The Town FilesKwethluk, Alaska
City in Bethel Census Area · population 812 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $86,700
- Household income
- $51,917
- Jan low / Jul high
- 1° / 64°
- Snow a year
- 64 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 0
- Median age
- 24.1
Kwethluk is a city of 812 people in Bethel Census Area, Alaska. The median home is worth $86,700, below the typical Alaska town ($289,500). It ranks better transit than 77% of Alaska towns.
How Kwethluk 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 Kwethluk is worth $86,700, below the typical Alaska town ($289,500). Homes cost about 1.7 times the median household income of $51,917, which is more affordable than 89% of Alaska towns. Median rent is $725 a month. 73.9% of households own their home.
| Housing | Kwethluk | Typical Alaska town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $86,700 | $289,500 |
| Median rent | $725 | $1,146 |
| Median household income | $51,917 | $78,155 |
| Home value ÷ income | 1.7× | 3.3× |
| Homeownership | 73.9% | 72.6% |
| Median year built | 1989 | 1989 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 18.4% | — |
Who lives in Kwethluk
| People | Kwethluk | Typical Alaska town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 24.1 | 37.2 |
| Age 65 and over | 3.9% | 13.2% |
| Under 18 | 40.2% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 5.1% | 22.4% |
| Below the poverty line | 30.9% | 11.9% |
| Veterans | 4.8% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 0.4% | — |
| Work from home | 4.7% | 7.4% |
| Average commute | 5.8 min | 12.5 min |
| Homes with broadband | 82.8% | 88.6% |
Weather in Kwethluk
July highs average 63.6°F and January lows 1.2°F. About 19.7 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 64.0 inches of snow (typical Alaska town: 64.0 in). Expect about 0 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 214 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
NOAA's Storm Events Database has no tornado within 10 miles of Kwethluk 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 Kwethluk itself the ACS puts it at 29.1%.
Public schools in Kwethluk
1 public school with 274 students, about 21.1 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ket'acik/Aapalluk Memorial School | PK-12 | 274 | 21.1 |
Towns near Kwethluk
- Akiachak, AK8.9 mi · 677 people · home $137,500
- Bethel, AK12.3 mi · 6,325 people · home $360,200
- Napaskiak, AK12.5 mi · 509 people · home $47,000
Kwethluk questions
Is Kwethluk, Alaska a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Kwethluk scores better for retirees than 14% of Alaska towns and quieter than 56%. 3.9% of residents are 65 or older (median age 24.1).
How much does a house cost in Kwethluk?
The median owner-occupied home in Kwethluk is valued at $86,700 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $51,917, so homes cost about 1.7 times income. Median rent is $725 a month.
What is the weather like in Kwethluk?
July highs average 63.6°F and January lows 1.2°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 19.7 inches of precipitation a year and 64.0 inches of snow.
Does Kwethluk get tornadoes?
No tornado has been recorded within 10 miles of Kwethluk 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)