Total monthly cost of ownership
Cost to Own a Home in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania
A $237,000 home here costs
$2,184per month, all in, with 20% down at today's 7.40% 30-year fixed rate. By the 28% rule that takes a household income of about $93,500 a year.
A standard mortgage calculator would have told you $1,313. The real number is $872 higher every month, 66% more than the payment most buyers budget for.
Compare Lehigh County with anywhere in America · full county breakdown
Where every dollar goes
Only the first line is a mortgage payment. Change any assumption above and every figure below recalculates.
Bethlehem against Lehigh County and Pennsylvania
| Measure | Bethlehem | Lehigh County |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $236,500 | $276,100 |
| Median property tax | $4,186 | $4,591 |
| Effective tax rate | 1.770% | 1.663% |
| Median gross rent | $1,311 | $1,326 |
| Population | 77,069 | 375,408 |
Bethlehem extends across 2 counties. Figures here use Lehigh County, where most of its housing sits.
The weather behind that power bill
Bethlehem sits in Lehigh County, which averages a high of 86.4°F in its hottest month and a low of 21.8°F in its coldest, with 47.36" of precipitation a year and 31% of it in a single three-month stretch. That climate drives 981 cooling and 5,293 heating degree days, which is what sets the $177 electricity line above.
See the full climate breakdown for Lehigh County , month by month temperatures, rainy season timing, snowfall and heating and cooling costs.
Other cities in Lehigh County
Full Lehigh County cost breakdown · Every county in Pennsylvania
Talk to someone who works this market
These are Bethlehem averages. What one specific house costs to own, or what it would sell for today, depends on the street and the condition of the place. We will connect you with one licensed local agent who works Bethlehem every week. Free, no obligation, and we never sell your details to a list.
I'm looking to buy in Bethlehem I already own here and may sell
Common questions
How much does it cost to own a home in Bethlehem?
A $237,000 home in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania costs approximately $2,184 per month with 20% down at 7.4%. That is $1,313 principal and interest, $350 property tax, $79 homeowners insurance, $245 utilities and $198 set aside for maintenance.
What is the property tax rate in Bethlehem?
Bethlehem has an effective property tax rate of 1.770%, based on a median home value of $236,500 and median real estate taxes of $4,186. That is higher than the Lehigh County average of 1.663%.
What is the average home price in Bethlehem?
The median owner-occupied home value in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania is $236,500, against $276,100 across Lehigh County.
Is it cheaper to rent or buy in Bethlehem?
Median gross rent in Bethlehem is $1,311 a month, against $2,184 to own the median home all in. Renting costs less month to month here, though renting builds no equity.
What salary do you need to buy a home in Bethlehem?
Using the standard 28% rule, housing costs at no more than 28% of gross income, buying the median home in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania at today's rate takes a household income of roughly $93,500 a year. That covers the full $2,184 monthly cost, not just the mortgage payment.
Sources & methodology
- Median home value, real estate taxes, gross rent and population for Bethlehem, US Census Bureau, American Community Survey ACS 2023 5-Year, place-level tables.
- Homeowners insurance, NAIC average premium for Pennsylvania.
- Electricity price, EIA Electric Power Monthly Table 5.6.A.
- Mortgage rate, Freddie Mac PMMS, refreshed weekly.
- Maintenance (1%/yr) and water and sewer ($68/mo) are national estimates. Every assumption above is editable.