United States › Alaska › Bethel CITY
Bethel Alaska · 6,626 residents (2025 est.) · 44.5 sq mi
Time machine
COMPARE TO 1990 Census 2000 Census 2009 ACS 2010 ACS 2011 ACS 2012 ACS 2013 ACS 2014 ACS 2015 ACS 2016 ACS 2017 ACS 2018 ACS 2019 ACS 2020 ACS 2021 ACS 2022 ACS 2023 ACS
The short version
Bethel is a city of 6,312 people in Alaska. The median age is 32.4, younger than the US median of 38.9. 47% of homes are owner-occupied. Few US cities rank higher on income. Getting to work takes 10 minutes on average. 25% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
At a glance
Wealthier
above the US median
US median: $82,259
Younger
median age 32.4
US median: 38.9
Less educated
25% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 36%
Less affordable
home values up 39%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $376,019
Section 01
Population & growth from 5,471 in 2000
6,626 in 2025 (Census Bureau estimate)
from 143 / sq mi in 2009
US average: 281
from 29.1 in 2000
US average: 38.9
Population, 1990 – 2024
5K 5K 6K 6K 7K 1990 2000 2010 2020 2024 Bethel Age distribution, 2024
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02
Income & economy $117,255
+12%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $57,321 in 2000
US average: $82,259
from $20,267 in 2000
US average: $44,673
Households earning $100K+
from 58.6% in 2009
US average: 53.3%
from 11.2% in 2000
US average: 12.5%
from 0.399 in 2010
US average: 0.476
Workforce by industry, 2024
Professional, scientific, technical 7.6%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing 3.2%
Public administration 2.7%
Transportation & warehousing 2.3%
Education & health services 0.7%
Arts, entertainment, food 0%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
$360,200
+39%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $142,200 in 2000
US average: $376,019
$1,678
−1%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $931 in 2000
US average: $1,442
from 43.0% in 2000
52.8% rent
from 20.5% in 2009
US average: 10.0%
2.81 people
−23%since 2009
from 3.64 people in 2009
US average: 2.54
from 9.0% in 2009
US average: 22.9%
from 19.4% in 2009
US average: 47.4%
from 2.4 in 2009
Years of local income it takes to buy a local home, on a scale of about 0 to 15. Lower is more affordable.
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means faster recent growth in incomes, home values, and college degrees.
Section 04
Race & ethnicity 2000
White, non-Hispanic 26.2%(1,431)
Hispanic / Latino 1.7%(93)
2024
White, non-Hispanic 20%(1,265)
Hispanic / Latino 3.6%(229)
from 52 in 2009
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means a more even mix of racial and ethnic groups.
Section 04 · Origins
Detailed origins & ancestry Ancestry
+ 11 more ancestry groups with data from 22.7% in 2000
US average: 35.6%
High school or higher
from 84.2% in 2000
US average: 89.6%
from 9.7% in 2000
US average: 14.0%
Section 06
Commute & transportation from 8.8 min in 2000
US average: 26.5
from 39.3% in 2009
US average: 68.9%
from 23.8% in 2009
US average: 8.5%
from 0.0% in 2009
US average: 3.2%
from 4.2% in 2009
US average: 15.0%
from 16.2% in 2009
US average: 2.4%
from 1.5% in 2009
US average: 0.4%
from 31.1% in 2009
US average: 8.3%
Section 07
Work & employment from 7.7% in 2011
US average: 5.2%
from 74.0% in 2011
US average: 63.5%
Women 20-64 in the labor force
from 78.5% in 2020
US average: 74.6%
from 37.7% in 2009
US average: 13.1%
from 44.8% in 2009
US average: 42.5%
Section 08
People & community from 1.2% in 2009
US average: 14.1%
from 8.8% in 2009
US average: 6.2%
from 7.0% in 2012
US average: 13.3%
from 19.3% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 83.3% in 2017
US average: 91.0%
Computer in household
from 96.1% in 2020
US average: 95.5%
from 80.1% in 2020
US average: 87.7%
from 56.9% in 2016
US average: 77.7%
from 1.1% in 2016
US average: 13.6%
Marital status
Men 15+
Never married 43.5%(1,158)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09
Health coverage from 19.3% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 56.3% in 2020
US average: 54.8%
Direct-purchase
from 2.3% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
from 7.1% in 2020
US average: 18.4%
from 24.4% in 2020
US average: 20.9%
VA health care
from 0.9% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
from 59.8% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
from 29.7% in 2020
US average: 36.7%
Shares are "alone or in combination": a person with both Medicare and Medicaid counts in each, so categories overlap and do not sum to 100%.
Section 09 · Service history
Veterans Veterans by period of service, 2024
Gulf War (2001 or later) 57.4%(218)
Gulf War (1990s) 41.3%(157)
Share of the 380 veterans here. A veteran who served across eras counts in each, so shares can total more than 100%. Peacetime-only service is included in the total but not shown as an era.
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Drill deeper
Places similar to Bethel Head to head
Compare Bethel side by side BETHEL VS
Neptune Beach
Income $119,294 +2%
Home value $670,900 +86%
Population 7,020 +6%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
BETHEL VS
Balm
Income $114,659 −2%
Home value $345,300 −4%
Population 7,181 +8%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
BETHEL VS
Grant-Valkaria
Income $119,583 +2%
Home value $550,400 +53%
Population 5,982 −10%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
BETHEL VS
Orangetree
Income $112,857 −4%
Home value $498,600 +38%
Population 6,084 −8%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
Frequently asked
How many people live in Bethel, Alaska? Bethel, Alaska has about 6,312 residents according to the 2024 American Community Survey.
What is the median household income in Bethel, Alaska? The typical household in Bethel, Alaska earns about $117,255 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.
Is Bethel, Alaska expensive? In Bethel, Alaska, the median home is worth about $360,200, and the typical rent is about $1,678 a month.
How educated are people in Bethel, Alaska? About 24.5% of adults age 25 and over in Bethel, Alaska hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
What is the poverty rate in Bethel, Alaska? About 11.6% of people in Bethel, Alaska live below the federal poverty line.
Has Bethel, Alaska grown since 1990? Yes, Bethel, Alaska has grown since 1990. The population has added about 1,625 residents, a change of about 35 percent over that period.
Keep going
Explore from here 