Jobs, pay and daily life in Bethel, from official statistics with source and year on every table.
Click any dot to open that city: jobs, pay, rent, commute, county economy and climate. Dot size follows population; colours follow the state flag.
By AtiveSite · Published 07/11/2026 · Updated 07/11/2026 · Every figure is linked to its source below.
Bethel is a city in Alaska with 6,312 residents. The median household earns $117,255 a year and the median rent is $1,678 a month, which is 17.2% of the median household income. We could not match it to a metropolitan area in the BLS wage tables, so metro pay data is not shown.
How Bethel compares. Among the 30 largest places in Alaska, Bethel is #17 by population, #3 for long commutes (#1 = fewest), #27 for rent (#1 = cheapest), #27 for homeownership (#1 = highest). Its county, Bethel Census Area, is #24 of 30 counties for average pay ($54,820).
Bethel has 6,312 residents (ACS 2020–2024), about 0.9% of the population of Alaska. It covers 45 square miles of land, which works out to roughly 140 people per square mile. The median age is 32.4, 9% younger than the state median (32.4 against 35.8).
The median gross rent is $1,678 a month (rent plus utilities), 18% above the state median ($1,678 against $1,419). Over a year that is 17.2% of the median household income. US housing guidance treats housing as affordable when it takes 30% of income or less, so the typical household is under that line. The median home value is $360,200, which is 3.1 times the median household income ($117,255); a ratio under 4 usually means ownership is within reach for many households. 47.2% of households own their home, 29% below the state average (47.2% against 66.8%). A low ownership share points to a rental-heavy market with more apartments and shorter stays.
In 2026M09 the unemployment rate of Bethel Census Area was 10.3%. 68.9% of residents aged 16 and over are in the labour force. The city lies in Bethel Census Area; its jobs, pay by industry and GDP are on the county page.
Among workers, 40.4% drive alone, 0.5% use public transit, 18.6% walk, 8.5% work from home. 1.5% of workers commute 45 minutes or more, 82% below the state average (1.5% against 8.4%).
24.5% of adults aged 25 and over hold a bachelor's degree or higher, 23% below the state share (24.5% against 31.7%). 4.8% of residents were born outside the United States, 38% below the state share (4.8% against 7.7%). The poverty rate is 11.6%, 14% above the state rate (11.6% against 10.1%).
The warmest month is Jul, averaging 56°F (13.3°C), and the coolest is Jan at 4°F (-15.8°C). About 732 mm (29 inches) of precipitation falls in a year; Aug is the wettest month (95 mm) and Mar the driest (34 mm). These values come from NASA satellite-based climatology on a grid of about 50 km, so they describe the wider area, not a weather station in the city.
Closest cities in this guide: Nikiski (356 miles, rent 41% lower); Kenai (358 miles, rent 32% lower); Kalifornsky (359 miles, rent 17% lower); Homer (361 miles, rent 26% lower). Rent differences are against Bethel; use the Compare tab to put any two cities side by side.
Federal jobs in Alaska (324) →State guide: AlaskaCountry guideBethel Census AreaAlaska rankings
These links go to official sources and open in a new window. The first one is the government's or company's own site as listed in Wikidata (property "official website"); check it before relying on it.
There are 324 federal postings open in Alaska (USAJOBS, state level; we do not have a city filter for them). Private-sector jobs are not in this feed.
No metropolitan wage table is matched to this city. Employment shares of residents by industry (ACS):
| Industry ⇅ | Share of employed residents ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Education and health care | 30.3% |
| Public administration | 14.8% |
| Professional, scientific, management, administrative | 9.8% |
| Retail trade | 8.5% |
| Transportation, warehousing, utilities | 8.3% |
| Other services | 6.5% |
| Arts, entertainment, accommodation, food | 6.4% |
| Finance, insurance, real estate | 5.4% |
| Construction | 4.3% |
| Agriculture, forestry, fishing, mining | 3.2% |
| Wholesale trade | 2.3% |
| Manufacturing | 0.2% |
| Information | 0.0% |
Cities have no official GDP or payroll count of their own. These figures are for the county where Bethel lies and cover the whole county, not only the city.
| County ⇅ | Population ⇅ | GDP (2024) ⇅ | GDP per resident ⇅ | Jobs (QCEW 2024) ⇅ | Employer sites ⇅ | Average annual pay ⇅ | Job change vs 2023 ⇅ | Unemployment rate ⇅ | Labour force ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bethel Census Area | 18,394 | $837 million | $45,508 | 6,426 | 303 | $54,820 | +0.7% | 10.3% | 6,334 |
| Industry ⇅ | Jobs ⇅ | Share of private jobs ⇅ | Average annual pay ⇅ | Concentration vs US (location quotient) ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Retail trade | 809 | 37.1% | $26,150 | 1.26 |
| Other services (except public administration) | 582 | 26.7% | $49,666 | 3.01 |
| Transportation and warehousing | 252 | 11.6% | $66,011 | 0.93 |
| Real estate and rental | 146 | 6.7% | $59,286 | 1.46 |
| Utilities | 112 | 5.1% | $30,461 | 4.58 |
| Accommodation and food services | 90 | 4.1% | $47,379 | 0.15 |
| Construction | 56 | 2.6% | $40,350 | 0.17 |
| Arts, entertainment, recreation | 52 | 2.4% | $39,924 | 0.48 |
| Administrative and waste services | 36 | 1.7% | $21,947 | 0.10 |
| Wholesale trade | 27 | 1.2% | $19,125 | 0.11 |
| Finance and insurance | 19 | 0.9% | $77,555 | 0.07 |
QCEW counts jobs covered by unemployment insurance; sectors with too few employers are withheld by BLS. Latest-month unemployment is preliminary.
| How residents get to work ⇅ | Share ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Drive alone | 40.4% |
| Public transit | 0.5% |
| Walk | 18.6% |
| Work from home | 8.5% |
| Commute of 45 minutes or more | 1.5% |
Shares are of workers aged 16 and over; they describe residents, wherever they work.
| Indicator ⇅ | Value ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Median household income | $117,255 |
| Income per person | $44,541 |
| Median gross rent per month | $1,678 |
| Yearly rent as share of median household income | 17.2% |
| Median home value | $360,200 |
| Homeowners | 47.2% |
| Poverty rate | 11.6% |
| Price level of the metro area (US = 100) | n/a |
| Metro median pay, all occupations | n/a |
Estimate for a wage earner: 2026 federal brackets and standard deduction (IRS), Social Security 6.2% up to $184,500, Medicare 1.45% (+0.9% above $200,000 single / $250,000 married), and a state rate you set. It ignores credits, pre-tax deductions, local taxes and benefits. Sources: IRS: tax year 2026 inflation adjustments · SSA wage base per Federal Register notice 2025-19763.
State tax: No state tax on wages.
| Indicator ⇅ | Value ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Median age | 32.4 |
| High school or higher (25+) | 88.2% |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (25+) | 24.5% |
| Born abroad | 4.8% |
| Labour force participation (16+) | 68.9% |
Work permits are federal: see permits and first steps.
| Month ⇅ | Mean temperature (°C) ⇅ | Mean temperature (°F) ⇅ | Precipitation (mm) ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | -15.8 | 4 | 43 |
| Feb | -11.2 | 12 | 51 |
| Mar | -10.9 | 12 | 34 |
| Apr | -2.2 | 28 | 44 |
| May | 6.3 | 43 | 52 |
| Jun | 12.0 | 54 | 53 |
| Jul | 13.3 | 56 | 80 |
| Aug | 12.2 | 54 | 95 |
| Sep | 7.5 | 46 | 85 |
| Oct | 0.3 | 33 | 75 |
| Nov | -8.9 | 16 | 66 |
| Dec | -13.6 | 8 | 54 |
Satellite-reanalysis climatology on a grid of roughly 50 km, so it smooths local effects (hills, coast, city heat). It is not a weather-station record.
| City ⇅ | State ⇅ | Distance (straight line) ⇅ | Population ⇅ | Median household income ⇅ | Median rent ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nikiski | AK | 356 mi | 4,773 | $65,863 | $996 |
| Kenai | AK | 358 mi | 7,641 | $87,083 | $1,138 |
| Kalifornsky | AK | 359 mi | 8,663 | $93,508 | $1,394 |
| Homer | AK | 361 mi | 5,877 | $74,449 | $1,238 |
| Soldotna | AK | 364 mi | 4,485 | $56,280 | $1,020 |
| Sterling | AK | 372 mi | 6,323 | $102,415 | $1,248 |
| Kodiak | AK | 390 mi | 5,447 | $90,292 | $1,571 |
| Knik-Fairview | AK | 408 mi | 19,972 | $96,437 | $1,588 |
| Meadow Lakes | AK | 409 mi | 8,689 | $81,699 | $1,377 |
| Wasilla | AK | 414 mi | 9,720 | $67,234 | $1,153 |
Straight-line distance in miles, not driving distance.
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6,312 (Census Bureau ACS 2020–2024 5-year estimate).
$1,678 a month (ACS 2020–2024), which is 17.2% of the median household income.
$117,255 (ACS 2020–2024, in 2024 dollars).
10.3% (BLS county, Bethel Census Area (latest month 2026M09)).
Alaska. See the state guide for minimum wage, taxes and pay.