Village Name: Bettles 

(Part of the I AM Radio Network) 

Status: Installed 

Location Description: Bettles is located about 180 air miles and 250 road miles northwest of Fairbanks, adjacent to Evansville. It lies just north of the Kanuti National Wildlife Refuge. Bettles is located on the S.E. bank of the Koyukuk River. The community lies at approximately 66.917880° North Latitude and -151.515130° (West) Longitude. (Sec. 16, T024N, R019W, Fairbanks Meridian.) Bettles is located in the Fairbanks Recording District. The area encompasses 1.6 sq. miles of land and 0.0 sq. miles of water. 

Climate: The area experiences a cold, continental climate with extreme temperature differences. The average high temperature during July is 70 degrees Fahrenheit. The average low temperature during January is well below zero. Extended periods of -40 degrees Fahrenheit are common. The highest temperature ever recorded was 93 degrees Fahrenheit and the lowest was -82 degrees Fahrenheit. Average precipitation is 13.4 inches and average annual snowfall is 77 inches. 

Demographics: The population of the community consists of 23.3% Alaska Native or part Native. Residents of Bettles are both Native and non-Native. The school was closed for the 2002/2003 year due to low enrollment. During the 2000 U.S. Census, total housing units numbered 36, and vacant housing units numbered 20. Vacant housing units used only seasonally numbered 6. U.S. Census data for Year 2000 showed 28 residents as employed. The unemployment rate at that time was 0 percent, although 15.15 percent of all adults were not in the work force. The median household income was $49,375, per capita income was $19,586, and 6.38 percent of residents were living below the poverty level. 

Power Source: Alaska Power Company 

Local Government Offices: City of Bettles, P.O. Box 26023, 99726, 692-5191 

Village Website: N/A 

This information was copied from: http://www.dced.state.ak.us/dca/commdb/CF_CIS.htm