Median Income
$100,852
household / year
Median Home Value
$340,100
owner-occupied
Median Rent
$1,546
gross / month
Cost of Living
104
national avg = 100

Is Bethel, AK a Good Place to Live?

Bethel is a small town of 6,312 in Alaska, with a median household income of $100,852 and a 8.9% unemployment rate. Its cost of living index is 104 (US average = 100), which is 4% above the national average.

Strengths: Bethel stands out for short average commutes.

Trade-offs: Potential downsides include a higher-than-average crime index, an elevated unemployment rate. Whether Bethel is right for you depends on your priorities — the full breakdown is below.

All Bethel city data on this page comes from official government sources — the US Census Bureau, FBI, NCES, BEA, and NOAA — updated annually.

Cost of Living

Index: 104.5

Bethel's overall cost of living index is 104.5, where 100 represents the US national average. Living in Bethel costs roughly 4% more than the average American city.

Metric Bethel, AK National Avg
Median Home Value $340,100 $244,900
Median Monthly Rent $1,546 $1,163
Homeownership Rate 41.2% 65.9%
Median Household Income $100,852 $74,755

Crime & Safety

High Crime

Bethel's violent crime rate is 1656.1 per 100,000 residents — 336% higher than the national average of ~380 per 100,000.

Violent Crime
1656.1 /100k
Property Crime
2245.2 /100k

Vertical marker = national average. Source: FBI UCR Program.

Schools & Education

Bethel is served primarily by Lower Kuskokwim School District. The student-to-teacher ratio is 15.0:1 (better than the national average of ~16:1).

Metric Bethel, AK National Avg
School District Lower Kuskokwim School District —
Elementary Schools 3 —
Middle Schools N/A —
High Schools 3 —
Student/Teacher Ratio 15.0:1 16:1
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 19.3% 35.4%
High School Diploma or Higher 90.2% 91.1%

Weather & Climate

Bethel sees average highs of 12.7°F in January and 63.6°F in July, with 19.7 inches of annual precipitation and 64.0 inches of snow per year.

MetricBethel, AK
Average High — January12.7°F
Average High — July63.6°F
Annual Precipitation19.7"
Annual Snowfall64.0"

Demographics

MetricBethel, AKNational Avg
Population6,312—
Median Age30.838.9
Unemployment Rate8.9%3.7%
Avg Commute Time9.2 min26 min
White (non-Hispanic)16.3%59.3%
Black or African American2.9%13.6%
Hispanic or Latino2.3%18.9%
Asian3.7%6.3%
Under 1829.9%22.2%
65 and over7.3%16.8%

Nearby Cities

Oscarville, AK 5 mi Napaskiak, AK 6 mi Napakiak, AK 10 mi Kwethluk, AK 12 mi Akiachak, AK 16 mi

ZIP Codes in Bethel

Bethel, AK is covered by 1 ZIP code:

99559

Bethel vs Other Cities

Bethel, AK vs Oscarville, AK Bethel, AK vs Napaskiak, AK Bethel, AK vs Napakiak, AK Bethel, AK vs Kwethluk, AK Bethel, AK vs Akiachak, AK

Frequently Asked Questions

Bethel's cost of living index is 104, where 100 is the national average. That puts Bethel roughly 4% above the national average in cost. The median home price is $340,100 and median rent is $1,546/month.
Bethel's violent crime rate is 1656.1 per 100,000 residents — the national average is ~380 per 100,000. Property crime is 2245.2 per 100,000 (national avg ~2,100). Data from the FBI Uniform Crime Reporting Program.
Public schools in Bethel are operated by Lower Kuskokwim School District. The district has 3 elementary, several middle, and 3 high schools. The student-to-teacher ratio is 15.0:1. 19.3% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Bethel, AK has a population of 6,312, a median household income of $100,852, and an unemployment rate of 8.9%. Whether it's right for you depends on your priorities — use the compare tool above to stack it against another city you're considering.
Bethel averages 12.7°F in January and 63.6°F in July. Annual rainfall is 19.7 inches with about 64.0 inches of snow per year. Based on NOAA 30-year climate normals (1991–2020).
Bethel, AK is covered by 1 ZIP code: 99559.
The population of Bethel, Alaska is 6,312 with a median age of 30.8. Source: US Census ACS 5-Year Estimates.
Key numbers for living in Bethel: cost of living index 104 (100 = US average), median home $340,100, median household income $100,852, crime index 304 (100 = US average, lower is safer), schools rated C. Whether these are benefits or drawbacks depends on where you're coming from — compare Bethel side by side with your current city to see the trade-offs.