Bethlehem, Pennsylvania Demographics
Population trends, housing costs, income, commuting, and health, all on one page.
Bethlehem, PA Population Density Map and Area Scores
Area Score
Health, income and education, each graded from F to A+. Explore interactive maps for deeper analysis.
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B
Health Around average
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D
Income Well below average
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C
Education Below average
Source: Map AI Methodology
Population
| Metric | Bethlehem | Pennsylvania Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 77,968 | 13,004,688 | 337,468,954 |
| Population density (per sq mi) | 4006.6 | 282.1 | 86.4 |
| Population growth (%/yr) | 0.44% | 0.21% | 0.59% |
| Median age | 36.7 | 41.6 | 37.3 |
| Households | 31,056 | 5,268,760 | 130,235,071 |
Population in Bethlehem grew by 6.4% from 2009 to 2024, reaching 77,968 in 2024.
Population Growth 2009–2024
Race & Ethnicity
Age & Sex
The largest generation in Bethlehem is Gen Z, aged 13–28, at 27.4% of residents. That is 7.3 points above Pennsylvania as a whole.
- Gen Z 13–28 21,373 27.4% +7.3 pts
- Millennials 29–44 16,390 21.0% on par
- Gen X 45–60 13,533 17.4% -3.2 pts
- Boomers 61–79 12,693 16.3% -2.7 pts
Residents by birth cohort, from the 2025 age distribution. The right-hand figure is how far each cohort's share sits above or below Pennsylvania, in percentage points. Children younger than Gen Z and the generations before the Boomers are counted in the population but not shown here, so these shares do not add up to 100%.
Male and female share
Women are 51.9% of the people living in Bethlehem and men 48.1%.
- Women 51.9% Pennsylvania 50.8%
- Men 48.1% Pennsylvania 49.2%
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Economy
Bethlehem has a the economy index of D, which means it is barely prosperous.
| Metric | Bethlehem | Pennsylvania Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $69,743 | $78,249 | $80,455 |
| Income growth (%/yr) | 4.41% | 4.43% | 4.80% |
| Unemployment rate | 6.6% | 5.2% | 5.2% |
The median household income in Bethlehem is about 11% lower than in Pennsylvania.
Housing
| Metric | Bethlehem | Pennsylvania Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home price | $112,500 | $152,469 | $248,835 |
| Median rent | $1,382 | $1,208 | $1,407 |
| Homeownership rate | 49.9% | 69.3% | 65.2% |
The median home price in Bethlehem is about 6.8 years' worth of rent — buying at the median price costs roughly as much as paying the median rent of $1,382 per month for that long.
Commute Time & Mobility
Commuters in Bethlehem spend about 37 minutes on the road round trip each working day. Over a typical 250-day work year, that adds up to roughly 154 hours, about 6.4 full days, spent commuting.
| Metric | Bethlehem | Pennsylvania Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| One-way commute (min) | 18.5 | 22.4 | 22.4 |
| Round-trip commute (min) | 37.0 | 44.7 | 44.8 |
| Yearly time spent (hours) | 154 | 186 | 187 |
| Estimated yearly cost | $4,775 | $5,779 | $5,790 |
| Work from home | 17.2% | 15.6% | 15.0% |
| Highway traffic (vehicles/day) | 11,591 | 6,862 | 8,813 |
| Local road traffic (vehicles/day) | 1,891 | 1,152 | 1,355 |
The average commute time in Bethlehem is 18 minutes, shorter than the 22 minutes in Pennsylvania.
Estimated yearly cost applies a single national wage rule of thumb (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics average hourly earnings), not a measurement of wages in this area. Traffic volume figures come from proprietary Ticon and TrafficZoom data.
Education & Households
Bethlehem has a education index of C, which means it is somewhat educated.
| Metric | Bethlehem | Pennsylvania Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 28.7% | 31.4% | 31.6% |
| Average household size | 2.30 | 2.39 | 2.53 |
Health
Bethlehem has a health index of B, which means it is quite healthy.
| Metric | Bethlehem | Pennsylvania Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Life expectancy (years) | 78.6 | 78.4 | 78.3 |
| Self-rated poor health | 15.8% | 15.7% | 16.3% |
| Smokers | 17.8% | 20.1% | 19.0% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about Bethlehem, Pennsylvania.
What is the population of Bethlehem, Pennsylvania?
About 77,968 people live in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, in 31,056 households of 2.3 people on average. The median age is 36.7, close to the U.S. median of 37.3.
How densely populated is Bethlehem, Pennsylvania?
Averaged over its land area, Bethlehem, Pennsylvania has 4,007 people per square mile, a density typical of a city. That is about 46 times the U.S. average of 86.
Is Bethlehem, Pennsylvania an affordable place to live?
The median home costs 1.6 times the median household income ($112,500 against $69,743), compared with 3.1 times nationally. That is within the traditional rule of thumb of about 3 times income. Median rent of $1,382 a month takes about 24% of the median household's income, below the 30% level at which HUD considers renters cost-burdened.
Is it hard to find a job in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania?
Unemployment in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania is 6.6%, well above the U.S. rate of 5.2%, so job seekers may face more competition than elsewhere.
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