Bethlehem and Lancaster receive effectively the same standardized Area Score. Which fits you better depends on which dimensions you weight — the differences below are where they actually diverge.
Signals
Bethlehem
Lancaster
Opportunity
67 · Top 27%
vs67 · Top 28%
Growth
56 · Top 40%
vs57 · Top 37%
Climate
64 · Bottom 33%
vs64 · Bottom 32%
Physical resilience
72 · Top 33%
vs62 · Top 47%
Housing affordability
77 · Bottom 45%
vs83 · Top 46%
Schools
52 · Top 49%
vs53 · Top 48%
Access
72 · Bottom 14%
vs88 · Bottom 35%
Economic stability
51 · Bottom 34%
vs55 · Bottom 39%
Measured values
| Metric | Bethlehem | Lancaster | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 77,956 | 57,719 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $68,879 | $63,690 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $41,031 | $31,159 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 4,078/sq mi | 7,987/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $260,400 | $219,500 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,382 | $1,240 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 49.9% | 48.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.6% | 4.3% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | 3.3% | 3.3% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 36.0% | 29.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 15.7% | 20.3% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 164 | 56 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 2.1 | 1.0 | 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" | 42.1" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 53 mi | 27 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 23.6 min | 25.7 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 36.1 | 32.2 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 23 | 37 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 12.95 | 12.64 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 25.4% | 28.7% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 51.5% | 45.0% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 61.2% | 70.0% | 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.
Physical risk tradeoff
Bethlehem
No hazard reaches elevated exposure.
Lancaster
Elevated or high exposure: hurricane.
Full profiles: Bethlehem, PA · Lancaster, PA · How this is calculated: methodology