Bethlehem, PA

Census Place

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    2024 Population
    77,956
    US Senator
    John Fetterman
    Democratic Party
    US Senator
    Dave McCormick
    Republican Party
    2024 Median Age
    36.1
    0.276% 1-year decrease
    2024 Poverty Rate
    15.7%
    0.659% 1-year decrease
    2024 Median Household Income
    $68,879
    3.67% 1-year growth
    2024 Median Property Value
    $260,400
    10.1% 1-year growth
    2024 Employed Population
    38,070
    2.5% 1-year growth

    About

    None of the households in Bethlehem, PA reported speaking a non-English language at home as their primary shared language. This does not consider the potential multi-lingual nature of households, but only the primary self-reported language spoken by all members of the household.

    94.5% of the residents in Bethlehem, PA are U.S. citizens.

    The largest universities in Bethlehem, PA are Lehigh University (2,159 degrees awarded in 2024), Moravian University (797 degrees), and Falcon Institute of Health and Science (120 degrees).

    In 2024, the median property value in Bethlehem, PA was $260,400, and the homeownership rate was 49.9%.

    Most people in Bethlehem, PA drove alone to work, and the average commute time was 22.1 minutes. The average car ownership in Bethlehem, PA was 2 cars per household.

    United StatesPennsylvaniaLehigh County, PANorthampton County, PAAllentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJLehigh County (South, Outside Allentown & Bethlehem Cities)--Emmaus Borough PUMA, PAAllentown City PUMA, PANorthampton (South) & Lehigh (East) Counties--Bethlehem (East) & Easton Cities PUMA, PA

    Population & Diversity

    Bethlehem, PA is home to a population of 78k people, from which 94.5% are citizens. As of 2024, 9.98% of Bethlehem, PA residents were born outside of the country (7.78k people).

    In 2024, there were 4.87 times more White (Non-Hispanic) residents (43.8k people) in Bethlehem, PA than any other race or ethnicity. There were 8.99k Other (Hispanic) and 7.86k Two Races Including Other (Hispanic) residents, the second and third most common ethnic groups.

    Population & Diversity

    Citizenship

    94.5%
    2024 Citizenship
    94.7%
    2023 Citizenship

    As of 2024, 94.5% of Bethlehem, PA residents were US citizens, which is higher than the national average of 93.2%. In 2023, the percentage of US citizens in Bethlehem, PA was 94.7%, meaning that the rate of citizenship has been decreasing.

    The following chart shows US citizenship percentages in Bethlehem, PA compared to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

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    Diversity

    Race and Ethnicity

    The 3 largest ethnic groups in Bethlehem, PA
    1. White (Non-Hispanic)
      43.8k ± 1.57k
    2. Other (Hispanic)
      8.99k ± 1.15k
    3. Two Races Including Other (Hispanic)
      7.86k ± 1.03k
    28.7%
    Hispanic Population
    22.4k people

    In 2024, there were 4.87 times more White (Non-Hispanic) residents (43.8k people) in Bethlehem, PA than any other race or ethnicity. There were 8.99k Other (Hispanic) and 7.86k Two Races Including Other (Hispanic) residents, the second and third most common ethnic groups.

    28.7% of the people in Bethlehem, PA are hispanic (22.4k people).

    The following chart shows the 8 races represented in Bethlehem, PA as a share of the total population.

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    Global Diversity

    The PUMS dataset is not available at the Place level, so we are showing data for Pennsylvania.
    Most Common Origin
    1. Dominican Republic
      103,235 ± 7,857 people
    2. India
      102,082 ± 7,813 people
    3. China
      73,024 ± 6,616 people

    In 2024, the most common birthplace for the foreign-born residents of Pennsylvania was Dominican Republic, the natal country of 103,235 Pennsylvania residents, followed by India with 102,082 and China with 73,024.

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    Foreign-Born Population

    9.98%
    2024 Foreign-Born Population
    7.78k people
    10.9%
    2023 Foreign-Born Population
    8.37k people

    As of 2024, 9.98% of Bethlehem, PA residents (7.78k people) were born outside of the United States, which is approximately the same as the national average of 14%. In 2023, the percentage of foreign-born citizens in Bethlehem, PA was 10.9%, meaning that the rate has been decreasing.

    The following chart shows the percentage of foreign-born residents in Bethlehem, PA compared to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

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    Military

    Veterans

    Most Common Service Period
    1. Vietnam
      996 ± 194
    2. Gulf War (2001-)
      545 ± 167
    3. Gulf War (1990s)
      474 ± 172

    Bethlehem, PA has a large population of military personnel who served in Vietnam, 1.83 times greater than any other conflict.

    The chart shows the distribution of veterans by conflict in Bethlehem, PA.

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    Health

    93.4% of the population of Bethlehem, PA has health coverage, with 47.2% on employee plans, 21% on Medicaid, 12.5% on Medicare, 11.9% on non-group plans, and 0.714% on military or VA plans.

    Primary care physicians in Pennsylvania see 1,265 patients per year on average, which represents a 0% change from the previous year (1,265 patients). Compare this to dentists who see 1400 patients per year, and mental health providers who see 345 patients per year.

    By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 48.4% were men and 51.6% were women.

    Coverage

    Health Care Diversity

    In 2024, insured persons according to age ranges were distributed in 20.7% under 18 years, 28.4% between 18 and 34 years, 32.8% between 35 and 64 years, and 18.1% over 64 years.

    By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 48.4% were men and 51.6% were women.

    The following chart shows the number of people with health coverage by gender.

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    Uninsured People

    6.55%
    Uninsured
    47.2%
    Employer Coverage
    21%
    Medicaid
    12.5%
    Medicare
    11.9%
    Non-Group
    0.714%
    Military or VA

    Between 2023 and 2024, the percent of uninsured citizens in Bethlehem, PA grew by 5.37% from 6.22% to 6.55%.

    The following chart shows how the percent of uninsured individuals in Bethlehem, PA changed over time compared with the percent of individuals enrolled in various types of health insurance.

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    Economy

    The economy of Bethlehem, PA employs 38.1k people. In 2024, the largest industries in Bethlehem, PA were Health Care & Social Assistance (6,723 people), Educational Services (5,191 people), and Retail Trade (4,037 people), and the highest paying industries were Utilities ($98,229), Information ($66,695), and Professional, Scientific, & Technical Services ($66,121).

    Employment

    Occupations

    38.1k
    2024 Value
    ± 1,609
    2.5%
    1 Year growth
    ± 5.84%

    From 2023 to 2024, employment in Bethlehem, PA grew at a rate of 2.5%, from 37.1k employees to 38.1k employees.

    The most common job groups, by number of people living in Bethlehem, PA, are Office & Administrative Support Occupations (3,810 people), Education Instruction, & Library Occupations (3,403 people), and Management Occupations (3,131 people). This chart illustrates the share breakdown of the primary jobs held by residents of Bethlehem, PA.

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    Unemployment Insurance Claims

    Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for Pennsylvania.

    This chart shows weekly unemployment insurance claims in Pennsylvania (not-seasonally adjusted) compared with the four states with the most similar impact.

    The most recent data point uses Advance State Claims data, which can be revised in subsequent weeks.

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    Industries

    Employment by Industries

    38.1k
    2024 Value
    ± 1,609
    2.5%
    1 Year growth
    ± 5.84%

    From 2023 to 2024, employment in Bethlehem, PA grew at a rate of 2.5%, from 37.1k employees to 38.1k employees.

    The most common employment sectors for those who live in Bethlehem, PA, are Health Care & Social Assistance (6,723 people), Educational Services (5,191 people), and Retail Trade (4,037 people). This chart shows the share breakdown of the primary industries for residents of Bethlehem, PA, though some of these residents may live in Bethlehem, PA and work somewhere else. Census data is tagged to a residential address, not a work address.

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    Median Earnings by Industry

    $48,818
    Median earning men ± $3,006
    $40,715
    Median earning women ± $2,058

    The industries with the best median earnings for men in 2024 are Finance & Insurance, & Real Estate & Rental & Leasing ($76,767), Wholesale Trade ($70,396), and Manufacturing ($69,091).

    The industries with the best median earnings for women in 2024 are Manufacturing ($62,528), Information ($60,951), and Public Administration ($59,191).

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    Employment by Industry Sector

    Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for Pennsylvania.
    Y-Axis
    2.78%
    Year-over-year growth
    Employment change between February 2022 and February 2023

    As of February 2023, there are 6.03M people employed in Pennsylvania. This represents a 2.78% increase in employment when compared to February 2022.

    Right after the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, during April 2020, a general dip can be seen across industry sectors, resulting in an overall decline in employment by 18.1%.

    The following chart shows monthly employment numbers for each industry sector in Pennsylvania.

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    Civics

    In the 2024 presidential election, the popular vote in Pennsylvania went to Donald J. Trump with 50.4% of the vote. The runner-up was Kamala Harris (48.7%), followed by Jill Stein (0.491%).

    John Fetterman and Dave McCormick are the senators currently representing the state of Pennsylvania. In the United States, senators are elected to 6-year terms with the terms for individual senators staggered.

    Pennsylvania is currently represented by 17 members in the U.S. house, and members of the House of Representives are elected to 2-year terms.

    Presidential Elections

    Voting results are not available for Bethlehem, PA. Showing the available data for Pennsylvania.
    2024 Election Results
    1. Donald J. Trump (50.4%)
      Republican Party
    2. Kamala Harris (48.7%)
      Democratic Party
    3. Jill Stein (0.491%)
      Green Party

    In the 2024 presidential election, the popular vote in Pennsylvania went to Donald J. Trump with 50.4% of the vote. The runner-up was Kamala Harris (48.7%), followed by Jill Stein (0.491%).

    The following chart shows the popular vote results in Pennsylvania for each registered party from 1976 to 2024.

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    Senator Elections

    US Senators from Pennsylvania

    Senatorial voting results are only available at the state level. Showing data for Pennsylvania.
    John Fetterman
    Senator from Pennsylvania3
    Assumed office on January 3, 2023
    Dave McCormick
    Senator from Pennsylvania1
    Assumed office on January 3, 2025

    John Fetterman and Dave McCormick are the senators currently representing Pennsylvania.

    In the United States, senators are elected to 6-year terms with the terms for individual senators staggered.

    The following chart shows elected senators in Pennsylvania over time, excluding special elections, colored by their political party.

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    Education

    In 2024, universities in Bethlehem, PA awarded 3,230 degrees. The student population of Bethlehem, PA in 2024 is skewed towards women, with 5,048 male students and 5,756 female students.

    Most students graduating from Universities in Bethlehem, PA are White (1,971 and 68.5%), Hispanic or Latino (317 and 11%), Black or African American (190 and 6.6%), and Asian (182 and 6.32%).

    The largest universities in Bethlehem, PA by number of degrees awarded are Lehigh University (2,159 and 66.8%), Moravian University (797 and 24.7%), and Falcon Institute of Health and Science (120 and 3.72%).

    The most popular majors in Bethlehem, PA are General Finance (222 and 6.87%), Computer Science (184 and 5.7%), and Mechanical Engineering (126 and 3.9%).

    The median tuition cost for private four year colleges is $57,750.

    Admissions & Enrollments

    Applicants, Admissions & Enrolled

    University
    Measure

    In 2024 in Bethlehem, PA, the percentage of applicants admitted was 32.6%, while the percentage of admitted who enrolled was 23.8%. The number of students enrolled in 2024 was 10,804 (46.7% men and 53.3% women).

    The line chart  shows the evolution of the percentage of applicants admitted, admitted who enrolled or the number of students enrolled according to the option selected in the upper button.

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    Enrollments by Gender and Races

    Universities

    In 2024 there were 10,804 students enrolled in Bethlehem, PA, 46.7% men and 53.3% women.

    By race, the largest number of students enrolled was concentrated in White with 6,333 records, of which 53.9% were women and 46.1% men.

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    Completions

    Concentrations

    Most Common
    1. General Finance
      218 degrees awarded
    2. Computer Science
      164 degrees awarded
    3. General Psychology
      117 degrees awarded

    In 2024, the most common concentation for Bachelors Degree recipients in Bethlehem, PA was General Finance with 218 degrees awarded.

    This visualization illustrates the percentage of students graduating with a Bachelors Degree from schools in Bethlehem, PA according to their major.

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    Universities

    Gender
    Race
    Largest Universities by degrees awarded
    1. Lehigh University
      2,159 degrees awarded
    2. Moravian University
      797 degrees awarded
    3. Falcon Institute of Health and Science
      120 degrees awarded

    In 2024, the institution with the largest number of graduating students was Lehigh University with 2,159 degrees awarded.

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    Student Diversity

    University

    In 2024, 1,489 men were awarded degrees from institutions in Bethlehem, PA, which is 0.855 times less than the 1,741 female students who received degrees in the same year.

    In 2024, the most common race/ethnicity group awarded degrees at institutions was White students. These 1,971 degrees mean that there were 6.22 times more degrees awarded to White students then the next closest race/ethnicity group, Hispanic or Latino, with 317 degrees awarded.

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    Awarded Degrees over Time

    The graph shows the evolution of awarded degrees by degrees. Under the paragraphs, the average number of awarded degrees by university in each degree is shown.

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    Tuition

    Average Net Price by Sector

    Universities

    Private not-for-profit, 4-year or above ($57,750) is the sector with the highest median state tuition in 2024.

    Private not-for-profit, 4-year or above ($1,491) is the sector with the highest median state fee in 2024.

    Private not-for-profit, 4-year or above ($1,142) is the sector with the highest average net price of books and supplies.

    The graph shows the average net price by sector and year.

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    Housing & Living

    The median property value in Bethlehem, PA was $260,400 in 2024, which is 0.783 times smaller than the national average of $332,700. Between 2023 and 2024 the median property value increased from $236,500 to $260,400, a 10.1% increase. The homeownership rate in Bethlehem, PA is 49.9%, which is lower than the national average of 65.2%.

    People in Bethlehem, PA have an average commute time of 22.1 minutes, and they drove alone to work. Car ownership in Bethlehem, PA is approximately the same as the national average, with an average of 2 cars per household.

    Housing

    Property

    $260,400
    Median Property Value 2024
    ±$7,122
    $15,509
    Median Property Taxes
    ±$871

    The following chart display owner-occupied housing units distributed between a series of property tax buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. In Bethlehem, PA the largest share of households pay taxes in the $3k+ range.

    The chart underneath the paragraph shows the property taxes in Bethlehem, PA compared to it's parent and neighbor geographies.

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    Rent vs Own

    49.9%
    Homeownership
    2024
    60.9%
    Homeowners with Mortgage
    2024

    In 2024, 49.9% of the housing units in Bethlehem, PA were occupied by their owner. This percentage declined from the previous year's rate of 50.7%.

    This chart shows the percentage of owner in Bethlehem, PA compared it's parent and neighboring geographies.

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    Equity

    Household Income

    Please note that the buckets used in this visualization were not evenly distributed by ACS when publishing the data.
    $68,879
    Median Household Income
    ± $3,531
    31.1k
    Number of Households
    ± 1,394

    In 2024, the median household income of the 31.1k households in Bethlehem, PA grew to $68,879 from the previous year's value of $66,443.

    The following chart displays the households in Bethlehem, PA distributed between a series of income buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. The largest share of households have an income in the $75k - $100k range.

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    Wage Distribution

    The closest comparable wage GINI for Bethlehem, PA is from Pennsylvania.
    0.463
    2024 Wage GINI in Pennsylvania
    0.463
    2023 Wage GINI in Pennsylvania

    In 2024, the income inequality in Pennsylvania was 0.463 according to the GINI calculation of the wage distribution. Income inequality had a 0.0903% decline from 2023 to 2024, which means that wage distribution grew somewhat more even. The GINI for Pennsylvania was lower than than the national average of 0.474. In other words, wages are distributed more evenly in Pennsylvania in comparison to the national average.

    This chart shows the number of workers in Pennsylvania across various wage buckets compared to the national average.

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    Transportation

    Commuter Transportation

    Most Common Commute in 2024
    1. Drove Alone (66.8%)
    2. Worked At Home (17.2%)
    3. Carpooled (7.17%)

    In 2024, 66.8% of workers in Bethlehem, PA drove alone to work, followed by those who worked at home (17.2%) and those who carpooled to work (7.17%).

    The following chart shows the number of households using each mode of transportation over time, using a logarithmic scale on the y-axis to help better show variations in the smaller means of commuting.

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    Commute Time

    22.1 minutes
    Average Travel Time

    Using averages, employees in Bethlehem, PA have a shorter commute time (22.1 minutes) than the normal US worker (26.4 minutes). Additionally, 2.19% of the workforce in Bethlehem, PA have "super commutes" in excess of 90 minutes.

    The chart below shows how the median household income in Bethlehem, PA compares to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

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    Car Ownership

    2 cars
    Average Number

    The following chart displays the households in Bethlehem, PA distributed between a series of car ownership buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. The largest share of households in Bethlehem, PA have 2 cars.

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    Poverty

    Poverty & Diversity

    15.7% of the population for whom poverty status is determined in Bethlehem, PA (11.2k out of 71.5k people) live below the poverty line, a number that is higher than the national average of 12.5%. The largest demographic living in poverty are Males 18 - 24, followed by Females 18 - 24 and then Females 25 - 34.

    The most common racial or ethnic group living below the poverty line in Bethlehem, PA is White, followed by Hispanic and Black.

    The Census Bureau uses a set of money income thresholds that vary by family size and composition to determine who classifies as impoverished. If a family's total income is less than the family's threshold than that family and every individual in it is considered to be living in poverty.

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