Bethel Census Area, AK
Get paid to care for your family member in Bethel Census Area, Alaska
About 1,710 people in Bethel Census Area are 65 or older — 9.4% of everyone who lives here. Bethel Census Area skews younger than Alaska overall, but the families caring for an older parent here face the same bills. Roughly 35 are 85 or older, the age when daily help usually starts. In a rural county, an agency aide may be a long drive away — when one is available at all. That is exactly why the state lets you be the paid caregiver instead.
Who needs care in Bethel
- People 65 and older
- 1,710
- People 85 and older
- 35
- Median age
- 27.8
- Rank in Alaska
- 8th
9.4% of Bethel residents
the age daily help usually starts
younger than the country as a whole
of 30 counties, by residents 65+
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2024 Population Estimates (Vintage 2024). Bethel Census Area is a rural county (USDA Rural-Urban Continuum Code 7). Alaska as a whole is 15% aged 65 or older.
What Alaska pays family caregivers
$24–$26/hr
Your exact pay is set by the program and your care plan. We'll tell you your real number before you enroll.
Source: Alaska Medicaid program data · Updated September 2026
Alaska's programs at a glance
- Personal Care Services (PCS)
- Community First Choice (CFC)
- Children's waivers (CCMC & IDD)
- Spouse paid?
- Not right now
- Parent paid for a child?
- Sometimes
- Waitlist
- No waitlist.
These rules are set by the state, so they are the same in every county. Read the full Alaska guide →
Towns and cities in Bethel Census Area
Alaska sets eligibility, not your town — so a family in Bethel and a family at the far edge of the county apply the same way. The largest communities in Bethel Census Area:
- Bethel6,335
- Kwethluk780
- Quinhagak744
- Toksook Bay632
- Nunapitchuk578
- Aniak492
- Napaskiak491
- Chefornak490
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2024 Subcounty Population Estimates.
How families in Bethel apply
You do not need a county office to start. Families in Bethel Census Area start with Alaska's program:
Contact a PCS provider agency or SDS to complete the PCA-08 Initial Application (doh.sds.info@alaska.gov, 907-269-3666); an Aging and Disability Resource Center can help; approval can take ~3 months.
Or skip the phone tag — our free 2-minute check tells you which Alaska program fits your family, then we help with the forms.
See if you qualify →Bethel questions, answered honestly
Can I get paid to care for a family member in Bethel Census Area?
Yes. Alaska runs real Medicaid programs — like Personal Care Services (PCS) — that pay family caregivers, and they cover families in Bethel Census Area. We help you enroll, and applying costs you nothing.
How much do family caregivers earn in Bethel Census Area?
Reported figures in Alaska are around $24–$26/hr, but rates vary — the program sets your exact pay. We'll tell you your real number before you enroll.
Where do families in Bethel Census Area apply?
Families in Bethel Census Area start with the state, not the county. Contact a PCS provider agency or SDS to complete the PCA-08 Initial Application (doh.sds.info@alaska.gov, 907-269-3666); an Aging and Disability Resource Center can help; approval can take ~3 months.
Can I get paid to care for my spouse in Bethel Census Area?
Not right now — but other family members often can be. The fine print for Alaska: no — spouses (and legal guardians) are prohibited from being hired under PCS/CDPCS; other relatives such as adult children may be hired
How many people in Bethel Census Area might need this?
1,710 residents of Bethel Census Area are 65 or older and about 35 are 85 or older, according to the U.S. Census Bureau's 2024 population estimates. Most of them are cared for at home by a relative rather than in a facility. Alaska's programs exist to pay for exactly that care.
Which towns in Bethel do you cover?
All of Bethel Census Area — including Bethel, Kwethluk, Quinhagak, Toksook Bay and Nunapitchuk. Eligibility is set by Alaska, not by your town, so where you live inside the county does not change whether you qualify.
Program facts come from Alaska's published Medicaid program rules · Population figures from the U.S. Census Bureau · Updated September 2026. Rules change — always confirm with the program.
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