Bethel Census Area vs Fairbanks North Star Borough
A side-by-side comparison of Bethel Census Area and Fairbanks North Star Borough: population, income, housing, and more.
Bethel Census Area and Fairbanks North Star Borough are counties in Alaska. This page compares them across population, income, housing, education, commuting, and how each has changed since 2019.
Fairbanks North Star Borough has the higher population (95,555 vs 18,487 in Bethel Census Area). Fairbanks North Star Borough has the higher median household income ($84,722 vs $70,616 in Bethel Census Area). Fairbanks North Star Borough has the higher median home value ($282,500 vs $120,600 in Bethel Census Area).
Population, income & housing
| Bethel Census Area | Fairbanks North Star Borough | |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 18,487 | 95,555 |
| Median age | 28.7 yrs | 32.4 yrs |
| Median household income | $70,616 | $84,722 |
| Median home value | $120,600 | $282,500 |
| Median gross rent | $1,454 | $1,424 |
| Housing units | 6,009 | 42,695 |
| Homeownership rate | 60.5% | 61.7% |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 10.4% | 33.7% |
| Unemployment rate | 14.1% | 4.9% |
Trends (ACS 5-year, 2019–2023)
| Bethel Census Area | Fairbanks North Star Borough | |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 18,134 → 18,487 (+1.9%) | 99,072 → 95,555 (-3.5%) |
| Median household income | $53,553 → $70,616 (+31.9%) | $76,992 → $84,722 (+10.0%) |
| Median home value | $83,600 → $120,600 (+44.3%) | $240,000 → $282,500 (+17.7%) |
| Median gross rent | $1,352 → $1,454 (+7.5%) | $1,305 → $1,424 (+9.1%) |
Bethel Census Area
18,13418,487
$53,553$70,616
$83,600$120,600
$1,352$1,454
Fairbanks North Star Borough
99,07295,555
$76,992$84,722
$240,000$282,500
$1,305$1,424
Age & race/ethnicity
Age distribution (share)
| Bethel Census Area | Fairbanks North Star Borough | |
|---|---|---|
| Under 5 | 10.6% | 7.1% |
| 5 to 17 | 24.2% | 16.8% |
| 18 to 24 | 10.1% | 12.0% |
| 25 to 34 | 16.5% | 17.8% |
| 35 to 44 | 10.8% | 13.4% |
| 45 to 54 | 8.9% | 10.2% |
| 55 to 64 | 11.0% | 10.4% |
| 65 to 74 | 5.7% | 8.4% |
| 75 and over | 2.3% | 3.8% |
Race & ethnicity (share)
| Bethel Census Area | Fairbanks North Star Borough | |
|---|---|---|
| White (non-Hispanic) | 8.7% | 67.5% |
| Black or African American | 1.1% | 3.7% |
| American Indian & Alaska Native | 83.6% | 6.3% |
| Asian | 1.4% | 2.9% |
| Native Hawaiian & Pacific Islander | 0.2% | 0.6% |
| Some other race | 0.0% | 0.7% |
| Two or more races | 3.5% | 10.2% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 1.4% | 8.2% |
Educational attainment (age 25+)
Share of adults 25+
| Bethel Census Area | Fairbanks North Star Borough | |
|---|---|---|
| No high school diploma | 18.1% | 5.1% |
| High school graduate | 47.9% | 25.6% |
| Some college or associate's | 23.6% | 35.6% |
| Bachelor's degree | 5.6% | 19.9% |
| Graduate or professional degree | 4.8% | 13.9% |
Commute to work
How workers get to work (share)
| Bethel Census Area | Fairbanks North Star Borough | |
|---|---|---|
| Drove alone | 19.5% | 72.5% |
| Carpooled | 10.0% | 12.4% |
| Public transit | 0.4% | 0.9% |
| Walked | 32.4% | 5.5% |
| Bicycle | 0.4% | 0.8% |
| Worked from home | 6.4% | 6.4% |
| Other means | 30.9% | 1.5% |
Housing
Units in structure (share)
| Bethel Census Area | Fairbanks North Star Borough | |
|---|---|---|
| 1-unit, detached | 80.5% | 59.9% |
| 1-unit, attached | 1.0% | 9.5% |
| 2 to 4 units | 10.7% | 13.5% |
| 5 to 19 units | 1.9% | 8.4% |
| 20 or more units | 3.0% | 5.7% |
| Mobile home & other | 3.0% | 3.0% |
Poverty & households
| Bethel Census Area | Fairbanks North Star Borough | |
|---|---|---|
| Poverty rate | 24.0% | 6.2% |
| Average household size | 3.75 | 2.53 |
| Mean commute (minutes) | 7 | 20 |
| Median year structure built | 1988 | 1985 |
Full profiles
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