The Town FilesChefornak, Alaska
City in Bethel Census Area · population 506 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $125,000
- Household income
- $51,818
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 0
- Median age
- 25.5
Chefornak is a city of 506 people in Bethel Census Area, Alaska. The median home is worth $125,000, below the typical Alaska town ($289,500). It ranks better transit than 77% of Alaska towns.
How Chefornak ranks
Percentile among Alaska towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of Alaska towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Chefornak is worth $125,000, below the typical Alaska town ($289,500). Homes cost about 2.4 times the median household income of $51,818, which is more affordable than 75% of Alaska towns. Median rent is $825 a month. 79.4% of households own their home.
| Housing | Chefornak | Typical Alaska town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $125,000 | $289,500 |
| Median rent | $825 | $1,146 |
| Median household income | $51,818 | $78,155 |
| Home value ÷ income | 2.4× | 3.3× |
| Homeownership | 79.4% | 72.6% |
| Median year built | 1986 | 1989 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 1.4% | — |
Who lives in Chefornak
| People | Chefornak | Typical Alaska town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 25.5 | 37.2 |
| Age 65 and over | 13.5% | 13.2% |
| Under 18 | 42.7% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 5.4% | 22.4% |
| Below the poverty line | 25.3% | 11.9% |
| Veterans | 7.9% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 0.0% | — |
| Work from home | 2.5% | 7.4% |
| Average commute | 4.6 min | 12.5 min |
| Homes with broadband | 69.1% | 88.6% |
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
NOAA's Storm Events Database has no tornado within 10 miles of Chefornak since 1950.
Severe weather in Bethel Census Area since 1996
Bethel Census Area has been included in 20 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, freezing.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| October 22, 2025 | Flood | DR-4893: Severe Storms, Flooding, And Remnants Of Typhoon Halong |
| August 23, 2023 | Flood | DR-4730: Flooding |
| September 23, 2022 | Severe Storm | DR-4672: Severe Storm, Flooding, And Landslides |
| August 26, 2022 | Flood | DR-4667: Flooding |
| April 9, 2020 | Biological | DR-4533: Covid-19 Pandemic |
Jobs and pay in Bethel Census Area
Bethel Census Area had 6,426 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $54,820 a year. Unemployment was 9.7% in 2023; in Chefornak itself the ACS puts it at 14%.
Public schools in Chefornak
1 public school with 132 students, about 22.0 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chaputnguak School | PK-12 | 132 | 22.0 |
Towns near Chefornak
- Kipnuk, AK16.2 mi · 704 people · home $51,000
Chefornak questions
Is Chefornak, Alaska a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Chefornak scores better for retirees than 14% of Alaska towns and quieter than 56%. 13.5% of residents are 65 or older (median age 25.5).
How much does a house cost in Chefornak?
The median owner-occupied home in Chefornak is valued at $125,000 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $51,818, so homes cost about 2.4 times income. Median rent is $825 a month.
Does Chefornak get tornadoes?
No tornado has been recorded within 10 miles of Chefornak in NOAA's Storm Events Database since 1950.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)