Bethel Census Area, AK

County

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2021 Population

18,514

1.37% 1-year growth

US Senator

Lisa Murkowski

Republican Party

US Senator

Dan Sullivan

Republican Party

US Representative

Mary Peltola

Democratic Party

2021 Median Age

28.6

1.78% 1-year increase

2021 Poverty Rate

28.5%

0.164% 1-year decrease

2021 Median Household Income

$57,460

5.63% 1-year growth

2021 Median Property Value

$102,300

15.3% 1-year growth

About

In 2021, Bethel Census Area, AK had a population of 18.5k people with a median age of 28.6 and a median household income of $57,460. Between 2020 and 2021 the population of Bethel Census Area, AK grew from 18,263 to 18,514, a 1.37% increase and its median household income grew from $54,400 to $57,460, a 5.63% increase.

The 5 largest ethnic groups in Bethel Census Area, AK are American Indian & Alaska Native (Non-Hispanic) (83.3%), White (Non-Hispanic) (9.2%), Two+ (Non-Hispanic) (2.87%), Asian (Non-Hispanic) (1.39%), and American Indian & Alaska Native (Hispanic) (1.15%).

None of the households in Bethel Census Area, AK reported speaking a non-English language at home as their primary shared language. This does not consider the potential multi-lingual nature of households, but only the primary self-reported language spoken by all members of the household.

99.2% of the residents in Bethel Census Area, AK are U.S. citizens.

In 2021, the median property value in Bethel Census Area, AK was $102,300, and the homeownership rate was 57.3%.

Most people in Bethel Census Area, AK walked to work, and the average commute time was 7.47 minutes. The average car ownership in Bethel Census Area, AK was 0 cars per household.

Bethel Census Area, AK borders Dillingham Census Area, AK, Kenai Peninsula Borough, AK, Kusilvak Census Area, AK, Lake and Peninsula Borough, AK, Matanuska-Susitna Borough, AK, and Yukon-Koyukuk Census Area, AK.

United States Alaska

Population & Diversity

Bethel Census Area, AK is home to a population of 18.5k people, from which 99.2% are citizens. As of 2021, 2.29% of Bethel Census Area, AK residents were born outside of the country (424 people).

In 2021, there were 9.06 times more American Indian & Alaska Native (Non-Hispanic) residents (15.4k people) in Bethel Census Area, AK than any other race or ethnicity. There were 1.7k White (Non-Hispanic) and 532 Two+ (Non-Hispanic) residents, the second and third most common ethnic groups.

Citizenship

99.2%

2021 Citizenship

99%

2020 Citizenship

As of 2021, 99.2% of Bethel Census Area, AK residents were US citizens, which is higher than the national average of 93.4%. In 2020, the percentage of US citizens in Bethel Census Area, AK was 99%, meaning that the rate of citizenship has been increasing.

The following chart shows US citizenship percentages in Bethel Census Area, AK compared to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

Diversity

Race and Ethnicity

The 3 largest ethnic groups in Bethel Census Area, AK

American Indian & Alaska Native (Non-Hispanic)
15.4k ± 124
White (Non-Hispanic)
1.7k ± 16
Two+ (Non-Hispanic)
532 ± 103

2.07%

Hispanic Population

383 people

2.07% of the people in Bethel Census Area, AK are hispanic (383 people).

The following chart shows the 7 races represented in Bethel Census Area, AK as a share of the total population.

Foreign-Born Population

2.29%

2021 Foreign-Born Population

424 people

2.14%

2020 Foreign-Born Population

390 people

As of 2021, 2.29% of Bethel Census Area, AK residents (424 people) were born outside of the United States, which is lower than the national average of 13.6%. In 2020, the percentage of foreign-born citizens in Bethel Census Area, AK was 2.14%, meaning that the rate has been increasing.

The following chart shows the percentage of foreign-born residents in Bethel Census Area, AK compared to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

Military

Veterans

Most Common Service Period

Gulf War (2001-)
254 ± 126
Vietnam
215 ± 49
Gulf War (1990s)
175 ± 57

Bethel Census Area, AK has a large population of military personnel who served in Gulf War (2001-), 1.18 times greater than any other conflict.

Economy

The economy of Bethel Census Area, AK employs 6.45k people. The largest industries in Bethel Census Area, AK are Public Administration (1,579 people), Health Care & Social Assistance (997 people), and Educational Services (982 people), and the highest paying industries are Mining, Quarrying, & Oil & Gas Extraction ($133,590), Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing & Hunting, & Mining ($115,500), and Professional, Scientific, & Technical Services ($64,167).

Employment

Occupations

6.45k

2021 Value

± 649

2.04%

1 Year growth

± 14%

From 2020 to 2021, employment in Bethel Census Area, AK grew at a rate of 2.04%, from 6.33k employees to 6.45k employees.

The most common job groups, by number of people living in Bethel Census Area, AK, are Office & Administrative Support Occupations (1,219 people), Management Occupations (652 people), and Education Instruction, & Library Occupations (569 people). This chart illustrates the share breakdown of the primary jobs held by residents of Bethel Census Area, AK.

Unemployment Insurance Claims

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for false.

This chart shows weekly unemployment insurance claims in Alaska (not-seasonally adjusted) compared with the four states with the most similar impact.

The most recent data point uses Advance State Claims data, which can be revised in subsequent weeks.

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Industries

Employment by Industries

6.45k

2021 Value

± 649

2.04%

1 Year growth

± 14%

From 2020 to 2021, employment in Bethel Census Area, AK grew at a rate of 2.04%, from 6.33k employees to 6.45k employees.

The most common employment sectors for those who live in Bethel Census Area, AK, are Public Administration (1,579 people), Health Care & Social Assistance (997 people), and Educational Services (982 people). This chart shows the share breakdown of the primary industries for residents of Bethel Census Area, AK, though some of these residents may live in Bethel Census Area, AK and work somewhere else. Census data is tagged to a residential address, not a work address.

Median Earnings by Industry

$36,328

Median earning men ± $3,655

$36,605

Median earning women ± $8,959

The industries with the best median earnings for men in 2021 are Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing & Hunting, & Mining ($117,500), Construction ($56,750), and Manufacturing ($53,021).

The industries with the best median earnings for women in 2021 are Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing & Hunting, & Mining ($115,500), Information ($67,778), and Professional, Scientific, & Management, & Administrative & Waste Management Services ($61,786).

Employment by Industry Sector

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for false.

Y-Axis

2.75%

Year-over-year growth

Employment change between February 2022 and February 2023

As of February 2023, there are 155M people employed in Alaska. This represents a 2.75% increase in employment when compared to February 2022.

The following chart shows monthly employment numbers for each industry sector in Alaska.

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Establishments by Size

The industries with the most establishments

211
Educational Services, Health Care & Social Assistance
64
Retail Trade
35
Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting, and Mining

The visualization shows the distribution of establishments by industry and by size according to the number of employees.

Domestic Trade

Domestic Production & Consumption

Domestic production and consumption consists of products and services shipped from Alaska to other states, or from other states to Alaska.

Top Domestic Production in Dollars

In 2020, the top outbound Alaska product (by dollars) was Electronics with $11B, followed by Crude petroleum ($7.58B) and Meat/seafood ($4.53B).

The following chart shows the share of these products in relation to all outbound Alaska products.

Domestic Trade Growth

Showing data for Alaska.

$43.1B

2020 Value in Alaska

$68.3B

Projected 2050 Value in Alaska

58.3% growth

In 2020, total outbound Alaska trade was $43.1B. This is expected to increase 58.3% to $68.3B by 2050.

The following chart shows how the domestic outbound Alaska trade is projected to change in comparison to its neighboring states.

Interstate Trade

Interstate trade consists of products and services shipped from Alaska to other states, or from other states to Alaska.

Most Common Trade Partners

California
$8.09B
Texas
$3.13B
Washington
$2.85B

In 2020, the top outbound Alaska domestic partner for goods and services (by dollars) was California with $8.09B, followed by Texas with $3.13B and Washington and $2.85B.

The following map shows the amount of trade that Alaska shares with each state (excluding itself).

Civics

Lisa Murkowski and Dan Sullivan are the senators currently representing the state of Alaska. In the United States, senators are elected to 6-year terms with the terms for individual senators staggered.

Bethel Census Area, AK is currently represented by Mary Peltola in the U.S. house, and members of the House of Representives are elected to 2-year terms.

Senator Elections

US Senators from Alaska

Senatorial voting results are only available at the state level. Showing data for Alaska.

Lisa Murkowski

Senator from Alaska

Assumed office on December 20, 2002
Appointed to the seat following the resignation of her father Frank Murkowski, who was elected List of governors of Alaska|Governor of Alaska.

Dan Sullivan

Senator from Alaska

Assumed office on January 3, 2015

Lisa Murkowski and Dan Sullivan are the senators currently representing Alaska.

In the United States, senators are elected to 6-year terms with the terms for individual senators staggered.

The following chart shows elected senators in Alaska over time, excluding special elections, colored by their political party.

US Representative Elections

US Representatives from Bethel Census Area, AK

Mary Peltola

Alaska at-large Representative

Democratic Party

Bethel Census Area, AK is currently represented by Mary Peltola (Democratic Party).

Members of the House of Representives are elected to 2-year terms, and the following chart shows the how the member for Bethel Census Area, AK have changed over time starting in 2008.

Education

Completions

Awarded Degrees over Time

The graph shows the evolution of awarded degrees by degrees. Under the paragraphs, the average number of awarded degrees by university in each degree is shown.

Working Population

Educational Pyramid

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for Alaska.

Measure

In 2021, 0.483% of men over 25 years of age had not completed any academic degree (no schooling), while 0.417% of women were in the same situation.

This visualization shows the gender distribution of the population according to the academic level reached.

Educational Attainment

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for Alaska.

Race

The most common educational levels obtained by the working population in 2021 were High School or Equivalent (166k), Some college (150k), and Bachelors Degree (97.5k).

This visualization illustrates the percentage distribution of the population according to the highest educational level reached. You can filter the data by race by using the selector above.

Housing & Living

The median property value in Bethel Census Area, AK was $102,300 in 2021, which is 0.418 times smaller than the national average of $244,900. Between 2020 and 2021 the median property value increased from $88,700 to $102,300, a 15.3% increase. The homeownership rate in Bethel Census Area, AK is 57.3%, which is approximately the same as the national average of 64.6%.

People in Bethel Census Area, AK have an average commute time of 7.47 minutes, and they walked to work. Car ownership in Bethel Census Area, AK is lower than the national average, with an average of 0 cars per household.

Median household income in Bethel Census Area, AK is $57,460. In 2021, the tract with the highest Median Household Income in Bethel Census Area, AK was Census Tract 2 with a value of $100,168, followed by Census Tract 3 and Census Tract 1, with respective values of $43,750 and $38,589.

Property

$102,300

Median Property Value 2021

±$21,322

$2,591

Median Property Taxes

±$174

The following chart display owner-occupied housing units distributed between a series of property tax buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. In Bethel Census Area, AK the largest share of households pay taxes in the None range.

The chart underneath the paragraph shows the property taxes in Bethel Census Area, AK compared to it's parent and neighbor geographies.

Rent vs Own

57.3%

Homeownership

2021

62.1%

Homeowners with Mortgage

2021

In 2021, 57.3% of the housing units in Bethel Census Area, AK were occupied by their owner. This percentage grew from the previous year's rate of 55.8%.

This chart shows the percentage of owner in Bethel Census Area, AK compared it's parent and neighboring geographies.

Equity

Income by Location

Use the dropdown to filter by race/ethnicity.

Race/Ethnicity

Highest Median Household Income (Total)

Census Tract 2
Census Tract 3
Census Tract 1

In 2021, the tract with the highest Median Household Income (Total) in Bethel Census Area, AK was Census Tract 2 with a value of $100,168, followed by Census Tract 3 and Census Tract 1, with respective values of $43,750 and $38,589.

The following map shows all of the tracts in Bethel Census Area, AK colored by their Median Household Income (Total).

Household Income

Please note that the buckets used in this visualization were not evenly distributed by ACS when publishing the data.

$57,460

Median Household Income

± $5,482

4.52k

Number of Households

± 277

In 2021, the median household income of the 4.52k households in Bethel Census Area, AK grew to $57,460 from the previous year's value of $54,400.

The following chart displays the households in Bethel Census Area, AK distributed between a series of income buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. The largest share of households have an income in the $75k - $100k range.

Wage Distribution

The closest comparable wage GINI for Bethel Census Area, AK is from Alaska.

0.437

2021 Wage GINI in Alaska

0.435

2020 Wage GINI in Alaska

In 2021, the income inequality in Alaska was 0.437 according to the GINI calculation of the wage distribution. Income inequality had a 0.513% growth from 2020 to 2021, which means that wage distribution grew somewhat less even. The GINI for Alaska was lower than than the national average of 0.478. In other words, wages are distributed more evenly in Alaska in comparison to the national average.

This chart shows the number of workers in Alaska across various wage buckets compared to the national average.

Transportation

Commuter Transportation

Most Common Commute in 2021

Walked (33.5%)
Drove Alone (23.1%)
Other (20.7%)

In 2021, 33.5% of workers in Bethel Census Area, AK walked to work, followed by those who drove alone to work (23.1%) and those who used some unspecified means to get work (20.7%).

The following chart shows the number of households using each mode of transportation over time, using a logarithmic scale on the y-axis to help better show variations in the smaller means of commuting.

Commute Time

7.47 minutes

Average Travel Time

Using averages, employees in Bethel Census Area, AK have a shorter commute time (7.47 minutes) than the normal US worker (26.8 minutes). Additionally, 0% of the workforce in Bethel Census Area, AK have "super commutes" in excess of 90 minutes.

The chart below shows how the median household income in Bethel Census Area, AK compares to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

Car Ownership

0 cars

Average Number

The following chart displays the households in Bethel Census Area, AK distributed between a series of car ownership buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. The largest share of households in Bethel Census Area, AK have 0 cars.

Poverty

Poverty & Diversity

28.5% of the population for whom poverty status is determined in Bethel Census Area, AK (5.19k out of 18.2k people) live below the poverty line, a number that is higher than the national average of 12.6%. The largest demographic living in poverty are Males 6 - 11, followed by Males < 5 and then Males 25 - 34.

The most common racial or ethnic group living below the poverty line in Bethel Census Area, AK is Native American, followed by Two Or More and Asian.

The Census Bureau uses a set of money income thresholds that vary by family size and composition to determine who classifies as impoverished. If a family's total income is less than the family's threshold than that family and every individual in it is considered to be living in poverty.

Social Needs

Data only available at the state level.

Most prevalent states

California
35,798 individuals
New York
5,087 individuals
Florida
4,915 individuals

In 2017, California had the highest estimated number of chronically homeless individuals in the nation, at 35,798. New York has the second highest (5,087), followed by Florida (4,915).

The following map shows the estimated number of chronically homeless individuals by state over multiple years.

Health

84.9% of the population of Bethel Census Area, AK has health coverage, with 25.2% on employee plans, 50.1% on Medicaid, 3.87% on Medicare, 4.59% on non-group plans, and 1.13% on military or VA plans.

Primary care physicians in Bethel Census Area, AK see 919 patients per year on average, which represents a 4.17% decrease from the previous year (959 patients). Compare this to dentists who see 709 patients per year, and mental health providers who see 38 patients per year.

By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 50.8% were men and 49.2% were women.

Coverage

Patient to Clinician Ratios

919 to 1

Patient to Primary Care Physician Ratio in Bethel Census Area, AK

Primary care physicians in Bethel Census Area, AK see an average of 919 patients per year. This represents a 4.17% decrease from the previous year (959 patients).

The following chart shows how the number of patients seen by primary care physicians has been changing over time in Bethel Census Area, AK in comparison to its neighboring geographies.

Health Care Diversity

In 2021, insured persons according to age ranges were distributed in 37.8% under 18 years, 23.1% between 18 and 34 years, 31.6% between 35 and 64 years, and 7.58% over 64 years.

By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 50.8% were men and 49.2% were women.

The following chart shows the number of people with health coverage by gender.

Uninsured People

15.1%

Uninsured

25.2%

Employer Coverage

50.1%

Medicaid

3.87%

Medicare

4.59%

Non-Group

1.13%

Military or VA

Between 2020 and 2021, the percent of uninsured citizens in Bethel Census Area, AK declined by 13.3% from 17.4% to 15.1%.

The following chart shows how the percent of uninsured individuals in Bethel Census Area, AK changed over time compared with the percent of individuals enrolled in various types of health insurance.

Health Indicators

Health Outcomes

Indicator

In 2022, the number of deaths among residents under age 18 per 100,000 population was 142 in Bethel Census Area, AK.

The graphic shows the trend of the indicator in Bethel Census Area, AK.

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Health Behaviors

Indicator

In 2022, the percentage of the adult population (age 18 and older) that reports a body mass index (BMI) greater than or equal to 30 kg/m2 (age-adjusted) was 38.3% in Bethel Census Area, AK.

The graphic shows the trend of the indicator in Bethel Census Area, AK.

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