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Bethel, AK

City in Bethel Census Area, Alaska. ZIP codes: 99559.

Population

6,312

Land area

45.1sq mi

People per sq mi

140

ZIP codes

1

Bethel and its ZIP codes

Full map

Bethel at a glance

  • Bethel is about 109 times as dense as Alaska as a whole.
  • It is the 17th most populous of 326 cities and towns in Alaska.
  • Households here earn a median of $117,255 a year, 26% more than the Alaska figure of $92,788.
  • A typical owner-occupied home is valued at $360,200 and median rent is $1,678 a month.

Local data for Bethel, AK

Counts from official public data

Housing and community stats

Bethel, AK, American Community Survey 2020-2024

Full profile

Median household income

$117,255

Poverty rate

11.6%

Median home value

$360,200

Median rent

$1,678/mo

Homeownership

47.2%

Bachelor's or higher

24.5%

Median age

32.4

Average commute

9.8 min

Largest reported origins and ancestries: German Americans (491), Norwegian Americans (317), Irish Americans (229).

Home values and rentsIncome, education and commute

Economy and federal money

Jobs, pay, income and spending are for Bethel Census Area. PPP loans are for Bethel.

Details

Unemployment rate

10.3%

Sep 2026, -1.2 pts in a year

Average annual pay

$56,594

6,225 jobs, 2025

Income per person

$50,706

BEA, 2024

Federal spending

$651M

FY 2026, $34,892 per person

PPP loans

$4.6M

60 loans, 499 jobs reported

Bethel Census Area economyFederal spendingPPP loans

How people get to work

Bethel, AK, workers 16 and older. American Community Survey 5-year estimates

  • Drove alone40.4%
  • Carpooled21.8%
  • Public transit0.5%
  • Walked18.6%
  • Bicycle0.7%
  • Taxi, ride-hailing, motorcycle or other9.5%
  • Worked from home8.5%

Average one-way commute: 9.8 minutes for people who do not work from home.

Environment and hazard risk

Bethel, AK, from FEMA, NOAA and EPA

Full report

Natural hazard risk

Relatively Low

Top: cold wave

Storm events since 1996

65

Countywide, mostly flood

Flood insurance policies

106

2.4% of homes, county

July high / Jan low

64° / 1°F

19.7 inches of rain a year

Hazards, floods and storm historyCheck a flood zone1 historic places

Health statistics

Share of adults in Bethel, AK, CDC PLACES estimates

All 40 measures

Obesity

33.7%

U.S. 33.3% about the same

Diabetes

9.6%

U.S. 12.1% -2.5 pts

Smoking

21.9%

U.S. 12.8% +9.1 pts

Uninsured (18-64)

11.8%

U.S. 11.1% +0.7 pts

ZIP codes in Bethel

1 in or overlapping Bethel. Population shown

·

Cities near Bethel

NameDistanceLand area (sq mi)
OscarvilleCensus-designated place4.4 mi2.5
NapaskiakCity6.2 mi2.8
NapakiakCity9.6 mi1.9
KwethlukCity13 mi10.1
AkiachakCensus-designated place16 mi7
AtmautluakCensus-designated place17 mi0.6
AkiakCity21 mi2.1
NunapitchukCity23 mi7
KasiglukCensus-designated place26 mi11.8

Frequently asked questions

What county is Bethel, AK in?
Bethel is in Bethel Census Area, Alaska.
What ZIP codes are in Bethel, AK?
ZIP codes in or overlapping Bethel include 99559.
What is the population of Bethel, AK?
About 6,312 people live in Bethel, based on American Community Survey 5-year estimates.
What cities are near Bethel?
Nearby places include Oscarville (4.4 mi), Napaskiak (6.2 mi), Napakiak (9.6 mi), Kwethluk (13 mi), Akiachak (16 mi).

Source: U.S. Census Bureau (TIGER/Line boundaries, American Community Survey) · Data as of 12/31/2023

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