Bethel Census Area, Alaska Demographics
Population trends, housing costs, income, commuting, and health, all on one page.
Bethel Census Area, AK Population Density Map and Area Scores
Area Score
Health, income and education, each graded from F to A+. Explore interactive maps for deeper analysis.
-
C
Health Below averageAmong the 5 least healthy counties in Alaska
-
D
Income Well below averageAmong the 3 least wealthy counties in Alaska
-
F
Education Well below averageAmong the 3 least educated counties in Alaska
Source: Map AI Methodology
Population: density and quick facts
| Metric | Bethel Census Area | Alaska Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 18,392 | 735,577 | 337,468,954 |
| Population density (per sq mi) | 0.4 | 1.1 | 86.4 |
| Population growth (%/yr) | 0.35% | -0.03% | 0.59% |
| Median age | 26.3 | 36.2 | 37.3 |
| Households | 4,828 | 270,488 | 130,235,071 |
Population in Bethel Census Area grew by 7.2% from 2009 to 2024, reaching 18,392 in 2024.
Population Growth 2009–2024
Race & Ethnicity
Age & Sex
The largest generation in Bethel Census Area is Gen Z, aged 13–28, at 26.0% of residents. That is 3.7 points above Alaska as a whole.
- Gen Z 13–28 4,787 26.0% +3.7 pts
- Millennials 29–44 3,681 20.0% -3.9 pts
- Gen X 45–60 3,041 16.5% -3.3 pts
- Boomers 61–79 1,805 9.8% -4.2 pts
Residents by birth cohort, from the 2025 age distribution. The right-hand figure is how far each cohort's share sits above or below Alaska, in percentage points. Children younger than Gen Z and the generations before the Boomers are counted in the population but not shown here, so these shares do not add up to 100%.
Male and female share
Women are 47.2% of the people living in Bethel Census Area and men 52.8%.
- Women 47.2% Alaska 47.6%
- Men 52.8% Alaska 52.4%
How many residents match a customer profile?
Residents matching this profile
100% of everyone living in Bethel Census Area
Pick an age range and a women/men split and the figure above answers with how many residents that profile reaches.
Economy
Bethel Census Area has a the economy index of D, which means it is barely prosperous.
| Metric | Bethel Census Area | Alaska Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $73,309 | $93,666 | $80,455 |
| Income growth (%/yr) | 4.13% | 2.94% | 4.80% |
| Unemployment rate | 15.8% | 5.5% | 5.2% |
The median household income in Bethel Census Area is about 22% lower than in Alaska.
Housing
| Metric | Bethel Census Area | Alaska Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home price | $212,473 | $320,616 | $248,835 |
| Median rent | $1,473 | $1,418 | $1,407 |
| Homeownership rate | 61.6% | 66.8% | 65.2% |
The median home price in Bethel Census Area is about 12.0 years' worth of rent — buying at the median price costs roughly as much as paying the median rent of $1,473 per month for that long.
Commute Time & Mobility
Commuters in Bethel Census Area spend about 13 minutes on the road round trip each working day. Over a typical 250-day work year, that adds up to roughly 56 hours, about 2.3 full days, spent commuting.
| Metric | Bethel Census Area | Alaska Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| One-way commute (min) | 6.7 | 16.1 | 22.4 |
| Round-trip commute (min) | 13.4 | 32.2 | 44.8 |
| Yearly time spent (hours) | 56 | 134 | 187 |
| Estimated yearly cost | $1,734 | $4,157 | $5,790 |
| Work from home | 7.1% | 9.7% | 15.0% |
| Highway traffic (vehicles/day) | — | 4,865 | 8,813 |
| Local road traffic (vehicles/day) | 109 | 583 | 1,355 |
Fastest commutes among counties in
Alaska:
Skagway Municipality (4.7 min), Northwest Arctic Borough (5.5 min), Nome Census Area (5.8 min).
Slowest:
Matanuska-Susitna Borough (25.3 min), Fairbanks North Star Borough (17.2 min), Anchorage Municipality (17.1 min).
The average commute time in Bethel Census Area is 7 minutes, shorter than the 16 minutes in Alaska.
Estimated yearly cost applies a single national wage rule of thumb (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics average hourly earnings), not a measurement of wages in this area. Traffic volume figures come from proprietary Ticon and TrafficZoom data.
Education & Households
Bethel Census Area has a education index of F, which means it scores poorly in education.
| Metric | Bethel Census Area | Alaska Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 8.3% | 27.6% | 31.6% |
| Average household size | 3.64 | 2.61 | 2.53 |
Highest education index among counties in
Alaska:
Haines Borough (0.3), Juneau City and Borough (0.3), Denali Borough (0.3).
Lowest:
Kusilvak Census Area (0.1), Bethel Census Area (0.2), Northwest Arctic Borough (0.2).
Health
Bethel Census Area has a health index of C, which means it is somewhat healthy.
| Metric | Bethel Census Area | Alaska Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Life expectancy (years) | 78.7 | 79.9 | 78.3 |
| Self-rated poor health | 23.3% | 15.4% | 16.3% |
| Smokers | 34.2% | 22.7% | 19.0% |
Highest health index among counties in
Alaska:
Juneau City and Borough (0.8), Petersburg Borough (0.8), Chugach Census Area (0.8).
Lowest:
Yukon-Koyukuk Census Area (0.8), Lake and Peninsula Borough (0.8), Northwest Arctic Borough (0.8).
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about Bethel Census Area, Alaska.
How many people live in Bethel Census Area, Alaska?
About 18,392 people live in Bethel Census Area, Alaska, in 4,828 households of 3.6 people on average. The median age is 26.3, so residents are younger than the U.S. median of 37.3 by about 11 years.
How densely populated is Bethel Census Area, Alaska?
Averaged over its land area, Bethel Census Area, Alaska has 0 people per square mile, a density typical of rural areas. That is about 0% of the U.S. average of 86.
How affordable is housing in Bethel Census Area, Alaska?
The median home costs 2.9 times the median household income ($212,473 against $73,309), compared with 3.1 times nationally. That is within the traditional rule of thumb of about 3 times income. Median rent of $1,473 a month takes about 24% of the median household's income, below the 30% level at which HUD considers renters cost-burdened.
Is unemployment high in Bethel Census Area, Alaska?
Unemployment in Bethel Census Area, Alaska is 15.8%, well above the U.S. rate of 5.2%, so job seekers may face more competition than elsewhere.
How common is a college degree in Bethel Census Area, Alaska?
8.3% of adults in Bethel Census Area, Alaska hold a bachelor's degree or higher (about 1 in 12), well below the U.S. share of 31.6%.
Analyze any area in the US
Get local demographics for any address, aggregated by drive time or radius, on the interactive map.
Explore the map →