City · Alaska
Bethel, Alaska
Bethel, city, in Bethel Census Area, Alaska. Bethel had 6,626 residents on July 1, 2025 by the Census Bureau's estimate, up 4.8% since 2020; the 2020 Census counted 6,325 and the ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates put it at 6,312 (±23). GEOID 0206520.
Residents, July 2025 estimate
6,626
Census Bureau estimate (no margin published)
2020 Census count: 6,325 · ACS 2020-2024: 6,312 ±23
Median household income
$117,255
±$8,488 (90% margin)
Alaska: $92,788
Median home value
$360,200
±$22,671 (90% margin)
Alaska: $352,900
Median gross rent
$1,678
±$70 (90% margin)
Alaska: $1,419
Where is Bethel and what county is it in?
Bethel is a city in Bethel Census Area, Alaska. It covers 45.1 square miles of land, 140 residents per square mile in 2020.
Bethel is the same area as Census Tract 2 of Bethel Census Area: the tract's figures are Bethel's own.
Source: 2024 Gazetteer and 2020 place-by-county files, U.S. Census Bureau · Census reference files
How many people live in Bethel, and is it growing?
The Census Bureau estimates that 6,626 people lived in Bethel on July 1, 2025, up 4.8% since 2020, faster than Alaska (+0.5%). The 2020 Census counted 6,325 residents. The 2020-2024 American Community Survey, a five-year sample, puts the population at 6,312 (±23).
| Measure | Bethel | Bethel Census Area | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total population | 6,312 ±23 | 18,394 | −160 |
| Households | 2,095 ±115 | 4,828 | no clear change |
| Average household size | 2.81 ±0.16 | 3.63 | −0.31 |
| Housing units | 2,495 ±122 | 6,011 | no clear change |
Bethel's population since 2000
From 5,471 in 2000 to 6,626 in 2025: up 21.1%. The 2000, 2010 and 2020 figures are census counts, each for Bethel as it was drawn that year: a place that annexed land, or a community that has since incorporated, covered a different area then. The 2005 figure is the Census Bureau's intercensal estimate, revised to fit the 2000 and 2010 counts and drawn on 2010 boundaries; 2015 and 2025 are July 1 estimates made from the census before them.
Source: The 2000, 2010 and 2020 Census counts and the Census Bureau's population estimates (intercensal 2000-2010, Vintage 2020, Vintage 2025) · Census population estimates
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026); Census PEP Vintage 2025 (SUB-EST2025, CO-EST2025); 2020 Census P.L. 94-171 · Check it at data.census.gov
Who lives in Bethel?
The median resident of Bethel is 32.4 years old; 28.9% are under 18 and 7.2% are 65 or older. The largest group is non-Hispanic American Indian and Alaska Native residents at 63.6%, then non-Hispanic white residents at 20.0%. 4.8% of residents were born outside the United States.
| Measure | Bethel | Bethel Census Area | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 32.4 ±2.4 | 29.0 | +3.2 |
| Under 18 years | 28.9% ±2.8 pts | 34.7% | – |
| 65 years and over | 7.2% ±1.5 pts | 8.4% | – |
| Male | 55.8% ±2.3 pts | 53.2% | – |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 3.6% ±0.7 pts | 1.5% | −2.4 pts |
| White alone, not Hispanic | 20.0% ±1.3 pts | 8.3% | no clear change |
| Black or African American alone, not Hispanic | 3.0% ±0.4 pts | 1.2% | +1.2 pts |
| Asian alone, not Hispanic | 2.8% ±1.3 pts | 1.6% | no clear change |
| American Indian and Alaska Native alone, not Hispanic | 63.6% ±2.7 pts | 83.2% | – |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±0.4 pts | 0.0% | – |
| Two or more races, not Hispanic | 6.9% ±2.3 pts | 4.3% | – |
| Some other race alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±0.4 pts | 0.0% | – |
| Born outside the United States | 4.8% ±1.7 pts | 1.8% | no clear change |
| Speak a language other than English at home (age 5+) | 42.9% ±4.3 pts | 58.2% | – |
| Civilian veterans (age 18+) | 8.6% ±4.1 pts | 6.8% | – |
| With a disability | 9.0% ±2.8 pts | 12.0% | – |
| No health insurance coverage | 15.2% ±4.7 pts | 12.0% | no clear change |
| High school graduate or higher (age 25+) | 88.2% ±2.9 pts | 82.2% | – |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (age 25+) | 24.5% ±4.7 pts | 12.8% | no clear change |
| Graduate or professional degree (age 25+) | 9.1% ±3.5 pts | 4.9% | – |
| Lived in the same house a year earlier | 80.1% ±4.3 pts | 88.6% | – |
| Moved from another state in the past year | 1.8% ±1.8 pts | 0.8% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profiles DP02, DP05) · Check it at data.census.gov
What do households in Bethel earn?
Half of Bethel's 2,095 households earn less than $117,255 a year (±$8,488), against $73,996 in Bethel Census Area and $92,788 in Alaska. In 2015-2019 it was $102,599 in 2024 dollars; the margins of error cannot tell the two periods apart. 11.6% of residents live below the poverty line.
| Measure | Bethel | Bethel Census Area | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $117,255 ±$8,488 | $73,996 | no clear change |
| Mean household income | $131,455 ±$9,963 | $95,078 | – |
| Per capita income | $44,541 ±$4,049 | $26,543 | +$5,975 |
| People below the poverty line | 11.6% ±4.2 pts | 25.6% | no clear change |
| Children under 18 below the poverty line | 15.7% ±8.9 pts | 32.2% | no clear change |
| Households receiving SNAP | 24.0% ±6.0 pts | 42.4% | – |
| Households with a computer | 97.7% ±1.7 pts | 96.5% | – |
| Households with a broadband subscription | 95.0% ±2.6 pts | 84.9% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP03) · Check it at data.census.gov
What does housing cost in Bethel?
Owners occupy 47.2% of Bethel's occupied homes and renters 52.8%. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $360,200 by its owner (±$22,671). The median renter pays $1,678 a month including utilities, and 18.9% of renters pay 35% or more of their income on rent.
| Measure | Bethel | Bethel Census Area | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value (owner-occupied) | $360,200 ±$22,671 | $168,100 | no clear change |
| Median gross rent | $1,678 ±$70 | $1,474 | −$232 |
| Renters paying 35% or more of income on rent | 18.9% ±7.1 pts | 20.8% | −11.2 pts |
| Median monthly owner costs, with a mortgage | $2,342 ±$110 | $2,066 | – |
| Owner-occupied homes | 47.2% ±6.0 pts | 61.6% | +9.5 pts |
| Renter-occupied homes | 52.8% ±6.0 pts | 38.4% | – |
| Housing units | 2,495 ±122 | 6,011 | no clear change |
| Homeowner vacancy rate | 1.5% ±1.7 pts | 0.6% | – |
| Rental vacancy rate | 1.6% ±1.3 pts | 1.6% | – |
| Single-family detached homes | 62.4% ±4.7 pts | 80.7% | – |
| Mobile homes | 3.8% ±1.8 pts | 2.1% | – |
| Built 2020 or later | 0.0% ±1.0 pts | 0.3% | – |
| Built 2010 to 2019 | 12.6% ±4.4 pts | 10.4% | – |
| Built 1939 or earlier | 1.2% ±0.9 pts | 0.8% | – |
| Households with no vehicle | 30.5% ±5.6 pts | 57.7% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP04) · Check it at data.census.gov
How many new homes is Bethel building?
Builders took permits for 8 new housing units in Bethel in 2025 (8 in single-family houses), 1.2 per 1,000 residents against 1.2 across Alaska.
Counts of units in permits a local office issued; not every permitted unit is built. A year marked with months was reported for part of the year.
Source: Building Permits Survey, annual place files 2019-2025, U.S. Census Bureau · Census Building Permits Survey
How do people in Bethel work and get to work?
40.4% of Bethel's workers drive alone and 8.5% work from home. The average trip to work takes 9.8 minutes. The unemployment rate in 2020-2024 averaged 8.3%.
| Measure | Bethel | Bethel Census Area | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| In the labor force (age 16+) | 69.8% ±3.5 pts | 62.1% | – |
| Unemployment rate | 8.3% ±3.1 pts | 15.9% | no clear change |
| Drove alone to work | 40.4% ±5.9 pts | 22.6% | – |
| Carpooled | 21.8% ±5.2 pts | 11.7% | – |
| Public transportation | 0.5% ±0.7 pts | 0.4% | – |
| Walked | 18.6% ±4.1 pts | 30.4% | – |
| Worked from home | 8.5% ±3.7 pts | 7.1% | no clear change |
| Mean travel time to work | 9.8 min ±1.3 | 7.4 min | no clear change |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP03) · Check it at data.census.gov
What census tracts are in Bethel?
1 census tract lies mostly in Bethel, and 1 more reaches into it (2020 census blocks).
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026); 2020 block assignment files (tract share = share of the tract's census blocks in Bethel) · Census block assignment files
How does Bethel compare with other places in Alaska?
By the Census Bureau's July 2025 estimates, Bethel is the 4,192nd-most populous of the 19,476 U.S. incorporated places that have one and the 9th-most populous of 149 in Alaska.
Bethel ranks 6th of 69 places in Alaska with 1,000 or more residents and a reliable estimate, by median household income.
| Measure | Rank | Of |
|---|---|---|
| Population, July 2025 estimate | 9th | 149 |
| Growth 2020-2025 (PEP) | 9th | 26 |
| Residents per square mile | 28th | 71 |
| Median household income | 6th | 69 |
| Per capita income | 35th | 71 |
| Median home value | 16th | 66 |
| Median gross rent | 8th | 62 |
| Poverty rate | 25th | 57 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 41st | 69 |
| Median age | 64th | 71 |
| Owner-occupied share | 65th | 68 |
| Work from home | 31st | 50 |
| Travel time to work | 55th | 69 |
Bethel's figures with every place in Alaska (CSV)
Every place in Alaska, sortable · Compare Bethel with other places
Source: PlainCities ranks computed from the American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) and PEP Vintage 2025 · How ranks are computed
How reliable are the figures for Bethel?
8 of the 57 figures for Bethel on this page carry a coefficient of variation over 40% and are marked with a ring: they come from a small sample, so read them as rough.
The American Community Survey samples about one household in eight over five years, so every figure is an estimate with a 90% margin of error (shown under each value). A ring marks an estimate whose coefficient of variation is over 40%. A change is called only when the gap between the two periods is larger than their combined 90% margin (the square root of the sum of the two squared margins), the Census Bureau's test. How to read a margin of error.
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026): margins of error as published · ACS technical documentation
How these figures are made: methodology and release checks · reading a margin of error · every state · corrections
Not on this page: crime, weather and schools for Bethel are other agencies' records. Crime: the FBI's Crime Data Explorer · climate: NOAA's U.S. Climate Normals · schools: the National Center for Education Statistics' public schools in Bethel.