Should I Move To
Bethlehem, Pennsylvania comes in at about 76,555 residents. Cost of living comes out moderate — essentially matching the national average. Rent typically lands near $1,218/mo, and the median household income is about $62,072. Overall, 56/100 on our composite score, which works out to a C, putting it at #282 nationally.
UrbRank Score · General
Each dimension scored 0-100 against every other US city.
Based on overall cost of living vs. other US cities.
Temperate summers & winters, moderate precipitation.
Walk Score — how feasible daily errands are on foot.
Unemployment rate plus household income vs. national median.
Air quality index (EPA AQS data).
Share of residents 25+ with a bachelor's degree or higher.
Cost-of-living index of 102 (with 100 as the US baseline) — that's moderate territory. With median rent at $1,218/mo and median household income at $62,072, housing takes about 24% of gross income — right inside the standard 30%-of-income guideline. Homes typically value around $220,300.
Full cost-of-living breakdown →Expect four-season weather — summers near 86°F, winters around 28°F. Rain (and snow, in some seasons) totals about 44 inches annually. Some neighborhoods are walkable; others aren't. A car is useful, but not required everywhere. Air quality reads good (AQI 43).
Verdict by lifestyle profile — same data, different priorities.
On the families profile, Bethlehem sits squarely in the middle. It earns 60/100 (grade C) on the families profile. Strongest on walkability (69/100); weakest on job market (31/100).
On the retirees profile, Bethlehem sits squarely in the middle. It earns 63/100 (grade C+) on the retirees profile. Strongest on walkability (69/100); weakest on job market (31/100).
On the remote workers profile, Bethlehem sits squarely in the middle. It earns 62/100 (grade C+) on the remote workers profile. Strongest on walkability (69/100); weakest on job market (31/100).
Bethlehem is a tougher sell for young professionals. It earns 54/100 (grade C-) on the young professionals profile. Strongest on walkability (69/100); weakest on job market (31/100).
Bethlehem, Pennsylvania pulls a 56/100 overall on the UrbRank Score (grade C), currently ranked #282 nationally. The composite weights seven lifestyle dimensions: affordability, safety, climate, walkability, jobs, environment, and education.
Bethlehem's cost-of-living index is 102 (with 100 as the US average), which lands in the moderate band — essentially matching the national average. Median rent runs about $1,218/mo.
Four-season — summer averages around 86°F, winter averages around 28°F, with about 44 inches of precipitation a year.
Walk Score: 69/100. Some neighborhoods are walkable; others aren't. A car is useful, but not required everywhere.
Bethlehem has about 76,555 residents, 34% of adults 25+ holding a bachelor's degree or higher with a median age of 36.
Use UrbRank's comparison tool to put Bethlehem head-to-head against any other US city — housing, salaries, demographics, and quality-of-life metrics side by side. The leaderboard pages also show how Bethlehem stacks up for families, retirees, remote workers, and young professionals specifically.
Every US city is scored 0-100 on seven dimensions using public data from the US Census Bureau, Bureau of Labor Statistics, FBI Crime Data Explorer, EPA Air Quality System, NOAA NCEI, and Walk Score. Each dimension is a percentile rank against every other city — so a score of 80 means the city is in the top 20% nationally on that dimension.
The overall score is a weighted average. Five lifestyle profiles — general, families, retirees, remote workers, young professionals — weight the dimensions differently to reflect what each cares about. Families get more weight on safety and schools; young professionals get more weight on jobs and walkability; retirees get more weight on climate.
Compare Bethlehem with other Pennsylvania cities scored on UrbRank.
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