City profile · Washington · Census ACS 2023

Bethel, WA

Bethel's Census ACS profile: residents, income, housing, and the joined public-record layers available for this place.

4,276
Residents
$84,214
Median income
$440,800
Median home
$1,472
Median rent (state)
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Side-by-side metrics and state or size-class ranks use the same Census and FBI fields shown on this profile. Results stay in the URL so you can bookmark or share them.

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See how it ranks

State rank, size-class rank, and four peer cities for Bethel.

Place dossier plate

Sheet WA-BETHEL-WA · Bethel, WA 4,276 pop · income 66th pct

POP-VILLAGE · INC-HIGH · COL-ABOVE · SAFE-UNK · RANK-UPPER · PHOTO-FINISH · HOME-HIGH · BOOK-UNK

  • POP-VILLAGE 4,276
  • INC-HIGH $84,214
  • COL-ABOVE 107.0
  • SAFE-UNK Safety pending
  • RANK-UPPER 66th
  • PHOTO-FINISH ≈ Port St. John
  • HOME-HIGH $440,800
  • BOOK-UNK Tracts pending

Nearest income peer: Port St. John, FL (+ $0 income $)

Instrument codes from this place’s ACS population and household income, BEA state COL, FBI safety, national income percentile, photo-finish peer city, home-value band, and matched Census-tract book - not a moving recommendation.

Income neighbourhood around Bethel

Lowest/highest poles plus peers nearest Bethel on median household income. Full ladder: /browse and /rankings.

median HH income

What this shows Neighbourhood peers only - not a full nationwide city board. Open a near peer when the gap is small; open the poles when the spread is wide.

Source U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 5-Year Estimates As of 2026-08-08

Compare beyond this state

Nationwide peers by population, income

Out-of-state nearest neighbors for Bethel on ACS population and median household income . Link sets are deduped so each column is a distinct comparison path, not a forecast that peers share a labor market or climate.

Similar population

Nearest out-of-state cities by ACS population. This city: 4,276.

4 peers

Similar household income

Nearest out-of-state cities by ACS median household income. This city: $84,214. Population peers are excluded.

4 peers

Bethel - the verdict

Nationally, Bethel sits in the 66th percentile for household income among US cities with a population of 1,000 or more. Source: Census ACS.

66th
percentile, household income
81st
percentile, home value
70th
percentile, median rent
📝 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, WA

Bethel is a small town in Washington, home to 4,276 residents per U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. The typical household in Bethel brings in $84,214 a year, above the median for U.S. cities on this measure, with a poverty rate of 9.5%. Bethel's housing stock carries a median value of $440,800, and the median resident age is 42.4 years. 24.1% of adults here have a bachelor's degree or higher; 53.1% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

Washington carries a cost-of-living premium: the state registers 107.0 on a 100-equals-national-average index (Above Average) per BEA Regional Price Parities 2024. A typical two-bedroom carries a HUD Fair Market Rent of $1,472 per month statewide. Statewide, average monthly utility bills in Washington run around $188, per EIA 2023 residential energy data. Natural-hazard exposure scores 70.0 out of 100 on FEMA's National Risk Index (High).

A decision-led reading path

Useful questions to ask of Bethel's data

How this reading path is ordered

This is not a composite city score. It is a city-specific route through the available public records, ordered for this profile so the page starts with questions the joined data can actually answer. The route here runs from comparison shortlist to housing and income to work and mobility; another city can have a different sequence or fewer supported layers because the source joins are not uniform.

For Bethel, city-specific coverage includes commute-mode shares. No matched row is reported here for within-city Census tract profiles, local building permits, annual population history, FBI reported-crime rates, matched public-school count; the page leaves those layers out instead of substituting a statewide or national value.

1. Comparison shortlist

Which cities make useful reference points for Bethel?

Use the in-state set to hold state policy and broad price conditions more nearly constant. Use the nationwide size set to ask whether cities with a similar resident count produce different housing, income, or commute outcomes. The income set is a third lens, deliberately separate from population matching.

Within Washington, the closest population matches are Rosedale (4,267 residents, $149,632 income); Chelan (4,314 residents, $71,996 income); Boulevard Park (4,334 residents, $75,646 income). Outside the state, the closest population matches in this dataset are Slatington, PA (4,277 residents); Waverly, TN (4,278 residents); Verona, VA (4,274 residents). A third, income-matched reference set of 6 out-of-state cities sits in the income neighbourhood chart near the Place Dossier plate. These are mechanical peer sets, not claims that the places share a labor market, climate, culture, or metro context.

Open a side-by-side comparison →

2. Housing and income

How far does income reach against housing in Bethel?

This is a citywide price-to-income reference, not a mortgage-affordability test; it does not include interest rates, taxes, insurance, household size, or an individual buyer's down payment. Housing value is high relative to the citywide income median. That flags a question for comparison, not a verdict: tenure, household composition, financing costs, and the age of the ACS estimate can all change what a resident actually pays.

The home-value-to-income reference is comparatively stretched: the ACS median home value is 5.2 times median household income. The ACS poverty estimate is 9.5%, which keeps the citywide median from describing every household.

Compare the housing trade-off →

Question 3

What does the journey to work look like in Bethel?

Driving alone is the largest reported mode at 72.5%. A reliable mean commute time is not available for this row, so the mode shares carry the comparison.

Mode share answers how workers usually travel; it does not measure congestion, reliability, distance to a particular job, or the quality of transit service. No single mode completely explains the work trip here. The mix is more useful than a one-number commute grade, especially when comparing places where transit, walking, and remote work divide the non-driving share differently.

Compare commute patterns →

Population

4,276 residents

Micro place (under 10k)

Median Household Income

$84,214 /yr

Above median income · poverty 9.5% (Above-median poverty)

Cost of Living Index (state)

107.0 (US=100)

High cost · BEA RPP 2024, Washington average

City profile score · Bethel, WA

43/100

4 published dimensions · ACS/FBI 2023

Comparative score against U.S. cities with population of 1,000 or more on Census ACS medians (income, poverty, bachelor's share, cost of living) and FBI UCR violent-crime rates when published. Higher means a stronger standing on those published figures, not a livability rating, not a recommendation to move, buy, or pick a "best" city. Missing inputs drop out and redistribute weight. How it is calculated.

Household income C+
$84,214

Median household income vs U.S. cities (pop ≥1,000); ACS.

Bachelor's+ share D
24.1%

Adults with a bachelor's degree or higher; ACS.

Poverty rate D
9.5%

Share of residents below the poverty line; lower scores better on this axis.

Cost of living F
107.0 index

BEA state Regional Price Parities index (100 ≈ national average); lower is stronger on this axis. Same value for every city in the state.

Violent crime N/A
N/A

No FBI UCR violent-crime rate for this place (coverage is incomplete).

Bethel profile (scored ACS/FBI dimensions) 4-axis radar comparing 1 series across Household income, Bachelor's+ share, Poverty rate, Cost of living. Household incomeBachelor's+ sharePoverty rateCost of living 43 D
Bethel profile (scored ACS/FBI dimensions)
Read the chart values
  • Household income: 64/100 (C+) · $84,214
  • Bachelor's+ share: 46/100 (D) · 24.1%
  • Poverty rate: 42/100 (D) · 9.5%
  • Cost of living: 15/100 (F) · 107.0 index

How does Bethel compare to other US cities?

Here's how Bethel stacks up against the full field of US cities (population 1,000+), computed live from Census and FBI data.

Household income 66% higher than other cities
Home value 81% pricier than other cities
Median rent 70% pricier than other cities

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

How we calculate these percentiles & ranks

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

Washington-relative analysis

Median Gross Rent places Bethel near the bottom of Washington's cities

Among the 599 Washington cities PlainCities tracks with reported median gross rent data, Bethel ranks #1 - the 0th 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
#284 of 565
50th percentile in Washington
Median Gross Rent
#1 of 599
0th percentile in Washington
Median Home Value
#254 of 565
55th percentile in Washington
Poverty Rate
#172 of 598
71st percentile in Washington
Bachelor's Degree or Higher
#322 of 599
46th percentile in Washington
How in-state ranks are ordered

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 Washington only, not a livability score. See the methodology for the source and calculation.

66thIncome percentile
Gauge source note

66th percentile nationally for median household income. Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

How Bethel's home value compares nationally

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

$440,800 19th percentile more affordable than 19% of 15,600 US cities

Show national distribution $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%). Below this entry. $375,000–$400,000: 393 US cities (3%). Below this entry. $400,000–$425,000: 317 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $425,000–$450,000: 300 US cities (2%). This entry sits in this band. $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

Bethel's home-value-to-income ratio: 5.2×

ACS median home value divided by median household income.

Band
pressured
> 5.0×
National rank
#13,229 of 15,516
More affordable than 15% of tracked cities (pop. 1,000+)
Size class
#9,956 of 11,323
Micro cities (under 10,000)

At 5.2×, Bethel sits in the pressured band: national rank #13,229 of 15,516 and #9,956 of 11,323micro cities (under 10,000). Housing value is high relative to the citywide income median, a comparison flag, not a verdict on any household.

How this ratio is calculated

Ratio = Census ACS 2023 median home value ÷ median household income for cities with both fields and population ≥ 1,000. Rank 1 = lowest ratio (most compact). Bands match the fleet affordability thresholds used on guides (<3.0 / 3.0–5.0 / >5.0). This is not a mortgage payment estimate and does not include rates, taxes, insurance, or down payment.

Income distribution context

$84,214 Bethel, WA median household income (Census ACS)

Show U.S. national quintile / Lorenz context Household income distribution - Bethel, WA Bethel, WA's median household income ($84,214) against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern. The Lorenz curve and quintile bars are national context, not Bethel, WA-specific shares. $ Household Income Distribution Bethel, WA median $84,214/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, WA median household income (Census ACS 5-year) with U.S. national quintile shares for context. Diagonal = equality; the curve is national, not computed for Bethel, WA.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 24.1%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 9.5%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 53.1%

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

Population
4,276
Median Income
$84,214
Median Home Value
$440,800
Median Age
42.4
Poverty Rate
9.5%
Labor force participation
53.1%
Bachelor's Degree+
24.1%

Commute Patterns

Commute source

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Drive Alone
72.5%
Carpool
4.7%
Public Transit
6.1%
Walk
0.1%
Work from Home
13.5%
Other
3.1%

Based on 1,937 workers 16 and over.

Monthly Utility Costs

Washington statewide monthly utility average (EIA 2023): $188

EIA 2023 residential energy data puts average monthly utilities across Washington at $188 (electricity about $85 , water and sewer about $55 ).

These are Washington statewide averages, not a meter reading for Bethel. Actual bills vary by home size, usage, and local rates. Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023.

Living Costs & Risk

Washington's BEA cost-of-living index is 107.0 (Above Average; US average = 100, RPP 2024). HUD Fair Market Rent for a typical two-bedroom in the county around Bethel is $1,472/mo. FEMA's National Risk Index, averaged to Washington statewide on PlainCities, rates natural-hazard exposure at 70.0 / 100 (High).

Cost/risk geography note

Cost of living is a Washington statewide BEA average; rent is a county-level HUD Fair Market Rent for the county Bethel sits in; the FEMA hazard score shown here is a statewide average of county NRI inputs, not a parcel-level reading.

How Bethel compares to similar-size Washington cities

Same-state peer method

Closest same-state population matches, not geographic neighbors. Population + median household income come from Census Bureau ACS 5-year B01001 and B19013.

City Population Median Household Income
Bethel (this city) 4,276 $84,214
Rosedale 4,267 $149,632
Chelan 4,314 $71,996
Boulevard Park 4,334 $75,646
Primary sources on this page

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year 2023, 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.

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

Primary sources: Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA Climate Normals, NCES. Joins use OMB Bulletin 23-01 / FIPS keys.

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Estimate caveats

ACS and UCR figures are citywide estimates with vintage lags; they do not replace a local visit, school visit, or insurance quote.

Editorial standards, provenance, and how to cite this page

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.

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