About Bethel
Set in the central part of Alaska, Bethel is a close-knit town, home to 6,335 residents as of the latest Census estimates. It ranks as the 9th largest city in Alaska.
Officially, Bethel is an incorporated city with its own municipal government. The community covers 45.07 square miles, giving it wide-open spaces and a spread-out, rural feel at roughly 141 residents per square mile.
📰 Bethel News Today
- Alaska Legislature officially commends Bethel’s first-ever comic convention KYUK · Aug 17
- Firearms, mushrooms and hundreds of drinks found in Bethel bootlegging probe Alaska's News Source · Jul 2
- Solstice Weekend Lightning Event Results in Multiple New Starts Across Southwest Alaska Alaska Wildland Fire Information · Jun 22
- Jesuits say goodbye to Alaska at Bethel ceremony KNOM Radio Mission · Jun 25
- Murkowski to Lead Senate Field Hearing in Bethel on Disaster Response and Tribal Resilience Native News Online · May 7
Live headlines via Google News — updates through the day.
What Makes Bethel Unique
- A top-25 city in Alaska by population (#9 of 149 incorporated places).
- One of 11 places in the US named Bethel — but the Alaska one has a character all its own.
- One of the northernmost communities in the lower 48 states.
- Alaska living: vast wilderness, midnight sun in summer, and true frontier spirit.
Why People Love It Here
- The sweet spot: real amenities without big-city congestion.
- Local businesses and schools anchored by a stable resident base of 6,335.
- Well connected: 3+ neighboring communities within 10 miles.
🍽️ Where to Eat in Bethel
- Alba's Coffee Shop & Convenience — coffee shop (café)
- Fili's Pizza — pizza
- Sam's Restaurant — american
- UnCommon Pizza — pizza
- ZEN — korean
Local spots mapped by the OpenStreetMap community.
🏞️ Parks & Outdoors in Bethel
- Tundra Ridge Park reviews ★
- Bethel Community Garden · Garden reviews ★
- Owl Park reviews ★
- Pinky’s Park reviews ★
Parks mapped by the OpenStreetMap community · "reviews" opens each park's live Google reviews.
🏫 Schools in Bethel
- Ayaprun Elitnaurvik
- Bethel Regional High School
- Bethel Youth Facility
- Gladys Jung Elementary
- Kuskokwim Learning Academy
- Mikelnguut Elitnaurviat
Public schools, U.S. Dept. of Education (NCES) 2023–24 directory.
🏥 Hospitals & Healthcare
- Yukon Kuskokwim Delta Reg Hospital ★★★★★ (5/5 CMS rating) · 24/7 ER
Medicare-registered hospitals with official CMS star ratings.
⚡ Quick Facts
StateAlaska
TypeCity
Population (2024)6,335
Rank in state#9 of 149
Land area45.07 sq mi
Density141/sq mi
Coordinates60.7939, -161.7959