Population 18,394 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Bethel Census Area
Household size in Bethel Census Area
| Period | Bethel Census Area | Alaska | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 4.02 | 2.79 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 4.10 | 2.88 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 4.01 | 2.91 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 3.88 | 2.72 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.14 | −0.07 | −0.03 |
Households in Bethel Census Area are large by national standards, averaging 3.88 people against 2.65 for the U.S. That usually means more families with children at home. Household size has dropped from 4.02 in 2006–10, a much bigger shift than nationally. Few Alaska counties have larger households: only two of 30.
Household size: the average number of people living in each occupied home. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25010).
Median age in Bethel Census Area
| Period | Bethel Census Area | Alaska | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 25.7 | 35.0 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 26.4 | 35.2 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 27.5 | 35.9 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 27.8 | 37.1 | 40.1 |
| Change | +2.1 | +2.1 | +2.3 |
With a median age of just 27.8, Bethel Census Area is far younger than the country as a whole (40.1), a population that tilts toward families with many children. The median age has climbed from 25.7 in 2006–10, as it has nationally. Only two of Alaska's 30 counties are younger.
Median age: the age that splits residents into two equal halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B01002).
Single-parent households in Bethel Census Area
| Period | Bethel Census Area | Alaska | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 21.8% | 14.0% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 24.1% | 13.4% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 23.0% | 12.6% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 22.8% | 11.8% | 11.6% |
| Change | +0.9 pts | −2.2 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single parents head more than one in five households in Bethel Census Area (22.8%), well above the national share of 11.6%. Since 2006–10, the single-parent share has edged up 0.9 points, even as the national share fell. Bethel Census Area has a higher share of single-parent households than at least four in five Alaska counties.
Single-parent households: households where one adult with no spouse present lives with children under 18. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B11003).
Housing in Bethel Census Area
Renters in Bethel Census Area
| Period | Bethel Census Area | Alaska | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 38.7% | 35.3% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 36.5% | 36.7% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 41.8% | 35.7% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 38.4% | 33.2% | 34.8% |
| Change | −0.2 pts | −2.1 pts | +1.5 pts |
Renting is a bit more common in Bethel Census Area than nationally: 38.4% of households rent their homes, against 34.8% for the U.S. About two-thirds of owners (67.8%) have paid off their mortgages, well above the national share of 39.8%. Rentals cluster in the center; owners are most common in the west.
Renters: occupied homes that are rented rather than owned. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25003).
Vacant homes in Bethel Census Area
| Period | Bethel Census Area | Alaska | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 23.5% | 14.2% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 21.9% | 15.0% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 22.9% | 16.8% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 17.4% | 15.2% | 9.6% |
| Change | −6.1 pts | +1.0 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacant homes make up 17.4% of the housing in Bethel Census Area, far above the national rate of 9.6%. In resort and lake areas that usually means seasonal and vacation homes; elsewhere it can point to weak demand. Vacancy is down 6.1 points from 2006–10, a much bigger shift than nationally.
Vacant homes: homes with no one living in them, including vacation homes and homes for sale or rent. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25002).
Age of homes in Bethel Census Area
| Period | Bethel Census Area | Alaska | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1981 | 1982 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1983 | 1984 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1986 | 1985 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1989 | 1987 | 1980 |
| Change | +7 | +5 | +6 |
Bethel Census Area has newer housing than the country as a whole: the median home was built in 1989, versus 1980 nationally. That is in line with the rest of Alaska. The median year built has moved up from 1981 in 2006–10, a sign of steady new building.
Age of homes: the year that splits the housing stock into older and newer halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25035).
Rent in Bethel Census Area
| Period | Bethel Census Area | Alaska | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $761 | $1,067 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $894 | $1,192 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $936 | $1,322 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $1,062 | $1,518 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$301 | +$451 | +$606 |
The median renter in Bethel Census Area pays $1,062 a month for rent and utilities, well below the national median of $1,571. Rents are up $301 a month from 2006–10, a 40% rise, a slower climb than the nation's. Rent takes 16.4% of the typical renter's income, comfortably under the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent. The priciest rents are in the center; the most affordable are in the southwest.
Rent: monthly rent plus the utilities renters pay themselves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25064).
Education in Bethel Census Area
Bachelor's degrees in Bethel Census Area
| Period | Bethel Census Area | Alaska | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 12.8% | 26.3% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 10.2% | 26.8% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 11.0% | 29.1% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 11.5% | 31.1% | 35.6% |
| Change | −1.3 pts | +4.9 pts | +7.2 pts |
College degrees are relatively uncommon in Bethel Census Area: 11.5% of adults 25 and older hold a bachelor's or higher, well below the national share of 35.6%. The share with a degree is down 1.3 points from 2006–10, even as the national share rose. Few Alaska counties have a lower share of college graduates: only two of 30.
Bachelor's degrees: adults 25 and older with a bachelor's degree or higher. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
High school graduates in Bethel Census Area
| Period | Bethel Census Area | Alaska | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 77.7% | 90.6% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 79.1% | 91.5% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 80.2% | 92.5% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 81.6% | 93.3% | 89.3% |
| Change | +3.9 pts | +2.7 pts | +4.3 pts |
More than one in six adults in Bethel Census Area never finished high school, well above the national share: only 81.6% have a diploma or equivalent, against 89.3% nationally. Since 2006–10, the share with a diploma has risen 3.9 points, mirroring the country. Only one other Alaska county has a lower share of high school graduates.
High school graduates: adults 25 and older with a high school diploma, GED or more. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
Jobs in Bethel Census Area
| Period | Bethel Census Area | Alaska | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 19.9% | 9.2% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 19.3% | 9.1% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 19.6% | 7.6% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 17.8% | 6.2% | 5.4% |
| Change | −2.1 pts | −3.0 pts | −2.7 pts |
Unemployment in Bethel Census Area runs well above the national rate: 17.8% of the labor force was out of work and looking, against 5.4%. Unemployment is down 2.1 points from 2006–10, as it has nationally. Because the Census pools five years of responses (2020–24), these rates smooth over short swings and lag the current job market.
Unemployment: people looking for work as a share of everyone working or looking. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B23025).
Bethel Census Area compared with nearby counties
| County | Household size | Median age | Single parents | Renters | Vacant homes | Median year built | Median rent | Bachelor's degree | High school diploma | Unemployment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bethel Census Area | 3.88 | 27.8 | 22.8% | 38.4% | 17.4% | 1989 | $1,062 | 11.5% | 81.6% | 17.8% |
| Kusilvak Census Area | 4.17 | 23.7 | 32.7% | 30.2% | 19.9% | 1990 | $841 | 5.5% | 80.5% | 21.1% |
| Dillingham Census Area | 3.14 | 32.0 | 26.7% | 38.6% | 38.9% | 1985 | $1,052 | 19.1% | 89.1% | 11.0% |
| Bristol Bay Borough | 2.30 | 39.7 | 3.1% | 46.4% | 63.5% | 1985 | $1,317 | 20.9% | 97.1% | 4.4% |
| Lake and Peninsula Borough | 2.50 | 33.7 | 19.8% | 34.6% | 75.7% | 1986 | $936 | 16.3% | 92.1% | 8.6% |
| Nome Census Area | 3.38 | 28.8 | 30.0% | 33.2% | 30.6% | 1985 | $1,264 | 13.7% | 89.6% | 18.4% |
| Kenai Peninsula Borough | 2.43 | 42.2 | 8.1% | 23.0% | 23.2% | 1991 | $1,228 | 29.8% | 94.8% | 7.0% |
| Kodiak Island Borough | 2.61 | 36.8 | 9.7% | 38.9% | 15.3% | 1985 | $1,810 | 30.4% | 94.3% | 3.9% |
| Anchorage Municipality | 2.70 | 36.6 | 12.0% | 36.1% | 10.3% | 1983 | $1,728 | 38.5% | 93.9% | 4.6% |
| Aleutians East Borough | 2.47 | 40.9 | 12.5% | 35.8% | 24.4% | 1986 | $953 | 21.0% | 82.6% | 6.5% |
| Yukon-Koyukuk Census Area | 2.06 | 38.3 | 19.2% | 30.1% | 37.3% | 1984 | $1,009 | 16.1% | 87.6% | 6.4% |
All figures 2020–24.
Counties with similar populations: Texas County, MO · Evans County, GA · Tallahatchie County, MS · Gooding County, ID · Taylor County, WI · Barton County, MO · Teller County, CO · Barnwell County, SC · Barnes County, ND · Terry County, TX
About these numbers
Every figure on this page is a BestNeighborhood calculation from the Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS), built up from the Census block groups that make up Bethel Census Area. Each ACS 5-year release pools five years of responses; this page shows the last 15 releases, 2006–10 through 2020–24. Neighboring releases share four of their five years, so they move gradually and small changes between them are within the survey's margin of error; in small places the lines can jump from one release to the next for the same reason. The maps show the same measures for each neighborhood, ranked against the whole country.
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