Bethlehem vs New Bedford
The short version
- Overall prices are about the same in both metro areas (BEA 2024).
- The median home costs $260,400 in Bethlehem and $357,300 in New Bedford.
- Households earn more in Bethlehem ($68,879 vs $56,981 median).
- Bethlehem is growing faster: +5.1% since 2020 vs +0.8%.
Side by side
| Bethlehem, PA | New Bedford, MA | |
|---|---|---|
| People | ||
| Population (2025) | 79,644 | 101,834 |
| Growth since 2020 | +5.1% | +0.8% |
| People per square mile | 4,167 | 5,091 |
| Median age | 36.1 | 37.0 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 36% | 17% |
| Money and housing | ||
| Median household income | $68,879 | $56,981 |
| Median home value | $260,400 | $357,300 |
| Home value to income | 3.8× | 6.3× |
| Median rent (with utilities) | $1,382 | $1,137 |
| Metro price level (US = 100) | 100.0 | 101.8 |
| Housing price level (US = 100) | 105.5 | 103.9 |
| $75,000 elsewhere equals | $75,000 | $76,300 |
| Homeowners | 50% | 40% |
| Top state income tax | 3.07% | 9% |
| Combined sales tax | 6.34% | 6.25% |
| Work and commute | ||
| Average commute (minutes) | 22.1 | 24.7 |
| Work from home | 17% | 5% |
| Take public transit | 2% | 3% |
| Unemployment (2020-24 avg) | 6.6% | 8.3% |
| Poverty rate | 15.7% | 20.6% |
| Weather | ||
| January high / low | 38° / 22° | 39° / 21° |
| July high / low | 86° / 65° | 83° / 62° |
| Precipitation per year | 47 in | 46 in |
| Snowfall per year | 33 in | 33 in |
| Days 90°F or hotter | 18 | 7 |
| Nights below freezing | 118 | 123 |
| Comfortable months | 3 | 5 |
| Risks, air and home prices | ||
| Natural hazard risk (FEMA, county) | Relatively Moderate | Relatively Moderate |
| FEMA risk score (lower is safer) | 90.0 | 89.9 |
| Good air days, 2025 | 67% | 70% |
| Home prices, past year | +4.9% | +4.7% |
| Home prices, past 5 years | +53.5% | +51.9% |
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. New Bedford: May to September.
Full monthly tables: Bethlehem weather by month and New Bedford 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 $76,300 in New Bedford. Moving from Bethlehem to New Bedford, you would need about $76,400 to match a $75,000 salary.
Which would you pick?
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