Population 685 · Census ACS 2020–24
Choose a measure to map it.Tap a measure to map it. Swipe the row for more. Arrows show the change since 2006–10.
Median age by neighborhoodHistory and comparison ↓︎
Younger residents
Older residents
Colorblind friendly
off
More maps of Old Bethel: Best Neighborhoods · Walk Grade · Household income · Home prices · Race · Politics · Traffic noise · Internet
Population and households in Old Bethel
Household size in Old Bethel
| Period | Old Bethel | Alabama | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.67 | 2.55 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.70 | 2.58 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.62 | 2.58 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.65 | 2.56 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.02 | +0.00 | −0.03 |
At 2.65 people per household, Old Bethel sits right at the national average. The typical household here is bigger than in Alabama as a whole, where it has 2.56 people.
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 Old Bethel
| Period | Old Bethel | Alabama | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 38.1 | 38.2 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 35.7 | 39.1 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 44.9 | 40.1 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 46.5 | 40.2 | 40.1 |
| Change | +8.4 | +2.0 | +2.3 |
Old Bethel skews older: half of its residents are older than 46.5, well above the national median of 40.1. That usually means more empty nesters and retirees, and fewer young families. Since 2006–10, the median age has climbed from 38.1, but in a place this small, survey estimates can swing a lot from one release to the next.
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 Old Bethel
| Period | Old Bethel | Alabama | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 10.1% | 12.5% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 12.6% | 12.5% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 8.4% | 11.8% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 9.0% | 12.2% | 11.6% |
| Change | −1.1 pts | −0.3 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single parents head just over one in twelve households in Old Bethel (9.0%), below the national share of 11.6%.
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 Old Bethel
Renters in Old Bethel
| Period | Old Bethel | Alabama | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 21.8% | 28.9% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 11.3% | 30.8% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 15.8% | 31.2% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 24.9% | 29.8% | 34.8% |
| Change | +3.1 pts | +0.9 pts | +1.5 pts |
Most households in Old Bethel own their homes; 24.9% rent, below the national share of 34.8%. Among homeowners, 56.3% have no mortgage at all, well above the national share of 39.8%.
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 Old Bethel
| Period | Old Bethel | Alabama | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 6.4% | 14.0% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 11.1% | 14.6% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 15.6% | 15.7% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 18.8% | 13.5% | 9.6% |
| Change | +12.4 pts | −0.5 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacancy is high in Old Bethel: 18.8% of homes are empty, 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.
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 Old Bethel
| Period | Old Bethel | Alabama | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1983 | 1980 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1984 | 1982 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1985 | 1983 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1985 | 1986 | 1980 |
| Change | +2 | +6 | +6 |
The housing in Old Bethel is a little younger than the country's: half of it was built after 1985, against 1980 nationally. The picture is much the same across Alabama.
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 Old Bethel
| Period | Old Bethel | Alabama | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $589 | $716 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $586 | $785 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $579 | $858 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $926 | $1,091 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$338 | +$375 | +$606 |
The median renter in Old Bethel pays $926 a month for rent and utilities, well below the national median of $1,571. The typical renter here spends 20.7% of household income on rent, comfortably under the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent, and a smaller share than renters pay nationally.
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 Old Bethel
Bachelor's degrees in Old Bethel
| Period | Old Bethel | Alabama | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 5.6% | 23.3% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 15.6% | 24.3% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 8.8% | 26.2% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 15.4% | 29.0% | 35.6% |
| Change | +9.8 pts | +5.7 pts | +7.2 pts |
College degrees are relatively uncommon in Old Bethel: 15.4% of adults 25 and older hold a bachelor's or higher, well below the national share of 35.6%.
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 Old Bethel
| Period | Old Bethel | Alabama | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 77.4% | 82.3% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 82.1% | 84.3% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 78.1% | 86.4% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 82.3% | 88.7% | 89.3% |
| Change | +4.9 pts | +6.4 pts | +4.3 pts |
Just over one in six adults in Old Bethel never finished high school, well above the national share: only 82.3% have a diploma or equivalent, against 89.3% nationally.
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 Old Bethel
| Period | Old Bethel | Alabama | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 8.2% | 8.6% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 6.0% | 10.2% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 2.2% | 6.1% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 1.8% | 4.9% | 5.4% |
| Change | −6.4 pts | −3.7 pts | −2.7 pts |
Unemployment in Old Bethel has been low: just 1.8% of the labor force was out of work and looking, well below the national rate of 5.4%. 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).
Old Bethel compared with nearby cities
| City | Household size | Median age | Single parents | Renters | Vacant homes | Median year built | Median rent | Bachelor's degree | High school diploma | Unemployment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Old Bethel | 2.65 | 46.5 | 9.0% | 24.9% | 18.8% | 1985 | $926 | 15.4% | 82.3% | 1.8% |
| Hester Heights | 2.79 | 43.2 | 4.1% | 15.0% | 12.8% | 1991 | $794 | 13.9% | 75.5% | 1.2% |
| Wolf Springs | 2.65 | 42.8 | 5.8% | 27.4% | 18.1% | 1991 | $1,019 | 11.8% | 95.2% | 0.0% |
| Spring Valley | 2.72 | 44.3 | 4.6% | 19.1% | 9.7% | 1993 | $934 | 25.8% | 90.1% | 0.8% |
| Littleville | 2.72 | 44.1 | 6.4% | 15.4% | 9.9% | 1986 | $875 | 25.0% | 87.2% | 0.6% |
| Mount Hope | 2.61 | 44.7 | 10.3% | 14.3% | 16.5% | 1989 | $691 | 19.8% | 85.9% | 1.6% |
| Leighton | 2.32 | 48.2 | 8.7% | 18.9% | 16.1% | 1984 | $693 | 20.5% | 86.9% | 1.6% |
| Town Creek | 2.78 | 39.1 | 9.8% | 21.3% | 18.0% | 1988 | $884 | 14.8% | 86.9% | 4.5% |
| Colbert Heights | 2.44 | 38.2 | 14.5% | 22.9% | 17.9% | 1983 | $783 | 17.8% | 84.2% | 2.5% |
| Colonial Heights | 2.87 | 43.4 | 3.8% | 16.2% | 9.6% | 1996 | $940 | 32.7% | 91.5% | 1.2% |
| Russellville | 2.84 | 36.9 | 12.7% | 28.8% | 12.1% | 1983 | $701 | 13.9% | 75.1% | 5.1% |
All figures 2020–24.
Cities with similar populations: Rolfe, IA · Koshkonong, WI · La Grande, WA · Lake Angelus, MI · Lakeview, NC · Lanark, TX · Langston, MI · Latham, OH · Lawler, IA · Lawtons, NY
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 Old Bethel. 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.
No other site shows detail at this level for free. We are able to keep this site free by receiving a small commission from the referring links on this page. Please share or cite this page if you aren’t able to otherwise support our work.