Reading vs Bethlehem
The short version
- Reading is cheaper overall: prices in its metro run 3% lower than in the Bethlehem area (BEA 2024).
- The median home costs $121,300 in Reading and $260,400 in Bethlehem.
- Households earn more in Bethlehem ($68,879 vs $44,091 median).
- Bethlehem gets far more snow: 33 inches a year vs 21.
- Bethlehem is growing faster: +5.1% since 2020 vs +0.8%.
Side by side
| Reading, PA | Bethlehem, PA | |
|---|---|---|
| People | ||
| Population (2025) | 95,832 | 79,644 |
| Growth since 2020 | +0.8% | +5.1% |
| People per square mile | 9,736 | 4,167 |
| Median age | 31.9 | 36.1 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 11% | 36% |
| Money and housing | ||
| Median household income | $44,091 | $68,879 |
| Median home value | $121,300 | $260,400 |
| Home value to income | 2.8× | 3.8× |
| Median rent (with utilities) | $1,067 | $1,382 |
| Metro price level (US = 100) | 97.1 | 100.0 |
| Housing price level (US = 100) | 85.4 | 105.5 |
| $75,000 elsewhere equals | $72,800 | $75,000 |
| Homeowners | 41% | 50% |
| Top state income tax | 3.07% | 3.07% |
| Combined sales tax | 6.34% | 6.34% |
| Work and commute | ||
| Average commute (minutes) | 24.1 | 22.1 |
| Work from home | 6% | 17% |
| Take public transit | 3% | 2% |
| Unemployment (2020-24 avg) | 13.7% | 6.6% |
| Poverty rate | 28.7% | 15.7% |
| Weather | ||
| January high / low | 39° / 23° | 38° / 22° |
| July high / low | 87° / 66° | 86° / 65° |
| Precipitation per year | 45 in | 47 in |
| Snowfall per year | 21 in | 33 in |
| Days 90°F or hotter | 24 | 18 |
| Nights below freezing | 107 | 118 |
| Comfortable months | 3 | 3 |
| Risks, air and home prices | ||
| Natural hazard risk (FEMA, county) | Relatively Moderate | Relatively Moderate |
| FEMA risk score (lower is safer) | 92.7 | 90.0 |
| Good air days, 2025 | 68% | 67% |
| Home prices, past year | +4.6% | +4.9% |
| Home prices, past 5 years | +54% | +53.5% |
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: Reading: May, August and October. Bethlehem: May to June and October.
Full monthly tables: Reading weather by month and Bethlehem weather by month.
What $75,000 is worth
A $75,000 salary in an average-priced US city buys about the same as $72,800 in Reading and $75,000 in Bethlehem. Moving from Reading to Bethlehem, you would need about $77,200 to match a $75,000 salary.
Moving between Reading and Bethlehem
IRS county-to-county migration, 2022 to 2023 tax years, for the counties that contain each city. See where else people move from Reading and Bethlehem.
Which would you pick?
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