Employment
The combination of higher than average median home income, income per capita and low unemployment rates results in a score that is well above average in the employment category.
Housing
This area has received high scores in the housing category. This could be due to a positive home affordability ratio, high appreciation rates or elevated home values.
Amenities
A majority of amenities are not ideally situated within a reasonable walking distance, which may lead residents to rely on a vehicle or public transportation.
Commute
Public transportation is not readily available in this area and the average commute time to work could also be longer than the national average.
Cost Of Living
Based on the most recent cost of living data, this area is more expensive to live in. You can expect to pay more for everyday goods and services, housing, groceries and utilities.
Crime
This area is reporting high crime rates per 100,000 people and could signify that it is a dangerous place to live. Crime rates include both violent and property crimes.
Schools
Lower than average education levels, poor reading and math scores, as well as the inaccessibility of local elementary and high schools could all be factors in the low schools score.
Bethel, Alaska is a small city with a population of 6,743 inhabitants. The median age of all Bethel residents is 31, which is well below the national average. This is a good indication that this city could be ideal for a younger demographic. Single men and women might be happy to hear that in Bethel, only 43% of the population is married. If you are not a fan of long commutes, you will enjoy living in Bethel. With an average one way commute time of only 9 minutes, getting to and from work is a breeze compared to the national average of 26 minutes.
Whether you’re moving to a new area to be closer to family, friends or for a new job, living in Bethel could be a positive experience compared to other cities in Alaska if you know where to search. Don't forget to determine what matters most to you in a neighborhood. Consider factors such as safety, proximity to work or school, access to amenities (like parks, fitness facilities, grocery stores, restaurants), public transportation options, community atmosphere and the overall vibe you're looking for. Finding the best places to live in Bethel and nearby areas is a much easier task when you can rely on information and data from the livability score, which includes amenities, cost of living, health & safety, education, housing and other important metrics.
Bethel has a livability score of 54/100 and is ranked #119 in Alaska and #24,055 in the USA. Compared to the United States average, this city has a score which ranks among the lowest in the nation, and it is not considered a very livable city. If we dig down a little deeper into each category within the livability score, we see that Bethel has higher than average grades for the following: employment (A) and housing (A+). On a more negative note, Bethel does not have favorable ranks for the following: amenities (F), crime (F), cost of living (F) and education (F). If we take a look at the data, we can find out why.
For home buyers, real estate will be the largest purchase they will ever make and it will also be their most valuable asset. For renters, the monthly rent paid on their Bethel apartments will most likely be their largest expense. Based on tangible metrics like home and rental affordability and appreciation rates, housing in this area has received a score that is well above the average of every other US city. A thriving real estate market can also generate strong local economic activity and job creation.
Assuming that Bethel meets all of your requirements like low crime rates, good schools and great local amenities, the next most important item to examine is the affordability of real estate in Bethel. Everything else becomes a lot less important if it turns out that home prices in Bethel are simply unattainable. The median home price for Bethel homes is $506,382, which is 9.6% higher than the Alaska average. If we take a closer look at the affordability of homes in Bethel, we’ll see that the home price to income ratio is 3.9, which is 4.9% lower than the Alaska average.
| Statistic | Bethel | Alaska | National |
| Average one way commute | 9min | 19min | 26min |
| Workers who drive to work | 42.6% | 68.1% | 76.4% |
| Workers who carpool | 21.1% | 12.5% | 9.3% |
| Workers who take public transit | 0.0% | 1.5% | 5.1% |
| Workers who bicycle | 0.9% | 1.0% | 0.6% |
| Workers who walk | 22.1% | 7.9% | 2.8% |
| Working from home | 6.1% | 4.6% | 4.6% |
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