Bethlehem vs New Haven
The short version
- Bethlehem is cheaper overall: prices in its metro run 4% lower than in the New Haven area (BEA 2024).
- The median home costs $260,400 in Bethlehem and $287,100 in New Haven.
- Households earn more in Bethlehem ($68,879 vs $56,851 median).
Side by side
| Bethlehem, PA | New Haven, CT | |
|---|---|---|
| People | ||
| Population (2025) | 79,644 | 138,774 |
| Growth since 2020 | +5.1% | +3.6% |
| People per square mile | 4,167 | 7,425 |
| Median age | 36.1 | 31.9 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 36% | 39% |
| Money and housing | ||
| Median household income | $68,879 | $56,851 |
| Median home value | $260,400 | $287,100 |
| Home value to income | 3.8× | 5.1× |
| Median rent (with utilities) | $1,382 | $1,488 |
| Metro price level (US = 100) | 100.0 | 104.6 |
| Housing price level (US = 100) | 105.5 | 124.3 |
| $75,000 elsewhere equals | $75,000 | $78,400 |
| Homeowners | 50% | 28% |
| Top state income tax | 3.07% | 6.99% |
| Combined sales tax | 6.34% | 6.35% |
| Work and commute | ||
| Average commute (minutes) | 22.1 | 21.5 |
| Work from home | 17% | 14% |
| Take public transit | 2% | 7% |
| Unemployment (2020-24 avg) | 6.6% | 8.4% |
| Poverty rate | 15.7% | 23.9% |
| Weather | ||
| January high / low | 38° / 22° | 38° / 23° |
| July high / low | 86° / 65° | 82° / 66° |
| Precipitation per year | 47 in | 42 in |
| Snowfall per year | 33 in | 34 in |
| Days 90°F or hotter | 18 | 6 |
| Nights below freezing | 118 | 102 |
| Comfortable months | 3 | 6 |
| 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% | +6% |
| Home prices, past 5 years | +53.5% | +54.9% |
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 Haven: May to October.
Full monthly tables: Bethlehem weather by month and New Haven 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 $78,400 in New Haven. Moving from Bethlehem to New Haven, you would need about $78,400 to match a $75,000 salary.
Which would you pick?
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