Bethlehem vs Tampa
The short version
- Overall prices are about the same in both metro areas (BEA 2024).
- The median home costs $260,400 in Bethlehem and $420,400 in Tampa.
- Households earn more in Tampa ($75,475 vs $68,879 median).
- Tampa has the warmer winter: January highs of 71°F vs 38°F.
- Bethlehem gets far more snow: 33 inches a year vs 0.
- Tampa has more scorching days: 94 a year at 90°F or hotter vs 18.
- Tampa is growing faster: +7.3% since 2020 vs +5.1%.
- Florida has no state income tax on wages; Pennsylvania's top rate is 3.07%.
Side by side
| Bethlehem, PA | Tampa, FL | |
|---|---|---|
| People | ||
| Population (2025) | 79,644 | 413,554 |
| Growth since 2020 | +5.1% | +7.3% |
| People per square mile | 4,167 | 3,612 |
| Median age | 36.1 | 35.9 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 36% | 46% |
| Money and housing | ||
| Median household income | $68,879 | $75,475 |
| Median home value | $260,400 | $420,400 |
| Home value to income | 3.8× | 5.6× |
| Median rent (with utilities) | $1,382 | $1,701 |
| Metro price level (US = 100) | 100.0 | 100.9 |
| Housing price level (US = 100) | 105.5 | 125.8 |
| $75,000 elsewhere equals | $75,000 | $75,700 |
| Homeowners | 50% | 50% |
| Top state income tax | 3.07% | None |
| Combined sales tax | 6.34% | 6.98% |
| Work and commute | ||
| Average commute (minutes) | 22.1 | 24.8 |
| Work from home | 17% | 22% |
| Take public transit | 2% | 1% |
| Unemployment (2020-24 avg) | 6.6% | 4.9% |
| Poverty rate | 15.7% | 15.5% |
| Weather | ||
| January high / low | 38° / 22° | 71° / 53° |
| July high / low | 86° / 65° | 91° / 77° |
| Precipitation per year | 47 in | 50 in |
| Snowfall per year | 33 in | 0 in |
| Days 90°F or hotter | 18 | 94 |
| Nights below freezing | 118 | 1 |
| Comfortable months | 3 | 7 |
| Risks, air and home prices | ||
| Natural hazard risk (FEMA, county) | Relatively Moderate | Relatively High |
| FEMA risk score (lower is safer) | 90.0 | 98.8 |
| Good air days, 2025 | 67% | 50% |
| Home prices, past year | +4.9% | +1.1% |
| Home prices, past 5 years | +53.5% | +47.8% |
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. Tampa: October to April.
Full monthly tables: Bethlehem weather by month and Tampa 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 $75,700 in Tampa. Moving from Bethlehem to Tampa, you would need about $75,700 to match a $75,000 salary.
Moving between Bethlehem and Tampa
IRS county-to-county migration, 2022 to 2023 tax years, for the counties that contain each city. See where else people move from Bethlehem and Tampa.
Which would you pick?
One vote per person. Results show after you vote.