Bethlehem: Housing & Real Estate
The median Bethlehem home is valued at $260,400 (estimated market value runs 7% higher at $278,663), with median rent $1,382 (about the same as Northampton County median $1,395; 1.1× higher than Pennsylvania median $1,209). Homeownership rate: 49.9%. That's 1.2× below the Northampton County median ($308,600); about the same as the Pennsylvania median ($254,500). Market is warm. Vacancy rate 4.4%. New construction makes up 4.0% of stock. 8 nursing facilities on file. A municipal building code is in effect.
- 3.8× annual income — home value vs. household income (vs Pennsylvania 3.7×).
- 15.7 years to break even renting at the median (vs Pennsylvania 15y).
- 4-BR rent is 1.9× a studio — rent gradient by unit size.
- Median rent 15% below HUD 2-BR FMR — local market vs federal subsidy benchmark.
Home Values & Rent
Median home value $260,400 — 1.1× the Pennsylvania median ($227,900). Median rent $1,382/month. homeownership rate 49.9% — below the U.S. share of ~65%.
| Affordability · Price To Income Ratio | 3.8× |
|---|---|
| Affordability · Rent To Income Pct | 24.1% |
| Affordability · Affordable | Yes |
| Affordability · Interpretation | affordable |
| Fair Market Rent · Studio rent | $1,130 (vs Pennsylvania $1,086) |
| Fair Market Rent · One-bedroom rent | $1,341 (vs Pennsylvania $1,212) |
| Fair Market Rent · Two-bedroom rent | $1,634 (vs Pennsylvania $1,526) |
| Fair Market Rent · Three-bedroom rent | $2,087 (vs Pennsylvania $1,937) |
| Fair Market Rent · Four-bedroom rent | $2,195 (vs Pennsylvania $2,020) |
| Fair Market Rent · HUD FMR area | Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA HUD Metro FMR Area |
| Fair Market Rent · Fiscal year | FY2026 |
| Home Value Estimate | $278,663 |
| Median Home Value | $260,400 (vs Pennsylvania $227,900) |
| Median Rent | $1,382 (vs Pennsylvania $1,261) |
Sources: HUD FMR FY2026 · Census ACS 5-Year 2023, B25077 · Census ACS 5-Year 2023 · Refreshed 2026-04-12
Tenure & Occupancy
Owner-occupied vs renter-occupied housing units, plus vacancy rates.
| Housing Market · Market temperature | warm |
|---|---|
| Housing Market · Vacancy rate | 4.4% |
| Housing Market · New construction (% of stock) | 4.0% |
| Housing Market · Price Appreciation 2Yr | 10.1% |
| Housing Orgs · Total count | 16 |
Sources: IRS BMF NTEE L
Utilities
Electricity, water, and broadband infrastructure serving residents. Broadband percentages reflect the share of premises that can subscribe to service at the listed speed (FCC Form 477).
Systems (5)
| Broadband · % of premises with 25/3 Mbps broadband | 100.0% (at Pennsylvania median) |
|---|---|
| Broadband · % of premises with 100/20 Mbps broadband | 100.0% (at Pennsylvania median) |
| Broadband · % of premises with 250/25 Mbps broadband | 100.0% (at Pennsylvania median) |
| Broadband · % of premises with 1 Gbps / 100 Mbps broadband | 3.9% (vs Pennsylvania 81.6%) |
| Broadband · Broadband-capable premises | 33,742 |
| Electricity · Electricity rate (¢/kWh) | 17.77¢/kWh |
| Electricity · Customers | 5534580 |
| Electricity · Revenue Millions | $9,642 |
| Electricity · Year | 2024 |
| Mobile Broadband · 3G mobile coverage | 0.000000000 |
| Mobile Broadband · 4G mobile coverage | 1.000000000 (at Pennsylvania median) |
| Mobile Broadband · 5G mobile coverage | 1.000000000 (at Pennsylvania median) |
| Mobile Home Parks Detail · County total | 3 |
Sources: FCC BDC Jun 2025 · EIA Annual Retail Sales 2023 · FCC BDC Mobile 2024 · HIFLD / IRS BMF · Refreshed 2026-04-12
Charging & Mobility
| Ev Charging · Stations | 32 |
|---|---|
| Ev Charging · Public Stations | 32 |
| Ev Charging · L2 Ports | 86 |
| Ev Charging · Dc Fast Ports | 8 |
Sources: DOE AFDC API
Other
| Homeownership Rate | 49.9% (vs Pennsylvania 54.1%) |
|---|---|
| Median Year Built | 1957 |
Sources: Census ACS 5-Year 2023 · Refreshed 2026-04-12