Bethel Acres is a town in Pottawatomie County, Oklahoma, United States. As of the 2020 census, Bethel Acres had a population of 3,029. It is primarily a bedroom community for people who work in the three nearby larger cities of Shawnee, Tecumseh and Oklahoma City.
History
The area comprising the present Bethel Acres was opened to non-Indian settlement September 22, 1891. The people who settled here established the Bethel school district. Bethel Acres was not incorporated until April 24, 1962, when the residents feared annexation by Shawnee, Tecumseh or Oklahoma City. They wanted to protect their rural lifestyle, especially to be free to keep livestock on their property.
In 1970, Bethel Acres had 1,083 residents. The number jumped to 2,314 in 1980 and has continued to increase through the 2010 census. Over 97 percent of the employed residents commute to work in Oklahoma City, Shawnee and Tecumseh.
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2020 census
As of the 2020 census, Bethel Acres had a population of 3,029. The median age was 41.7 years. 24.4% of residents were under the age of 18 and 18.3% of residents were 65 years of age or older. For every 100 females there were 103.2 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 100.1 males age 18 and over.
There were 1,095 households in Bethel Acres, of which 33.9% had children under the age of 18 living in them. Of all households, 61.1% were married-couple households, 16.7% were households with a male householder and no spouse or partner present, and 17.4% were households with a female householder and no spouse or partner present. About 19.4% of all households were made up of individuals and 10.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.
! Race !! Number !! Percent
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| White || 2,340 || 77.3%
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| Black or African American || 32 || 1.1%
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| American Indian and Alaska Native || 274 || 9.0%
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| Asian || 15 || 0.5%
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| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander || 2 || 0.1%
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| Some other race || 25 || 0.8%
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| Two or more races || 341 || 11.3%
|-
| Hispanic or Latino (of any race) || 106 || 3.5%
|}
2000 census
As of the census
Four schools make up Bethel Public Schools, including an upper elementary, lower elementary, middle school and Bethel High School. Tod Harrison is the superintendent.
Notable person
- Wade Hayes, singer