Bethel Census Area, Alaska

County Distress Index: Elevated · 62.2 | 18,224 people · 3rd most distressed in Alaska
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Bethel Census Area, AK registers elevated household financial distress with a score of 62.2 — 676th nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Employment & Wages, where unemployment is elevated, wages are low relative to housing costs, and business formation lags. Within Alaska, it ranks 3rd of 30 counties. Among its 5 neighboring counties, 4 show less distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five domains of financial distress. Bethel Census Area's primary driver is Employment & Wages at 95.0 — worse than roughly 95% of U.S. counties.

Employment & Wages Primary driver 95.0
Unemployment Rate 95
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 95
Business Formation Rate 95
Income & Poverty 94.2
Poverty Rate 95
Income vs. State Median 93
Child Poverty Rate 95
Community Vulnerability 47.0
Uninsured Rate 81
Disability Rate 13
Housing Cost Burden 43.0
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 6
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 16
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 5
Homeownership Rate 93
Rent-to-Income Ratio 95
Debt & Delinquency 31.9
Debt in Collections 71
Medical Debt 35
Student Loan Delinquency 53
Auto Loan Delinquency 5
Credit Card Delinquency 22
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 5

Scores are percentile-based: 50 = national median, higher = more distressed. The median line is shown on each bar.

Neighbors and Peers

How Bethel Census Area compares to its 5 neighboring counties and population peers.

Neighboring Counties

County Score Zone vs. Bethel Census Area
Bethel Census Area, AK 62.2 Elevated —
Yukon-Koyukuk Census Area, AK 65.9 Serious +3.7
Dillingham Census Area, AK 60.7 Elevated -1.5
Lake and Peninsula Borough, AK 53.2 Elevated -9.0
Kenai Peninsula Borough, AK 49.3 Normal -12.9
Matanuska-Susitna Borough, AK 45.8 Normal -16.5

Population Peers

County Score Zone vs. Bethel Census Area
Charlotte County, VA 62.2 Elevated -0.0
Scott County, MS 62.2 Elevated +0.0
Breathitt County, KY 62.1 Elevated -0.1
Essex County, VA 62.1 Elevated -0.1
Radford city, VA 62.3 Elevated +0.1

Download Data

Export all distress indicators for Bethel Census Area as a CSV file.

Find Help in Bethel Census Area

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Alaska Bar Association Lawyer Referral Service offers a lawyer referral service for bankruptcy, foreclosure defense, and consumer rights.

Alaska Bar Association Lawyer Referral Service 907-272-7469

Free Legal Aid

Legal aid organizations serving Bethel Census Area residents at no cost.

Alaska Legal Services Corporation (ALSC) 1-888-478-2572

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Frequently Asked Questions

  • What is the distress score for Bethel Census Area, Alaska?

    Bethel Census Area has a County Distress Index score of 62.2 out of 100, placing it in the Elevated zone. It ranks 676th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 3rd in Alaska out of 30 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Bethel Census Area?

    The primary driver of distress in Bethel Census Area is Employment & Wages, where the county scores 95.0 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Unemployment Rate, Wage-to-Rent Ratio, Business Formation Rate.

  • How does Bethel Census Area compare to neighboring counties?

    Bethel Census Area (62.2) can be compared to its 5 neighboring counties: Yukon-Koyukuk Census Area, AK (65.9); Dillingham Census Area, AK (60.7); Lake and Peninsula Borough, AK (53.2).

  • How is the County Distress Index calculated?

    The County Distress Index uses percentile-rank averaging across five domains: Debt & Delinquency, Income & Poverty, Housing Cost Burden, Employment & Wages, and Community Vulnerability. Each county's indicators are ranked against all 3,144 U.S. counties. A score of 50 means the county is at the national median; higher scores indicate greater distress.

  • What is the population of Bethel Census Area?

    Bethel Census Area, Alaska has a population of approximately 18,224 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.