Bethlehem, PA Cost Of Living

Demographics | Cost Of Living
Updated: 2023-11-15

Cost Of Living In Bethlehem, PA Summary

Cost of living in Bethlehem research summary. The cost of living index is set to 100 for the average place in the United States. A cost of living index above 100 means Bethlehem is expensive. An index value below 100 means the city is a relatively cheap place to live.

On a city-by-city basis in Pennsylvania, home prices and rent have the biggest impact on the cost of living. Here are the key takeaways based on Saturday Night Science:

  • The cost of living index in Bethlehem is 99, with 100 being the average.

  • The cost of living index in Bethlehem is 1.0x lower than the national average.

  • Bethlehem ranks as the #139 cheapest in Pennsylvania out of 247.

  • Bethlehem ranks as the #3,027 cheapest out of 6,412 in the US.

  • The median home value in Bethlehem is $185,600.

  • The median income in Bethlehem is $58,232.

Table Of Contents

  1. Summary
  2. National Comparison
  3. Housing Breakdown
  4. Detailed Pricing
  5. Nearby Comparisons
99
Bethlehem's Overall Cost Of Living
1.0x
Lower Than The National Average

What is the cost of living in Bethlehem, PA?

According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Bethlehem has an overall cost of living index of 99, which is 1.0x lower than the national index of 100.

Compared to Pennsylvania, Bethlehem has a cost of living index that's 1.0x higher than Pennsylvania's index of 97.

The standard of living in Bethlehem ranks as #139 most affordable out of the 247 places we measured in Pennsylvania. By definition, that implies Bethlehem ranks as the #108 most expensive place in the Keystone State.

For more reading on life in Bethlehem, check out:

139 out of 247
In Pennsylvania
3,027 out of 6,412
In America

Bethlehem Cost Of Living Vs. Pennsylvania

Six factors go into calculating the cost of living index in Bethlehem. Here is how it fairs on each of the criteria:

  • The Services index in Bethlehem is 105.

  • The Groceries index in Bethlehem is 100.

  • The Health index in Bethlehem is 97.

  • The Housing index in Bethlehem is 94.

  • The Transportation index in Bethlehem is 108.

  • The Utilities index in Bethlehem is 109.

Living Expense Bethlehem Pennsylvania National Average
Overall 99 97 100
Services 105 99 100
Groceries 100 101 100
Health 97 97 100
Housing 94 85 100
Transportation 108 105 100
Utilities 109 106 100
For more reading on cost of living around Pennsylvania, check out:
Bethlehem Cost of Living Vs. PA

Bethlehem, PA Housing Cost Breakdown

Housing swings affordability the most between places in Pennsylvania, so we broke down housing costs into more detail. Home and income data comes from the most recent US Census ACS 2017-2021. The key points are:

  • The Median Home Value in Bethlehem is $185,600.

  • The Median Rent in Bethlehem is $1,111.

  • The Median Income in Bethlehem is $58,232.

  • The Home Value To Income in Bethlehem is 3.2x.

  • The Rent To Monthly Income in Bethlehem is 0.23x.

Statistic Bethlehem Pennsylvania United States
Median Home Value $185,600 $197,300 $244,900
Median Rent $1,111 $1,013 $1,163
Median Income $58,232 $67,587 $69,021
Home Value To Income 3.2x 2.9x 3.5x
Rent To Monthly Income 0.23x 0.18x 0.2x
Search Homes For Sale In Bethlehem, PA
$185,600
Median Home Value
$1,111
Median Rent
$58,232
Median Income

Bethlehem, PA Costs By Category

Detailed Bethlehem Services Costs Vs. Pennsylvania

Item Bethlehem Pennsylvania
Shampoo $1.04 $1.06
Movie $11.14 $10.68
Bowling $12.36 $14.67
Haircut $18.35 $18.62
Beauty Salon $43.55 $39.05

Detailed Bethlehem Groceries Costs Vs. Pennsylvania

Item Bethlehem Pennsylvania
Ground Beef $4.23 $4.22
Fried Chicken $1.36 $1.39
Milk $2.09 $2.05
Potatoes $3.02 $3.29
Pizza $10.21 $10.62
Beer $9.69 $9.38
Toothpaste $2.05 $2.34

Detailed Bethlehem Health Costs Vs. Pennsylvania

Item Bethlehem Pennsylvania
Optometrist $106.13 $108.57
Doctor $75.54 $116.17
Dentist $110.86 $99.13

Detailed Bethlehem Transportation Costs Vs. Pennsylvania

Item Bethlehem Pennsylvania
Gasoline $2.54 $2.22
Tire Balancing $46.64 $50.07

Detailed Bethlehem Utilities Costs Vs. Pennsylvania

Item Bethlehem Pennsylvania
All Electricity $186.66 $167.67
Phone $189.07 $175.64

Bethlehem SnackAbility

7
/10
Overall SnackAbility
Jobs
7/10
Housing
8
Affordability
6
Diversity
9
Safety
N/A
Amenities
9.5
Education
8
Commute
8

Cost Of Living In Cities Around Bethlehem

The cost of living varies in the cities and towns around Bethlehem. Here's a quick look at the cost of living in the most populous nearby places:

  • Allentown, PA has a cost of living index of 95, 1.0x Bethlehem.

  • Fullerton, PA has a cost of living index of 103, 1.0x Bethlehem.

  • Emmaus, PA has a cost of living index of 100, 1.0x Bethlehem.

City Population Cost Of Living Vs. Bethlehem
Allentown, PA 125,250 95 1.0x
Fullerton, PA 16,131 103 1.0x
Emmaus, PA 11,589 100 1.0x
Northampton, PA 10,328 99 1.0x
Perkasie, PA 9,068 107 1.1x
Middletown, PA 7,495 93 0.9x
Ancient Oaks, PA 7,229 117 1.2x
Wescosville, PA 7,020 111 1.1x
Catasauqua, PA 6,498 94 0.9x
Nazareth, PA 6,016 102 1.0x

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