Bethlehem vs Hartford
The short version
- Bethlehem is cheaper overall: prices in its metro run 3% lower than in the Hartford area (BEA 2024).
- The median home costs $228,600 in Hartford and $260,400 in Bethlehem.
- Households earn more in Bethlehem ($68,879 vs $46,411 median).
- Hartford gets far more snow: 52 inches a year vs 33.
- Bethlehem is growing faster: +5.1% since 2020 vs +0.3%.
Side by side
| Bethlehem, PA | Hartford, CT | |
|---|---|---|
| People | ||
| Population (2025) | 79,644 | 121,981 |
| Growth since 2020 | +5.1% | +0.3% |
| People per square mile | 4,167 | 7,019 |
| Median age | 36.1 | 33.1 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 36% | 19% |
| Money and housing | ||
| Median household income | $68,879 | $46,411 |
| Median home value | $260,400 | $228,600 |
| Home value to income | 3.8× | 4.9× |
| Median rent (with utilities) | $1,382 | $1,269 |
| Metro price level (US = 100) | 100.0 | 102.7 |
| Housing price level (US = 100) | 105.5 | 110.2 |
| $75,000 elsewhere equals | $75,000 | $77,100 |
| Homeowners | 50% | 26% |
| Top state income tax | 3.07% | 6.99% |
| Combined sales tax | 6.34% | 6.35% |
| Work and commute | ||
| Average commute (minutes) | 22.1 | 23.1 |
| Work from home | 17% | 9% |
| Take public transit | 2% | 13% |
| Unemployment (2020-24 avg) | 6.6% | 10.7% |
| Poverty rate | 15.7% | 26.3% |
| Weather | ||
| January high / low | 38° / 22° | 35° / 19° |
| July high / low | 86° / 65° | 85° / 63° |
| Precipitation per year | 47 in | 47 in |
| Snowfall per year | 33 in | 52 in |
| Days 90°F or hotter | 18 | 20 |
| Nights below freezing | 118 | 126 |
| Comfortable months | 3 | 5 |
| Risks, air and home prices | ||
| Natural hazard risk (FEMA, county) | Relatively Moderate | n/a |
| FEMA risk score (lower is safer) | 90.0 | n/a |
| Good air days, 2025 | 67% | 67% |
| Home prices, past year | +4.9% | +5.8% |
| Home prices, past 5 years | +53.5% | +57.7% |
Highlighted cells are the better value where "better" is clear (lower prices, higher income, shorter commutes). Sources: Census Bureau 2025 estimates and ACS 2020-2024, BEA 2024, NOAA 1991-2020, Tax Foundation 2026.
Weather, month by month
Most comfortable months: Bethlehem: May to June and October. Hartford: May to September.
Full monthly tables: Bethlehem weather by month and Hartford weather by month.
What $75,000 is worth
A $75,000 salary in an average-priced US city buys about the same as $75,000 in Bethlehem and $77,100 in Hartford. Moving from Bethlehem to Hartford, you would need about $77,100 to match a $75,000 salary.
Which would you pick?
One vote per person. Results show after you vote.