Local costs · Alaska

What it costs to own a home in Bethel Census Area, Alaska

The real property-tax rate, risk-adjusted insurance, and honest closing costs for Bethel Census Area — with the all-in monthly cost of a county-median-priced home and the income it takes to carry it comfortably.

The headline numbers

Property tax rate0.12%of home value per year · below the Alaska average 0.75% · national 0.92%
US Census, ACS 2024 5-year
Home insurance$740/yrrange $480–$1,070 at the Bethel Census Area median home value $168,100 · county risk-adjusted
Closing costs$3,200–$5,700buyer’s estimate on the $168,100 median home
All-in monthly$1,358/momedian home, 20% down, 6.67% 30-yr rate (as of 2026-08-13)
A household income of about $67,379 makes the $168,100 median home here comfortable by our math — housing under about 28% of take-home pay with room left over for everyday spending. How we compute this.

Run these numbers with your income →

The “median home” here is the Bethel Census Area median owner-occupied value ($168,100, US Census ACS B25077, ACS 2024 5-year). The all-in monthly uses the real-life basis: loan payment $865, property tax $17, insurance $62, maintenance $140 (1%/yr rule of thumb), and utilities $275 (a placeholder, not yet sourced). With 20% down there is no mortgage insurance.

Local risk flags

From the FEMA National Risk Index (December 2025). Covered perils show up as insurance-premium pressure; flood and earthquake are called out because a standard policy excludes them.

Elevated winter-storm risk here can nudge premiums above the state average.

Closing costs, in detail

Alaska charges no state transfer or recording tax on a home purchase.

Transfer & recording tax
On the $168,100 median home, the buyer’s customary share is about $0. Only the buyer’s share is counted in the closing-cost estimate above.
Title insurance & settlement
Alaska uses competitive (filed) rates. Estimated $1,280–$1,732 on this home. Modeled title insurance + settlement (national declining-rate curve, ~0.90% of price at this level). Not a state-promulgated rate.
Lender and origination
$672–$1,345. Modeled as 0.5-1.0% of loan amount.
Appraisal, inspection, and reports
$900–$1,800. Flat buyer-paid diligence estimate.
Prepaids and escrow
$251–$408. Initial escrow deposit for taxes and insurance.

Frequently asked

What is the property tax rate in Bethel Census Area, AK?
The effective property tax rate in Bethel Census Area is 0.12% of home value per year (US Census, ACS 2024 5-year). That is lower than the Alaska average of 0.75% and lower than the national average of 0.92%.
How much is homeowners insurance in Bethel Census Area?
A typical homeowners policy runs about $740 per year (range $480–$1,070) at the Bethel Census Area median home value of $168,100. This is a county-adjusted estimate scaled from the NAIC state average; a real quote depends on the home and coverage.
What are typical closing costs on a $168,100 home in Bethel Census Area?
Estimated buyer closing costs run about $3,204–$5,684 on a $168,100 home — lender fees, title and settlement, the buyer's customary share of transfer and recording taxes, and prepaid taxes and insurance.
What income do you need to afford the median home in Bethel Census Area?
A household income of about $67,379 per year makes the $168,100 median home here comfortable by our math — housing under about 28% of take-home pay with room left for everyday spending, assuming 20% down at this week's 6.67% 30-year rate.
What is the all-in monthly cost of the median home in Bethel Census Area?
About $1,358 per month for the $168,100 median home with 20% down at 6.67% — the loan payment, property tax, home insurance, maintenance, and an estimated utilities figure.

Run your own numbers

These figures use the area median and a 20%-down example. Put in your own price, down payment, income, and debts to see whether it’s comfortable for you.

Open the calculator for Bethel Census Area

More counties in Alaska

Aleutians East BoroughAleutians West Census AreaAnchorage MunicipalityBristol Bay BoroughChugach Census AreaCopper River Census AreaDillingham Census AreaFairbanks North Star BoroughAll 28 counties →

Sources & vintages

  • Property tax: US Census American Community Survey, county effective rate (ACS 2024 5-year).
  • Home insurance: NAIC state average premium (2022 · FEMA NRI December 2025), scaled by FEMA National Risk Index covered-peril risk; range modeled.
  • Median home value: US Census ACS B25077, Bethel Census Area median owner-occupied value (ACS 2024 5-year).
  • Mortgage rate: Freddie Mac 30-year fixed weekly average via FRED, as of 2026-08-13.
  • Transfer taxes & title: researched state/local schedules. The everyday-spending baseline ships from the BLS Consumer Expenditure Survey (2024), income-scaled; utilities is the one remaining labeled placeholder.

Estimates, not advice, and not a Loan Estimate. Every number is computed from public data or our own math — see the methodology for how, and where the honest gaps are.