City comparison
Bethlehem, PA is about 275 miles (425 km) from Erie, PA in a straight line. By road, the drive is roughly 325 miles, or about 5 h 30 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 Bethlehem, PA to Erie, PA takes about 32 min, covering roughly 275 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.
Erie has a population of 94,826, vs 76,555 in Bethlehem — about 1.2× larger by population. By land area, Erie covers about 19 sq mi vs 19 sq mi for Bethlehem.
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 | Bethlehem | Erie | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $1,218/mo | $809/mo | 50.6% higher in Bethlehem |
| Median home value | $220,300 | $101,500 | 117.0% higher in Bethlehem |
| Median household income | $62,072 | $43,135 | 43.9% higher in Bethlehem |
| Groceries index | 100.6 | 100.7 | ≈ equal (Erie slightly higher) |
| Utilities index | 106.8 | 106.1 | 0.7% higher in Bethlehem |
| Transportation index | 97.6 | 97.6 | ≈ equal (Bethlehem slightly higher) |
| Healthcare index | 98.4 | 98.3 | ≈ equal (Bethlehem slightly higher) |
How much you'd need to earn in the other city to keep the same standard of living.
If you earn $100,000 in Bethlehem, you'd need $80,363 in Erie to maintain your standard of living.
Climate, safety, and demographics side by side.
Erie, PA is about 19.6% cheaper overall than Bethlehem, PA, based on our cost-of-living index. Housing costs are roughly 82% higher in Bethlehem than in Erie. If you earn $80,000 in Bethlehem, you'd need about $64,290 in Erie to keep the same standard of living.