County outline
Where Bethel Census Area is located
Area breakdown
Land accounts for 89.2% of Bethel Census Area’s measured area and water for 10.8%. Its combined area converts to 117,988.5 square kilometers or approximately 29,155,590 acres.
Green: land · blue: water
| Measurement | Square miles | Square kilometers | Acres |
|---|---|---|---|
| Land | 40,654.881 | 105,295.658 | 26,019,123.8 |
| Water | 4,900.728 | 12,692.827 | 3,136,465.9 |
| Total | 45,555.609 | 117,988.486 | 29,155,589.8 |
How Bethel Census Area compares
By original Census land area, Bethel Census Area ranks #3 of 30 in Alaska and #3 of 3,222 nationally. National rankings include the 50 states, District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico.
Its land area is 5.43 times the Alaska county-equivalent median of 7,486.4 square miles. It accounts for 7.1% of the combined county land area in the state.
See the complete Alaska ranking · What counts as a county equivalent?
What stands out about Bethel Census Area?
Bethel Census Area has more land than 3,219 of the other 3,221 county equivalents in the dataset.
A median is the middle county-equivalent measurement, not the average of the largest and smallest. All three bars use the same linear scale. Very small areas may appear as a thin sliver; the labels retain their values.
Does including water change its rank?
Using land plus water places Bethel Census Area at #3 nationally by total area, the same position as its land rank. Changing the area definition does not change its position in this release.
Its water share is 10.8%, compared with a national county-equivalent median of 1.2% — 9.6 percentage points higher. This describes the statistical geography’s land/water mix, not flood exposure or developable land.
Closest positions in the national land ranking
These entries sit immediately beside Bethel Census Area in the national ranking. They can be in different states and are not necessarily geographic neighbors.
| Land rank | County equivalent | Land mi² | Comparison |
|---|---|---|---|
| #2 | North Slope Borough, Alaska | 88,797.6 | Compare |
| #3 | Bethel Census Area, Alaska | 40,654.9 | This county |
| #4 | Northwest Arctic Borough, Alaska | 35,672.3 | Compare |
Calculated from the same Census release as the area table. Total-area order uses original ALAND + AWATER; water shares and chart labels use published square miles. Calculation details.
Representative coordinates
The Census internal point is 60.929141, -160.152625. It represents a location inside the geography; it is not necessarily the centroid or the address of a courthouse.
Source and precision
U.S. Census Bureau, 2026 Gazetteer Files, Counties. Original ALAND: 105,295,654,090 m²; AWATER: 12,692,825,746 m². Rankings use ALAND; exact ties use ascending GEOID. Tables preserve Census-published square miles to three decimals, with conversions based on those values.
Common questions
How many acres of land are in Bethel Census Area?
The land measurement converts to approximately 26,019,124 acres. Including water, total area is approximately 29,155,590 acres. One square mile equals 640 acres.
Why might another source show a different area?
Check whether it reports land or total area, its Census vintage, and its rounding. Our guide explains how to reconcile county area figures.
Can this establish a property boundary?
No. Statistical measurements and generalized maps do not establish property lines. Consult the relevant local surveying or land-records authority.