The typical owner-occupied home in Bethlehem is worth about $260,400, about the same as the Pennsylvania median of $254,500 and 22% below the national median of $332,700. Owners pay a median $4,268 a year in property taxes, about 1.64% of their home's value, higher than the Pennsylvania rate of 1.30%. The median household earns $68,879 a year, so the median home costs 3.8 times the median income (3.3 times for Pennsylvania). 50% of occupied homes here are lived in by their owners, and 59% of those owners still have a mortgage.
Bethlehem at a glance
| Bethlehem | Pennsylvania | U.S. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $260,400 | $254,500 | $332,700 |
| Median property tax paid per year | $4,268 | $3,311 | $3,119 |
| Property tax as a share of value | 1.64% | 1.30% | 0.94% |
| Median household income | $68,879 | $77,971 | $80,734 |
| Homes lived in by their owners | 50% | 69% | 65% |
| Owner homes with a mortgage | 59% | 58% | 61% |
| Median monthly costs, owners with a mortgage | $1,721 | $1,762 | $1,963 |
| Those costs as a share of the owners' income | 19.5% | 19.4% | 21.0% |
| Median rent | $1,382 | $1,209 | $1,413 |
| Rent as a share of renters' income | 31.1% | 29.2% | 30.6% |
| Median year homes were built | 1957 | 1965 | 1980 |
| Vacant homes | 4.0% | 9.2% | 10.1% |
| Population | 77,956 | 13,018,639 | 334,922,499 |
What a typical home costs per month in Bethlehem
At this week's average 30-year rate of 7.11%, buying the median Bethlehem home of $260,400 with 20% down costs about $1,866 a month, including property taxes and insurance. With an FHA loan and 3.5% down, it's about $2,300, because the loan is bigger and FHA adds mortgage insurance.
Lenders usually want housing costs under about 28% of gross income, which means an income of roughly $79,961 for the 20%-down payment. That payment is 33% of the median Bethlehem household income of $68,879; at that income and 20% down, the 28% guideline points to a home of about $224,000.
The median rent here is $1,382 a month, so owning the median home costs about $484 a month more than renting, before you count the equity you build and any tax benefits.
| Down payment | $52,080 |
|---|---|
| Loan amount | $208,320 |
| Principal and interest | $1,401 |
| Property taxes (1.64% a year) | $356 |
| Homeowners insurance (our estimate, 0.5% a year) | $108 |
| PMI | $0 |
| Total per month | $1,866 |
Change the numbers in the calculator
| Down payment | $9,114 |
|---|---|
| Loan amount | $255,684 |
| Principal and interest | $1,720 |
| Property taxes (1.64% a year) | $356 |
| Homeowners insurance (our estimate, 0.5% a year) | $108 |
| FHA mortgage insurance | $115 |
| Total per month | $2,300 |
Change the numbers in the calculator
Questions about home buying in Bethlehem
What is the median home value in Bethlehem?
About $260,400 for owner-occupied homes, according to the Census Bureau's 2020–2024 American Community Survey.
How much are property taxes in Bethlehem?
Homeowners pay a median $4,268 a year, which is about 1.64% of the median home value. Your bill depends on your home's assessed value and local rates.
What income do you need to buy a home in Bethlehem?
For the median home with 20% down at 7.11%, the payment is about $1,866 a month. Keeping that under 28% of gross income takes about $79,961 a year.
More about Bethlehem
- Mortgage Refinance in Bethlehem
- Debt Relief in Bethlehem
- Home Equity Loans in Bethlehem
- Guides and quotes for mortgage refinance on our sister site, MortgageRefinance.com
Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020–2024 5-year estimates; Freddie Mac Primary Mortgage Market Survey, week of November 12, 2026. Estimates for small places have wide margins of error. About our data