	35.8%	38.7%
4+ bedrooms	16.1%	19.8%	22.4%
At a glance
Median year built	1988	1986	1981
Total housing units	6,011	328,491	143,775,355

Occupancy Profile

Who is inside and how they use it

Homeownership

61.6% owners

Renter-occupied 38.4%

Owner-occupied 61.6%

homeownership rate

Bethel Census Area 61.6%

Alaska 66.8%

United States 65.2%

Average household size

4.02

Owner-occupied

3.01

Renter-occupied

owner-occupied average size

Bethel Census Area 4.02

Alaska 2.74

United States 2.64

Housing Characteristics

Occupied unit characteristics

Tenure, crowding, and utilities

	Bethel Census Area	Alaska	United States
Total occupied units	4,828	270,533	129,227,496
Year moved in
2020 or later	20.8%	27.3%	24.8%
2010 to 2019	35.7%	39.8%	39.6%
2000 to 2009	17.6%	15.7%	16.4%
1999 or earlier	25.8%	17.1%	19.1%
Occupants per room
1.00 or fewer	66.3%	94.3%	96.6%
1.01 to 1.50	16.7%	3.4%	2.2%
1.51 or more	16.9%	2.3%	1.2%
Vehicles availability
No vehicles	57.7%	9%	8.4%
1 vehicle	26.2%	31.2%	33.1%
2 vehicles	11.7%	36.4%	36.6%
3 or more vehicles	4.5%	23.3%	21.9%
House heating fuel used
Gas	1.5%	51.5%	51.4%
Electricity	3.5%	14.3%	41.3%
Solar	0%	0%	0.3%
Fuel oil, kerosene etc	89.5%	27.6%	3.9%
All other fuels	5.4%	5.8%	2%
No fuel used	0%	0.7%	1.2%
Selected characteristics
Lacking complete plumbing	24.2%	3.5%	0.4%
Lacking complete kitchen	15.1%	2.7%	0.8%
No telephone service available	0.9%	0.9%	0.9%

Housing Value

What owner-occupied units are worth

Median home value

$168,100

owner-occupied units

Median value(USD)

Bethel Census Area

$168,100

Alaska

$352,900

United States

$332,700

Housing Cost Burden

17.4%

of homeowners with a mortgage are cost-burdened

% Cost-Burdened Households

Owners with a mortgage

17.4%

Owners without a mortgage

15.4%

Renters

23%

Note: Households spending 30% or more of their income on housing costs are considered cost-burdened.

Financial characteristics

Property value and housing costs

Tenure, crowding, and utilities

	Bethel Census Area	Alaska	United States
Property value
Median Value	$168,100	$352,900	$332,700
Under $100,000	37%	9.4%	11.4%
$100,000 - $200,000	17.9%	9.5%	15.8%
$200,000 - $300,000	12.5%	18.9%	17.8%
$300,000 - $500,000	27.8%	41.1%	26.9%
$500,000 - $1,000,000	2.4%	19.1%	20.9%
$1,000,000 and more	2.5%	1.9%	7.1%
Owner-occupied households
With a mortgage	32.1%	60.1%	60.6%
Without a mortgage	67.9%	39.9%	39.4%
Median monthly owner costs
With a mortgage	$2,066	$2,229	$1,963
Without a mortgage	$459	$690	$638
Gross rent
Median rent	$1,474	$1,419	$1,413

Education Profile

How educated is the community and how education pays off

Adults with a college degree

12.8%

of adults 25+ with a bachelor's degree or higher

Bethel Census Area 12.8%

Alaska 31.7%

United States 35.7%

Adults without a high school diploma

17.8%

of adults (25+) without a high school diploma

Bethel Census Area 17.8%

Alaska 6.4%

United States 10.4%

School Enrollment

Who is enrolled in school and at what level

School enrollment

5,426

population (age 3+) enrolled in school

Nursery / Preschool

7.7%

K–12

84.9%

College / Undergraduate

5.8%

Graduate / Professional

1.5%

College-going rate (18-24 yr olds)

5.1%

of 18-24-year-olds in college or graduate school

Bethel Census Area

5.1%

Alaska

20.5%

United States

40.9%

Enrollment & school type

Enrollment levels, college-going rate, and public vs private school split

Population 3+ currently enrolled in a school

	Bethel Census Area	Alaska	United States
Total enrolled (age 3+)	5,426	171,961	80,089,790
Nursery / preschool	7.7%	5.5%	5.7%
K–12	84.9%	73.7%	67.6%
Kindergarten	8.6%	4.8%	5%
Elementary: Grades 1–4	24.3%	23.2%	19.8%
Elementary: Grades 5–8	25.4%	22.9%	21%
High School: Grades 9–12	26.7%	22.8%	21.7%
College or graduate school	7.4%	20.8%	26.7%
College, undergraduate	5.8%	16%	21%
Graduate, professional school	1.5%	4.8%	5.8%
College-going rate · 18-24 yr olds	5.1%	20.5%	40.9%
School type
Public school	98.2%	82.5%	82%
Private school	1.8%	17.5%	18%

Education Attainment by Level & Gender

What is the highest level of education completed among adults

Education attainment

10,133

population 25 years and over

Total adults (25+)

Less than 9th grade

6.2%

9th-12th, no diploma

11.6%

HS graduate

48%

Some college no degree

17.2%

Associates degree

4.2%

Bachelors degree

7.9%

Graduate or professional degree

4.9%

Attainment by gender

Male vs Female

Adults (25+) · Share within each education level

% male · % female

Less than 9th grade

45.1% · 54.9%

9th-12th, no diploma

62.9% · 37.1%

HS graduate

54.8% · 45.2%

Some college no degree

55.8% · 44.2%

Associates degree

50.4% · 49.6%

Bachelors degree

56.1% · 43.9%

Graduate or professional degree

41.7% · 58.3%

Educational Attainment Overview

Distribution and key education attainment rates for adults (25+)

Highest credential completed · adults 25+

	Bethel Census Area	Alaska	United States
Population (25+)	10,133	490,552	230,807,303
Less than 9th grade	6.2%	1.9%	4.7%
9th–12th, no diploma	11.6%	4.5%	5.7%
High school diploma or GED	48%	28.9%	26%
Some college, no degree	17.2%	24%	19.1%
Associate's degree	4.2%	9.1%	8.8%
Bachelor's degree or higher	12.8%	31.7%	35.7%
Bachelor's degree	7.9%	19.8%	21.6%
Graduate or professional	4.9%	11.8%	14.1%
High School or higher	82.2%	93.6%	89.6%

Earnings by education level

percentage as applicable

Median Earnings

$40,945

Median earnings for adults 25+, by level

Less than HS graduate

$11,759

HS graduate

$33,102

Some college or associates

$43,885

Bachelors degree

$77,041

Graduate or professional degree

$111,944

Poverty Rate

4.8%

for ages 25+, with bachelors degree or higher

Less than HS graduate

37.5%

HS graduate

23.8%

Some college or associates

15.9%

Bachelors degree or higher

4.8%

Outcomes by Education Level

Earnings and poverty rates across education levels (25+)

Adults 25+

	Bethel Census Area	Alaska	United States
Median earnings
Population 25+, with earnings	$40,945	$58,591	$52,696
Less than high school graduate	$11,759	$35,441	$32,485
High school graduate (includes equivalency)	$33,102	$44,678	$40,153
Some college or associate's degree	$43,885	$54,961	$47,260
Bachelor's degree	$77,041	$71,035	$70,044
Graduate or professional degree	$111,944	$92,382	$90,720
Poverty rates
Less than high school graduate	37.5%	23%	24.2%
High school graduate (includes equivalency)	23.8%	14%	14.4%
Some college or associate's degree	15.9%	7.8%	9.8%
Bachelor's degree or higher	4.8%	3.3%	4.5%

Insights for Bethel Census Area, by topic

Income By year By race By age By gender

Population By year By race By age By gender

About Neilsberg Research

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