City comparison
Allentown, PA is about 10 miles (10 km) from Bethlehem, PA in a straight line. By road, the drive is roughly 10 miles, or about 8 min behind the wheel at highway speeds.
Driving distance is a rough estimate (great-circle × 1.25); driving time assumes a 60 mph blended average. Real trips run 10–20% longer with stops.
A direct flight from Allentown, PA to Bethlehem, PA takes about 1 min, covering roughly 10 miles in a straight line. Connecting itineraries with a layover typically add 1–3 hours.
Block-to-block estimate at ~500 mph cruise, including taxi, climb, and descent — what an airline would publish, not pure airborne time.
Allentown has a population of 125,292, vs 76,555 in Bethlehem — about 1.6× larger by population. By land area, Bethlehem covers about 19 sq mi vs 18 sq mi for Allentown.
Population from US Census ACS. Land area from the Census Gazetteer (city proper, excluding inland water).
Cost indices by category, with the US city average (100) marked.
Index: 100 = US city average. Lower is more affordable.
Side-by-side costs, salaries, and sub-category indices.
| Metric | Allentown | Bethlehem | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $1,202/mo | $1,218/mo | 1.3% higher in Bethlehem |
| Median home value | $168,800 | $220,300 | 30.5% higher in Bethlehem |
| Median household income | $52,449 | $62,072 | 18.3% higher in Bethlehem |
| Groceries index | 100.6 | 100.6 | ≈ equal |
| Utilities index | 106.8 | 106.8 | ≈ equal |
| Transportation index | 97.6 | 97.6 | ≈ equal |
| Healthcare index | 98.4 | 98.4 | ≈ equal |
How much you'd need to earn in the other city to keep the same standard of living.
If you earn $100,000 in Allentown, you'd need $100,049 in Bethlehem to maintain your standard of living.
Climate, safety, and demographics side by side.
Allentown and Bethlehem have nearly identical overall cost-of-living indices. If you earn $80,000 in Allentown, you'd need about $80,039 in Bethlehem to keep the same standard of living.