City profile · Alaska · Census ACS 2023

Bethel, AK

Population, income, housing, safety, climate and schools for Bethel - drawn straight from Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA, NCES, HUD and FEMA, refreshed on the 2024–2025 release cycle.

6,313
Residents
$109,718
Median income
$354,400
Median home
$1,938
Median rent (state)

Bethel - the verdict

Nationally, Bethel sits in the 83rd percentile for household income and the 8th percentile for safety among US cities with a population of 1,000 or more. Source: Census ACS + FBI UCR.

83rd
percentile, household income
72nd
percentile, home value
81st
percentile, median rent
8th
percentile, safety
📝 How we sourced this

Population, income, and housing-cost figures come from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-year estimates (B-series tables). Crime data uses FBI UCR; climate uses NOAA Climate Normals; school counts come from NCES Common Core of Data; permits use the Census Building Permits Survey (BPS). See our methodology page for the full ETL pipeline and OMB / FIPS join keys.

Data Snapshot: Bethel, AK

6,313 people live in Bethel, Alaska - a small town by U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. Bethel households earn a median of $109,718 annually, placing it in the top quartile of U.S. cities for household income, with a poverty rate of 9.0%. Bethel's housing stock carries a median value of $354,400, and the median resident age is 30.9 years. 20.1% of adults here have a bachelor's degree or higher; 61.4% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

Housing supply pressure shows in Census Building Permit Survey data: 152 residential units were authorized in 2024 (Building Boom), up 794% from five years earlier. Bethel's reported crime rate runs above the national norm: FBI UCR figures show 3901.3 crimes per 100,000 residents, above the national average (reporting is voluntary across agencies, so treat this as reporting activity rather than a definitive danger score). NOAA climate normals record an annual average temperature of 31.4°F with 19.7 inches of precipitation per year and 64.0 inches of snowfall.

Alaska tracks close to the national cost-of-living baseline: BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 puts Alaska at 102.4 on a 100-equals-national-average scale (Near Average). A typical two-bedroom carries a HUD Fair Market Rent of $1,938 per month statewide. Statewide, average monthly utility bills in Alaska run around $271, per EIA 2023 residential energy data. FEMA's National Risk Index rates natural-hazard exposure at 44.3 out of 100 (Low).

Population

6,313 residents

Census ACS 2023 - Alaska

Median Household Income

$109,718 /yr

Poverty 9.0%

Cost of Living Index (state)

102.4 (US=100)

Near Average - BEA RPP 2024, Alaska average

How does Bethel compare to other US cities?

Where Bethel sits among all US cities (population 1,000+) on each measure, computed live from Census and FBI data.

Household income 83% higher than other cities
Home value 72% pricier than other cities
Median rent 81% pricier than other cities
Safety 8% safer than other cities

"Safer than" reflects total crime rate from FBI UCR; the others use Census ACS estimates.

Zoom in to just Alaska and the picture shifts: Bethel ranks #19 of 20 Alaska cities by lowest crime rate, a different read than the national percentile above.

How we calculate these percentiles & ranks

Each percentile compares Bethel against every qualifying US city; each in-state rank narrows that to Alaska only. Full formula and direction notes: methodology.

Alaska-relative analysis

Median Gross Rent places Bethel toward the top of Alaska's cities

Among the 228 Alaska cities PlainCities tracks with reported median gross rent data, Bethel ranks #10 - the 89th percentile within the state. This is a different, narrower cut than the nationwide percentiles above: it compares Bethel only against its own state's cities, not the full US field.

Median Household Income
#14 of 215
93rd percentile in Alaska
Median Gross Rent
#10 of 228
89th percentile in Alaska
Median Home Value
#23 of 200
89th percentile in Alaska
Poverty Rate
#117 of 225
48th percentile in Alaska
Bachelor's Degree or Higher
#95 of 228
58th percentile in Alaska

Ranked by raw value (highest first); a higher rank is not automatically "better" for every measure, see each metric's own context above. This is a comparison within Alaska only, not a livability score. See the methodology for the source and calculation.

83rdIncome percentile
8thSafety percentile

83rd percentile nationally for median household income · 8th percentile for safety (lower crime rate). Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

Bethel's profile vs. every US city

Income, affordability, and safety percentile

Bethel's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown. 3-axis radar comparing 1 series across Income, Affordability, Safety. IncomeAffordabilitySafety 38 Avg. percentile National median
Bethel's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown.

How Bethel's home value compares nationally

Median home value vs. every US city (population 1,000+)

$354,400 28th percentile more affordable than 28% of 15,600 US cities

$0–$25,000: 5 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $25,000–$50,000: 54 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $50,000–$75,000: 352 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $75,000–$100,000: 1,086 US cities (7%). Below this entry. $100,000–$125,000: 1,516 US cities (10%). Below this entry. $125,000–$150,000: 1,170 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $150,000–$175,000: 1,278 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $175,000–$200,000: 1,229 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $200,000–$225,000: 1,035 US cities (7%). Below this entry. $225,000–$250,000: 976 US cities (6%). Below this entry. $250,000–$275,000: 754 US cities (5%). Below this entry. $275,000–$300,000: 712 US cities (5%). Below this entry. $300,000–$325,000: 521 US cities (3%). Below this entry. $325,000–$350,000: 526 US cities (3%). Below this entry. $350,000–$375,000: 465 US cities (3%). This entry sits in this band. $375,000–$400,000: 393 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $400,000–$425,000: 317 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $425,000–$450,000: 300 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $450,000–$475,000: 307 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $475,000–$500,000: 250 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $500,000–$525,000: 160 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $525,000–$550,000: 156 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $550,000–$575,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $575,000–$600,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $600,000–$625,000: 163 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $625,000–$650,000: 167 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $650,000–$675,000: 135 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $675,000–$700,000: 101 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $700,000–$725,000: 95 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $725,000–$750,000: 71 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $750,000–$775,000: 65 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $775,000–$800,000: 70 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $800,000–$825,000: 57 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $825,000–$850,000: 67 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $850,000–$875,000: 60 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $875,000–$900,000: 58 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $900,000–$925,000: 47 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $925,000–$950,000: 37 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $950,000–$975,000: 31 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $975,000–$1,000,000: 470 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $1,000,000–$1,025,000: 0 US cities (0%). Above this entry. Bethel $0 $1,025,000 every US city, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $25K-wide band; taller bars hold more US cities. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates · 2023

Income distribution context

Household income distribution - Bethel, AK Bethel, AK's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Bethel, AK-specific quintile data). The Lorenz curve traces the national cumulative income share against cumulative population share, perfect equality is the diagonal; observed inequality bows below. $ Household Income Distribution Bethel, AK median $109,718/yr, vs. U.S. national quintile pattern QUINTILE SHARE OF AGGREGATE INCOME Lowest 20% 3.4% Second 20% 9.2% Middle 20% 15.1% Fourth 20% 23.2% Top 20% 49.1% LORENZ CURVE cumulative income vs. population 100% 0% 100% pop. 0%
Bethel, AK's median household income (Census ACS 5-year estimate) plotted against the U.S. national income-quintile distribution pattern for context; the quintile shares and Lorenz curve are national figures, not computed specifically for Bethel, AK. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 20.1%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 9.0%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 61.4%

Census ACS S2301, share of working-age residents in the labor force

Population
6,313
Median Income
$109,718
Median Home Value
$354,400
Median Age
30.9
Poverty Rate
9.0%
Labor force participation
61.4%
Bachelor's Degree+
20.1%

Safety & Crime

Total Crime Rate
3901.3
per 100,000 residents
Violent Crime
1656.1
per 100,000 residents
Property Crime
2245.2
per 100,000 residents

Reflects incidents reported to the FBI's Uniform Crime Reporting program — agency participation is voluntary and reporting completeness varies by jurisdiction and year, so this reflects reporting activity, not a definitive danger score. Not adjusted for tourism, commuter, or daytime population.

Climate

Avg Temperature
31.4°F
Annual Precipitation
19.7"
Annual Snowfall
64.0"

Schools

Total Schools
6
Public schools in this city

Population Change

Annual U.S. Census Bureau Population Estimates Program (PEP) estimates, 2020–2025

See the fastest-growing cities →
6,200 residents6,400 residents6,600 residents6,800 residents 202020212022202320242025 6,333 residents 6,626 residents ▲ +4.6%
Bethel's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Housing Supply

Census Bureau Building Permits Survey (BPS) - annual residential permits authorized

📈 Building Boom
Total Permits (2024)
152
housing units authorized
Single-Family
9
detached homes
Multifamily
143
apartments & condos
Supply Intensity
24.1
permits per 1,000 residents

5-Year Permit Trend (2019–2024)

Year Total
2019 17
2020 15
2021 20
2022 14
2023 45
2024 152

Permit volume increased 794% from 2019 to 2024.

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Drive Alone
39.7%
Carpool
20.2%
Public Transit
0.5%
Walk
18.2%
Work from Home
9.2%
Other
12.2%

Based on 2,764 workers 16 and over.

Monthly Utility Costs

State-average estimates for Alaska - EIA 2023 residential energy data

Electricity
$131
avg/month
Natural Gas
$95
avg/month
Water & Sewer
$45
avg/month
Total Utilities
$271
estimated/month

Estimates reflect Alaska state averages. Actual costs vary by home size, usage, and local rates. Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023.

Living Costs & Risk

Cost of living is a Alaska state average from BEA; rent and hazard risk are county-level figures from HUD and FEMA for the county Bethel sits in

Cost of Living Index
102.4
Near Average
US average = 100 · BEA RPP 2024
Typical 2-BR Rent
$1,938/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent
County-level FMR estimate
Natural Hazard Risk
44.3 / 100
Low
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in Alaska

Palmer
6,141 people
South Lakes
6,132 people
Chena Ridge
5,927 people
Gateway
6,716 people
Steele Creek
5,861 people
Sterling
6,776 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Bethel's 6,313 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Orange City, IA
6,312 people
Waupaca, WI
6,314 people
Hampstead, MD
6,311 people
Rossford, OH
6,315 people
Hilmar-Irwin, CA
6,317 people
Lyman, SC
6,317 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Bethel's $109,718 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

South Monrovia Island, CA
$109,730 median income
Plymouth Meeting, PA
$109,706 median income
World Golf, FL
$109,731 median income
Tarrytown, NY
$109,732 median income
Edgemere, MD
$109,734 median income
Moyock, NC
$109,700 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Bethel, AK Race categories sum to one hundred percent per Census methodology. Hispanic or Latino is shown separately as an ethnicity overlay; it cuts across all race categories per OMB Directive 15. Race & Ethnicity Composition Bethel, AK - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 16.9% 69.7% 6.4% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 3.5% White 16.9% Black or African American 2.6% Asian 3.3% American Indian 69.7% Native Hawaiian 0.5% Some other race 0.8% Two or more races 6.4% Per OMB Directive 15: Hispanic/Latino ethnicity is reported separately from the race categories.
Race categories sum to 100%. Hispanic or Latino ethnicity is reported separately and cuts across race per Census/OMB methodology.

City-level race and ethnicity, Census ACS 5-year 2023 (tables B02001, B03001), OMB Directive 15 categories.

How Bethel compares to nearby Alaska cities

Population + median household income, sourced from Census Bureau ACS 5-year B01001 (population) and B19013 (median household income).

City Population Median Household Income
Bethel (this city) 6,313 $109,718
Palmer 6,141 $70,550
South Lakes 6,132 $89,632
Chena Ridge 5,927 $140,722
Census ACS 5-year FIPS AK FBI UCR NOAA Normals NCES CCD Census BPS 2024 OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Bethel, AK?

What is the population of Bethel, AK? +

The population of Bethel, AK stands at 6,313 according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the median household income in Bethel, AK? +

The median household income in Bethel is $109,718 per year, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Bethel? +

BEA does not publish a city-level cost-of-living figure for Bethel; the closest available measure is the Alaska state average, a cost of living index of 102.4 (U.S. average = 100), rated "Near Average" based on BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 data. Costs within Alaska vary by metro area.

Is Bethel, AK safe? +

Bethel has a total crime rate of 3901.3 per 100,000 residents, which is above the national average. This reflects incidents reported to the FBI UCR program, not a definitive safety score -- agency reporting is voluntary and completeness varies by jurisdiction.

What is the median home value in Bethel, AK? +

The median home value in Bethel is $354,400, according to Census ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the climate like in Bethel? +

Climate normals put Bethel's yearly average temperature at 31.4°F, 19.7 inches of precipitation, and 64.0 inches of snowfall per year. Source: NOAA Climate Normals.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year 2023, FBI UCR, NOAA Climate Normals, NCES CCD, Census BPS 2024, Census ACS B08301/B08136, U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023, BEA Regional Price Parities 2024, HUD Fair Market Rents 2026, FEMA National Risk Index.

Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.

Primary sources: Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA Climate Normals, NCES.

Citation & verification links Data sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainCities

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Every figure on PlainCities is rendered directly from Census ACS source data, no number is typed in by an editor. This page draws directly on Census ACS source data, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.