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Bethlehem vs Brookhaven

52 miles apart. The biggest differences: trails (3.2× in Brookhaven) and home values (+31% in Brookhaven).

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Bethlehem, WVKnown for its schoolsWest Virginia · 2,592 people

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Brookhaven, WVKnown for its schoolsWest Virginia · 6,212 people

Where each one shines

Two towns, two different strengths

What each town does better than most of its state (not better than each other). Tap one to see the page behind it.

BethlehemKnown for its schools

SchoolsBetter than 95%of WV districts HealthHealthier than 63%of U.S. towns on CDC estimates Housing$220K typical home23% above the WV typical home All about Bethlehem →

BrookhavenKnown for its schools

Schools#8 for schools in WVof 61 towns Health58% of U.S. towns are healthieron CDC estimates All about Brookhaven →

The biggest differences

Where they part ways

The rows below where the towns are furthest apart, beyond the Census margin of error. The full table is further down.

Brookhaven has more miles of trail

Brookhaven 2.9 miBethlehem 0.9 mi

Home values+31%

Homes cost more in Brookhaven

Brookhaven $261,000Bethlehem $200,000

Typical home built29 yrs

Bethlehem’s homes are older

Brookhaven 1990Bethlehem 1961

Jobs per worker2.2×

Bethlehem is more of a job hub

Bethlehem 0.66Brookhaven 0.30

Bethlehem has more people 65 and up

Bethlehem 26.2%Brookhaven 15.2%

Growth since 2010+6.2 pts

Brookhaven has grown faster since 2010

Brookhaven +10.4%Bethlehem +4.2%

★ What stands out · Monthly cost

A typical home costs $210 more a month in Brookhaven

A typical home in each town, bought with 20% down at 6.3% for 30 years, plus property tax at the town’s own rate and insurance. Change the numbers to fit you.

Down paymentRate%

Bethlehem$1,260/mo

Typical home $220K (Zillow) · tax rate 0.58% · or rent about $1,339/mo · Housing →

Brookhaven$1,470/mo

Typical home $261K (Census) · tax rate 0.48% · or rent about $1,104/mo · Housing →

The difference: $210 a month, about $2,600 a year, between Brookhaven and Bethlehem.

Estimates, not a quote: your price, rate, tax bill and insurance will differ. Tax rate = the Census median tax bill over the median home value.

Report cards

Bethlehem places higher on 12 of 18 WV lists

Our letter grades for safety, schools and health, then every West Virginia ranking list both towns are on. A grade is one measure; read the page behind it.

Schools

A+BethlehemBetter than 95% of districts in the state A+BrookhavenBetter than 96% of districts in the state

Health

BBethlehemHealthier than 63% of U.S. towns C+BrookhavenHealthier than 42% of U.S. towns

12Bethlehem

6Brookhaven

Lists won, of 18 where both are ranked. Ties go to nobody.

Closest to a top hospitalHealth · 63 towns #33#5 Highest graduation rateSchools · 62 towns #1#25 Most remote workersWork · 60 towns #34#17 Fewest smokersHealth · 63 towns #2#18 Most conserved landOutdoors · 55 towns #39#50 Fewest uninsuredHealth · 63 towns #1#11 Most affordableCost of living · 63 towns #46#56 Shortest commuteGetting around · 63 towns #18#27

Left end = #1 in West Virginia. Showing the lists where the towns are furthest apart. All of Bethlehem’s rankings →

Life in each

What daily life feels like in each

The weather, the land, the history and the people, row by row. None of it is a grade: more snow is a plus to a skier.

Seasons

BethlehemBrookhaven

Snow a year15″14″

January low22°F 22°F

July high83°F 85°F

Growing season (days)196d 181d

Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)32nd 35th

Outdoors & history

BethlehemBrookhaven

Trails1 mi 3 mi

Conserved land1.5%0.2%

Community

BethlehemBrookhaven

Posts this month0 0

Neighbors joined0 0

A dot marks the most on each row. Climate: NOAA 1991–2020 normals at the nearest station. Hazard risk: FEMA National Risk Index, expected yearly damage vs U.S. towns.

Where they are

52 miles apart

Straight-line miles between town centers.

BethlehemWV BrookhavenWV

Bethlehem ↔ Brookhaven52 miles apart

Everything, side by side

What matters to you?

Pick a few. Those rows jump to the top and the best fit on each is marked. There’s no overall score: what matters is up to you.

Only big differences vs West Virginia average

BethlehemBrookhaven

People

Population 2,592Lowest 6,212Highest

Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census +4.2%Lowest +10.4%Highest

Median age 41.7±4.8Highest about the WV average 37.1±3Lowest 13% below WV

Bethlehem and Brookhaven are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Kids under 18 27.5%±5.5Highest WV: 20% 26.4%±3.7Lowest WV: 20%

Bethlehem and Brookhaven are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Age 65+ 26.2%±4.1Highest WV: 21% 15.2%±2.6Lowest WV: 21%

Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 45.3%Highest WV: 24.1% 40.5%Lowest WV: 24.1%

Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 3.6%±1.8Highest WV: 5.1% 2%±1Lowest WV: 5.1%

Bethlehem and Brookhaven are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Cost of living

Household incomemedian $83,409±$14kLowest 40% above WV $88,438±$18kHighest 48% above WV

Brookhaven and Bethlehem are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $200,000±$14kLowest 23% above WV $261,000±$18kHighest 61% above WV

Rentmedian gross, monthly $1,339±$75Highest 54% above WV $1,104±$227Lowest 27% above WV

Bethlehem and Brookhaven are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Property taxmedian, yearly $1,150Lowest 33% above WV $1,245Highest 44% above WV

Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 36.7%±18.5Highest WV: 48.9% 34.4%±23.8Lowest WV: 48.9%

Bethlehem and Brookhaven are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Below poverty line 8.8%Lowest WV: 16.7% 10.5%Highest WV: 16.7%

Housing

Homeownersof occupied homes 88.2%Highest WV: 74.9% 83%Lowest WV: 74.9%

Typical home builtmedian year 1961Lowest 15 yrs older than WV 1990Highest 14 yrs newer than WV

Getting to work

Average commuteone way 19 minLowest 29% below WV 20 minHighest 24% below WV

Work from home 9.5%±4.7Lowest WV: 9.1% 12.5%±4.3Highest WV: 9.1%

Brookhaven and Bethlehem are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Work in townworking residents 2%Lowest 2.5%Highest

Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 4.8 mi 4.8 mi

Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 0.66Highest 0.30Lowest

Top workplaceoutside town Wheeling (41%)Morgantown (40%)

Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in BrookhavenFew work in Bethlehem

Outdoors

Conserved landshare of the town 1.5%Highest 0.2%Lowest

Trailsmapped miles 0.9 miLowest 2.9 miHighest

Trail densitymiles per sq mi 0.3 mi 0.3 mi

Parks & preservesnamed on the map 2Highest 1Lowest

Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 27.7Highest 21.7Lowest

Schools

Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading —#8 of 61 in WV

School district Ohio County SchoolsMonongalia County Schools

High school in town None in townNone in town

West Virginia average“±” Census margin of errorACS 2020–2024

Deciding?

Ask the people who live there

The numbers stop at the town line. Neighbors can tell you about the commute at 7am, the schools, the winters and the feel of the place.

Bethlehem neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Bethlehem’s Town Square.

Brookhaven neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Brookhaven’s Town Square.

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Bordering Bethlehem

Wheeling26,350 people · $147K homes

Towns like Bethlehem

Winfield2,918 people · $257K homes

Barrackville1,430 people · $168K homes

Williamstown2,980 people · $183K homes

Pleasant Valley3,482 people · $214K homes

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2010 & 2020 censuses, LEHD commute flows; Zillow Home Value Index; NCES Common Core of Data; FBI crime reporting; CDC PLACES; FEMA National Risk Index; NOAA U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020; USGS PAD-US and OpenStreetMap. “±” is the Census margin of error; differences inside it are never called. Property tax is top-coded by the Census at $10,000+. There is no overall score: which town is better depends on what matters to you.