Bethlehem receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Bethlehem
Easton
Opportunity
67 · Top 27%
vs65 · Top 32%
Growth
56 · Top 40%
vs36 · Bottom 26%
Climate
64 · Bottom 33%
vs64 · Bottom 33%
Physical resilience
72 · Top 33%
vs65 · Top 43%
Housing affordability
77 · Bottom 45%
vs89 · Top 35%
Schools
52 · Top 49%
vs42 · Bottom 38%
Access
72 · Bottom 14%
vs71 · Bottom 13%
Economic stability
51 · Bottom 34%
vs48 · Bottom 28%
Measured values
| Metric | Bethlehem | Easton | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 77,956 | 29,739 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $68,879 | $69,348 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $41,031 | $29,811 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 4,078/sq mi | 6,976/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $260,400 | $196,300 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,382 | $1,325 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 49.9% | 44.5% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.6% | 4.7% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | 3.3% | 3.3% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 36.0% | 28.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 15.7% | 16.3% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 164 | 1 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 2.1 | 0.0 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -1.8% | -50.0% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 86°F | 86°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 22°F | 22°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 47.4" | 47.4" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 53 mi | 55 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 23.6 min | 28.5 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 36.1 | 31.6 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 23 | 9 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 12.95 | 12.74 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 25.4% | 21.9% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 51.5% | 42.4% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 61.2% | 71.7% | 2024-25 school year |
A bolded value is the more favorable of the two where the metric has a clear direction. Metrics like population and density have no inherent better or worse and are shown unweighted.
Full profiles: Bethlehem, PA · Easton, PA · How this is calculated: methodology