Bethel Census Area, Alaska
Located in Alaska, Bethel Census Area has a population of 18,394 residents and a median age of 29.0 years, making it the #1,967 most populous county out of 3,222 nationwide. In terms of economic indicators, the county has a poverty rate of 25.6%. The median home value is $168,100, and the median household income is $73,996, which is 2% below the national median.
Demographics
Bethel Census Area has a population of 18,394, making it the #1,967 most populous county in the US. The median age is 29.0 years, which is 25.4% below the national median.
Population Trend
Rankings →Year-over-Year Population Growth
Age & Sex Distribution
Race & Ethnicity
Nativity
Geographic Mobility (Past Year)
Economy
The median household income in Bethel Census Area is $73,996, ranking #915 out of 3,222 counties — 1.5% below the national median. The poverty rate is 25.6% and unemployment stands at 15.8%.
Median Household Income Trend
Rankings →Income Distribution
Industry of Employment
Occupation
Housing
The median home value in Bethel Census Area is $168,100 (-40.4% vs national). Renters pay a median of $1,474/mo and the homeownership rate is 61.6%.
Median Home Value Trend
Rankings →Household Type
Education
In Bethel Census Area, 12.8% of adults age 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher, which is 62.0% below the national average, ranking #3,045 out of 3,222 counties.
Bachelor's Degree or Higher Trend
Rankings →Health & Wellbeing
Life expectancy in Bethel Census Area is 68.9 years. 29.9% of adults report poor or fair health and 14.2% lack health insurance. Data from County Health Rankings (2025).
Life Expectancy Trend
Substance Use
33.8% of adults in Bethel Census Area smoke , 41.5% are obese , and 19.1% report excessive drinking. The drug overdose death rate is 19.9 per 100,000.
Adult Smoking Trend
Safety
The homicide rate in Bethel Census Area is 21.1 per 100,000 and the suicide rate is 67.0 per 100,000. Motor vehicle deaths occur at a rate of 9.4 per 100,000.
Homicide Rate Trend
Families & Children
36.2% of children in Bethel Census Area live in poverty and the infant mortality rate is 8.6 per 1,000 live births. The teen birth rate is 51.0 per 1,000 females age 15–19.
Infant Mortality Trend
Civic & Transportation
The mean commute time is 8.9 min, which is 67.8% below the national average.
Mean Commute Time Trend
Rankings →About Bethel Census Area, Alaska
Bethel Census Area, Alaska has a total population of 18,394, making it the 1,967th most populous county in the United States. The median age in Bethel Census Area is 29.0 years, which is 25.4% below the national median of 38.9 years.
The median household income in Bethel Census Area is $73,996, which ranks #915 of 3,222 counties nationwide. This is 1.5% below the national median of $75,149. The poverty rate is 25.6%, higher than the national rate of 12.6%. The unemployment rate stands at 15.8%.
The median home value in Bethel Census Area is $168,100, 40.4% below the national median. Renters in Bethel Census Area pay a median gross rent of $1,474 per month. The homeownership rate is 61.6%, compared to the national rate of 64.4%.
In Bethel Census Area, 12.8% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher, 62.0% below the national average of 33.7%. Health insurance coverage stands at 88.0% of the population. The average commute time for workers is 8.9 min.
Bethel Census Area is a diverse community. The largest racial or ethnic group is American Indian (non-Hispanic) at 83.2% of the population, followed by White (non-Hispanic) (8.3%) and Two or More Races (4.3%).
All data for Bethel Census Area, Alaska comes from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year Estimates. These figures are estimates based on survey sampling and are subject to margin of error. For the most detailed and up-to-date data, visit the Census Bureau's official data portal.