Bethlehem vs Pawtucket
The short version
- Overall prices are about the same in both metro areas (BEA 2024).
- The median home costs $260,400 in Bethlehem and $325,500 in Pawtucket.
- Bethlehem is growing faster: +5.1% since 2020 vs +1.9%.
- Commutes are shorter in Bethlehem (22 vs 26 minutes each way).
Side by side
| Bethlehem, PA | Pawtucket, RI | |
|---|---|---|
| People | ||
| Population (2025) | 79,644 | 77,065 |
| Growth since 2020 | +5.1% | +1.9% |
| People per square mile | 4,167 | 8,892 |
| Median age | 36.1 | 37.1 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 36% | 22% |
| Money and housing | ||
| Median household income | $68,879 | $68,310 |
| Median home value | $260,400 | $325,500 |
| Home value to income | 3.8× | 4.8× |
| Median rent (with utilities) | $1,382 | $1,208 |
| 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% | 50% |
| Top state income tax | 3.07% | 5.99% |
| Combined sales tax | 6.34% | 7% |
| Work and commute | ||
| Average commute (minutes) | 22.1 | 25.6 |
| Work from home | 17% | 9% |
| Take public transit | 2% | 3% |
| Unemployment (2020-24 avg) | 6.6% | 7.3% |
| Poverty rate | 15.7% | 13.3% |
| Weather | ||
| January high / low | 38° / 22° | 38° / 22° |
| July high / low | 86° / 65° | 84° / 65° |
| Precipitation per year | 47 in | 48 in |
| Snowfall per year | 33 in | 37 in |
| Days 90°F or hotter | 18 | 12 |
| Nights below freezing | 118 | 109 |
| Comfortable months | 3 | 6 |
| Risks, air and home prices | ||
| Natural hazard risk (FEMA, county) | Relatively Moderate | Relatively Moderate |
| FEMA risk score (lower is safer) | 90.0 | 93.7 |
| 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. Pawtucket: May to October.
Full monthly tables: Bethlehem weather by month and Pawtucket 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 Pawtucket. Moving from Bethlehem to Pawtucket, you would need about $76,400 to match a $75,000 salary.
Which would you pick?
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