Bethel Census Area, Alaska | |
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 Location within the U.S. state ofAlaska | |
| Coordinates:60°45′N160°30′W / 60.75°N 160.5°W /60.75; -160.5 | |
| Country |  United States |
| State |  Alaska |
| Established | 1980[1] |
| Largest city | Bethel |
| Area | |
• Total | 45,504 sq mi (117,850 km2) |
| • Land | 40,570 sq mi (105,100 km2) |
| • Water | 4,934 sq mi (12,780 km2) 10.8% |
| Population (2020) | |
• Total | 18,666 |
• Estimate (2024) | 18,237 |
| • Density | 0.42/sq mi (0.16/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC−9 (Alaska) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−8 (ADT) |
| Congressional district | At-large |
Bethel Census Area is acensus area in theU.S. state ofAlaska. As of the2020 census, the population is 18,666, up from 17,013 in 2010.[2] It is part of theunorganized borough and therefore has noborough seat. Its largest community is the city ofBethel, which is also the largest city in the unorganized borough.
According to theUnited States Census Bureau, the census area has an area of 45,504 square miles (117,850 km2), of which 40,570 square miles (105,100 km2) is land and 4,934 square miles (12,780 km2) (10.8%) is water.[3] Its territory includes the largeNunivak Island in theBering Sea.
Its land area is comparable to that of Kentucky, which has an area of slightly under forty thousand square miles.[4]
| Census | Pop. | Note | %± |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 5,537 | — | |
| 1970 | 7,579 | 36.9% | |
| 1980 | 10,999 | 45.1% | |
| 1990 | 13,656 | 24.2% | |
| 2000 | 16,006 | 17.2% | |
| 2010 | 17,013 | 6.3% | |
| 2020 | 18,666 | 9.7% | |
| 2024 (est.) | 18,237 | [5] | −2.3% |
| U.S. Decennial Census[6] 1790-1960[7] 1900-1990[8] 1990-2000[9] 2010-2020[2] | |||
| Race / Ethnicity(NH = Non-Hispanic) | Pop 1980[10] | Pop 1990[11] | Pop 2000[12] | Pop 2010[13] | Pop 2020[14] | % 1980 | % 1990 | % 2000 | % 2010 | % 2020 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| White alone (NH) | 1,636 | 2,074 | 1,958 | 1,854 | 1,628 | 14.87% | 15.19% | 12.23% | 10.90% | 8.72% |
| Black or African American alone (NH) | 26 | 62 | 59 | 65 | 84 | 0.24% | 0.45% | 0.37% | 0.38% | 0.45% |
| Native American orAlaska Native alone (NH) | 9,247 | 11,339 | 13,063 | 14,056 | 15,580 | 84.07% | 83.03% | 81.61% | 82.62% | 83.47% |
| Asian alone (NH) | 29 | 90 | 168 | 158 | 201 | 0.26% | 0.66% | 1.05% | 0.93% | 1.08% |
| Native Hawaiian orPacific Islander alone (NH) | x[15] | x[16] | 9 | 18 | 2 | x | x | 0.06% | 0.11% | 0.01% |
| Other race alone (NH) | 0 | 11 | 5 | 6 | 19 | 0.00% | 0.08% | 0.03% | 0.04% | 0.10% |
| Mixed race or Multiracial (NH) | x[17] | x[18] | 604 | 675 | 945 | x | x | 3.77% | 3.97% | 5.06% |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 61 | 80 | 140 | 181 | 207 | 0.55% | 0.59% | 0.87% | 1.06% | 1.11% |
| Total | 10,999 | 13,656 | 16,006 | 17,013 | 18,666 | 100.00% | 100.00% | 100.00% | 100.00% | 100.00% |
As of the2020 census, the county had a population of 18,666. The median age was 27.6 years. 35.0% of residents were under the age of 18 and 8.2% of residents were 65 years of age or older. For every 100 females there were 109.3 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 111.4 males.[19]
The racial makeup of the county was 8.9% White, 0.5%Black or African American, 83.7%American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.1%Asian, 0.0%Native Hawaiian andPacific Islander, 0.3% from some other race, and 5.4% fromtwo or more races.Hispanic or Latino residents of any race comprised 1.1% of the population.[20]
27.3% of residents lived in urban areas, while 72.7% lived in rural areas.[21]
There were 4,897 households in the county, of which 53.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them and 24.0% had a female householder with no spouse or partner present. About 20.1% of all households were made up of individuals and 4.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.[19]
There were 5,984 housing units, of which 18.2% were vacant. Among occupied housing units, 60.9% were owner-occupied and 39.1% were renter-occupied. The homeowner vacancy rate was 0.3% and the rental vacancy rate was 6.5%.[19]
As of thecensus of 2000, there were 16,006 people, 4,226 households, and 3,173 families living in the census area. The population density was 0 people per square mile (0 people/km2). There were 5,188 housing units at an average density of 0 per square mile (0/km2). Theracial makeup of the census area was 12.53% White, 0.38% Black or African American, 81.93% Native American, 1.05% Asian, 0.06% Pacific Islander, 0.19% from other races, and 3.85% from two or more races. 0.87% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.[22]Of the 4,226 households, 51.00% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 50.20% were married couples living together, 15.20% had a female householder with no husband present, and 24.90% were non-families. 19.90% of households were one person, and 2.80% were one person aged 65 or older. The average household size was 3.73 and the average family size was 4.41.
In the census area the population was spread out, with 39.80% under the age of 18, 9.70% from 18 to 24, 28.90% from 25 to 44, 16.40% from 45 to 64, and 5.20% 65 or older. The median age was 25 years. For every 100 females, there were 113.20 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 112.80 males.
Bethel Census Area is one of only 38 county-level census divisions of the United States where the most spoken language is not English and one of only 4 where it is neither English nor Spanish. 63.14% of the population speak aYupik language at home, followed by English at 34.71%.[23]
| Year | Republican | Democratic | Third party(ies) | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. | % | No. | % | No. | % | |
| 1960 | 785 | 67.27% | 382 | 32.73% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1964 | 257 | 13.48% | 1,649 | 86.52% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1968 | 939 | 39.29% | 1,293 | 54.10% | 158 | 6.61% |
| 1972 | 1,033 | 40.57% | 1,426 | 56.01% | 87 | 3.42% |
| 1976 | 1,344 | 46.89% | 1,410 | 49.20% | 112 | 3.91% |
| 1980 | 860 | 25.41% | 2,068 | 61.09% | 457 | 13.50% |
| 1984 | 2,402 | 51.49% | 2,104 | 45.10% | 159 | 3.41% |
| 1988 | 1,951 | 51.79% | 1,669 | 44.31% | 147 | 3.90% |
| 1992 | 1,844 | 40.10% | 1,840 | 40.01% | 915 | 19.90% |
| 1996 | 1,467 | 30.39% | 2,790 | 57.80% | 570 | 11.81% |
| 2000 | 2,025 | 42.10% | 2,232 | 46.40% | 553 | 11.50% |
| 2004 | 1,935 | 49.01% | 1,832 | 46.40% | 181 | 4.58% |
| 2008 | 2,250 | 43.50% | 2,695 | 52.10% | 228 | 4.41% |
| 2012 | 1,150 | 23.90% | 3,425 | 71.19% | 236 | 4.91% |
| 2016 | 1,103 | 22.31% | 2,719 | 55.00% | 1,122 | 22.69% |
| 2020 | 1,670 | 32.70% | 3,085 | 60.41% | 352 | 6.89% |
| 2024 | 1,622 | 37.99% | 2,181 | 51.09% | 466 | 10.92% |
Like most counties or equivalents with aNative American majority, Bethel tends to support Democratic presidential candidates. However, Republican SenatorLisa Murkowski, who has fared well with Alaska Native voters, carried the census area overwhelmingly in2022. RepublicansMike Dunleavy andSean Parnell also won its vote for governorship in2022 and2010.
School districts include:[25]
Bethel hasBethel Airport andBethel Seaplane Base.
Places adjacent to Bethel Census Area, Alaska | |
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Municipalities and communities ofBethel Census Area, Alaska,United States | ||
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| Cities |  | |
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| Unincorporated communities | ||
| Ghost towns | ||
| International | |
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| National | |
| Other | |
