Bethlehem, PA Cost Of Living
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 104, with 100 being the average.
The cost of living index in Bethlehem is 1.0x higher than the national average.
Bethlehem ranks as the #172 cheapest in Pennsylvania out of 255.
Bethlehem ranks as the #3,063 cheapest out of 6,489 in the US.
The median home value in Bethlehem is $347,305.
The median income in Bethlehem is $66,443.
Table Of Contents
Bethlehem's Overall Cost Of Living
Higher 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 104, which is 1.0x higher 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 100.
The standard of living in Bethlehem ranks as #172 most affordable out of the 255 places we measured in Pennsylvania. By definition, that implies Bethlehem ranks as the #83 most expensive place in the Keystone State.
For more reading on life in Bethlehem, check out:
In Pennsylvania
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 108.
The Groceries index in Bethlehem is 99.
The Health index in Bethlehem is 98.
The Housing index in Bethlehem is 101.
The Transportation index in Bethlehem is 103.
The Utilities index in Bethlehem is 107.
| Living Expense | Bethlehem | Pennsylvania | National Average | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 104 | 100 | 100 | |
| Services | 108 | 101 | 100 | |
| Groceries | 99 | 101 | 100 | |
| Health | 98 | 95 | 100 | |
| Housing | 101 | 93 | 100 | |
| Transportation | 103 | 108 | 100 | |
| Utilities | 107 | 108 | 100 | |
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 2019-2023. The key points are:
The Median Home Value in Bethlehem is $347,305.
The Median Rent in Bethlehem is $1,311.
The Median Income in Bethlehem is $66,443.
The Home Value To Income in Bethlehem is 5.2x.
The Rent To Monthly Income in Bethlehem is 0.24x.
| Statistic | Bethlehem | Pennsylvania | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Home Value | $347,305 | $281,782 | $303,400 |
| Median Rent | $1,311 | $1,162 | $1,348 |
| Median Income | $66,443 | $76,081 | $78,538 |
| Home Value To Income | 5.2x | 3.7x | 3.9x |
| Rent To Monthly Income | 0.24x | 0.18x | 0.21x |
Median Home Value
Median Rent
Median Income
Bethlehem, PA Costs By Category
Detailed Bethlehem Services Costs Vs. Pennsylvania
| Item | Bethlehem | Pennsylvania |
|---|---|---|
| Shampoo | $1.42 | $1.28 |
| Movie | $12.43 | $12.13 |
| Bowling | $19.33 | $18 |
| Haircut | $23.2 | $24.26 |
| Beauty Salon | $52.92 | $45.56 |
Detailed Bethlehem Groceries Costs Vs. Pennsylvania
| Item | Bethlehem | Pennsylvania |
|---|---|---|
| Ground Beef | $5.76 | $5.84 |
| Fried Chicken | $1.42 | $1.57 |
| Milk | $4.54 | $4.67 |
| Potatoes | $5.37 | $4.93 |
| Pizza | $11.57 | $12.09 |
| Beer | $11.46 | $10.41 |
| Toothpaste | $3.83 | $3.7 |
Detailed Bethlehem Health Costs Vs. Pennsylvania
| Item | Bethlehem | Pennsylvania |
|---|---|---|
| Optometrist | $125.11 | $125.68 |
| Doctor | $86.42 | $135.78 |
| Dentist | $137.77 | $113.29 |
Detailed Bethlehem Transportation Costs Vs. Pennsylvania
| Item | Bethlehem | Pennsylvania |
|---|---|---|
| Gasoline | $3.51 | $3.46 |
| Tire Balancing | $64.44 | $59.92 |
Detailed Bethlehem Utilities Costs Vs. Pennsylvania
| Item | Bethlehem | Pennsylvania |
|---|---|---|
| All Electricity | $210.1 | $193.99 |
| Phone | $195.81 | $192.25 |
Bethlehem SnackAbility
/10
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 97, 0.9x Bethlehem.
Fullerton, PA has a cost of living index of 105, 1.0x Bethlehem.
Emmaus, PA has a cost of living index of 108, 1.0x Bethlehem.
| City | Population | Cost Of Living | Vs. Bethlehem |
|---|---|---|---|
| Allentown, PA | 125,320 | 97 | 0.9x |
| Fullerton, PA | 16,729 | 105 | 1.0x |
| Emmaus, PA | 11,727 | 108 | 1.0x |
| Northampton, PA | 10,366 | 100 | 1.0x |
| Perkasie, PA | 9,176 | 113 | 1.1x |
| Ancient Oaks, PA | 7,731 | 124 | 1.2x |
| Middletown, PA | 7,620 | 93 | 0.9x |
| Wescosville, PA | 7,156 | 123 | 1.2x |
| Catasauqua, PA | 6,491 | 100 | 1.0x |
| Nazareth, PA | 6,032 | 104 | 1.0x |
