Bethlehem
City in Northampton County, Pennsylvania
Bethlehem is a city in Northampton County, Pennsylvania, with 75,781 residents (2020 Census). It sits at 358 ft (109 m) above sea level. The nearest town is Freemansburg, 1.5 miles E.
- 75,781residents (2020 Census)
- 358 ftelevation · 109 m
- 19.1 sq miland area · 49.5 km²
- 3,964 / sq mipopulation density
- 18018main ZIP code (3 in total)
About Bethlehem
Bethlehem is a city in Northampton and Lehigh counties in the Lehigh Valley region of eastern Pennsylvania, United States. As of the 2020 census, Bethlehem had a total population of 75,781, making it the second-largest city in the Lehigh Valley after Allentown and the seventh-largest city in the state. Among its total population as of 2020, 55,639 were in Northampton County and 19,343 were in Lehigh County. The city is located along the Lehigh River, a 109-mile-long (175 km) tributary of the Delaware River.
Bethlehem lies in the geographic center of the Lehigh Valley, a metropolitan region of 731 sq mi (1,890 km2) with a population of 861,899 people as of the 2020 census that is Pennsylvania's third-most populous metropolitan area and the 68th-most populated metropolitan area in the U.S. Bethlehem borders Allentown to its west and is 48 miles (77 km) north of Philadelphia and 72 miles (116 km) west of New York City.
There are four sections to the city: central Bethlehem, the south side, the east side, and the west side. Each of these sections blossomed at different times in the city's development and each contains areas recognized under the National Register of Historic Places. Norfolk Southern Railway's Lehigh Line, formerly the main line of the Lehigh Valley Railroad, runs through Bethlehem heading east to Easton and across the Delaware River to Phillipsburg, New Jersey. The Norfolk Southern Railway's Reading Line runs through Bethlehem and west to Allentown and Reading.
Bethlehem has a long historical relationship with the celebration of Christmas. The city was christened as Bethlehem on Christmas Eve 1741 by Nicolaus Zinzendorf, a Moravian bishop. In 1749, Bethlehem was the first U.S. city to feature a decorated Christmas tree. On December 7, 1937, at a grand ceremony during the Great Depression, the city adopted the nickname Christmas City USA. It is one of several Lehigh Valley locations, including Egypt, Emmaus, Jordan Creek, and Nazareth, whose names were inspired by locations in the Bible.
Text: Wikipedia · CC BY-SA 4.0
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Living in Bethlehem
- Median household income
- $68,879
- Median home value
- $260,400
- Median rent
- $1,382/mo
- Median age
- 36.1
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Map of Bethlehem
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Open in Google Maps ›Bethlehem, PA population
Bethlehem had 75,781 residents in the 2020 Census.
| 2020 Census | 75,781 |
|---|---|
| Density | 3,964 per sq mi (1,531 per km²) |
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Decennial Census.
Bethlehem at a glance
| State | Pennsylvania (PA) |
|---|---|
| County | Northampton County |
| Type | City |
| Population | 75,781 (2020) |
| Land area | 19.12 sq mi (49.5 km²) |
| Water area | 0.34 sq mi (0.89 km²) |
| Elevation | 358 ft (109 m) |
| Coordinates | 40.6264° N, 75.3679° W |
| ZIP codes | 18018, 18015, 18017 |
| Official website | bethlehem-pa.gov |
| Census code (GEOID) | 4206088 |
Sources: U.S. Census Bureau (Gazetteer, ZCTA), USGS GNIS, Wikidata.
Towns near Bethlehem
- Freemansburg1.5 mi E
- Fountain Hill2.2 mi SW
- Middletown2.6 mi NE
- Hanover3.2 mi NW
- Hellertown3.5 mi SE
- Salisbury3.8 mi SW
- Lower Saucon4.1 mi SE
- Hanover4.2 mi NW
- Catasauqua5.2 mi W
- Fullerton5.9 mi W
- Lower Nazareth6.0 mi NE
- Old Orchard6.0 mi E
Straight-line distance between town centers.
Frequently asked questions about Bethlehem
What county is Bethlehem in?
Bethlehem is in Northampton County, Pennsylvania.
What is the population of Bethlehem, PA?
75,781 people lived in Bethlehem at the 2020 Census.
What is the ZIP code of Bethlehem, PA?
The main ZIP code is 18018. Other ZIP codes: 18015, 18017.
What is the elevation of Bethlehem?
358 feet (109 m) above sea level.
What towns are near Bethlehem?
Freemansburg (1.5 mi), Fountain Hill (2.2 mi), Middletown (2.6 mi), Hanover (3.2 mi), Hellertown (3.5 mi).
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