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Hellertown vs Bethlehem

Next-door neighbors. The biggest differences: trails (9.9× in Bethlehem) and size (12.7× in Bethlehem).

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Hellertown, PAAn outdoors townPennsylvania · 6,118 people
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Bethlehem, PAA colonial town, settled 1741Pennsylvania · 77,956 people
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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.

HellertownAn outdoors town
Outdoors#53 most walkable in PA1.8 miles of trails across 5 parks and preserves HealthHealthier than 58%of U.S. towns on CDC estimates HistorySettled in 17422 places on the National Register All about Hellertown →
BethlehemA colonial town, settled 1741
HistorySettled in 174123 places on the National Register Famous people88 notable peopleborn in Bethlehem Health58% of U.S. towns are healthieron CDC estimates All about Bethlehem →
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.

Trails9.9×
Bethlehem has more miles of trail
Bethlehem 17.8 miHellertown 1.8 mi
Size12.7×
Bethlehem is the bigger place
Bethlehem 77,956Hellertown 6,118
Homeowners+16.8 pts renters
Bethlehem has more renters
Hellertown 66.7%Bethlehem 49.9%
Street grid+82%
Hellertown has the more walkable street grid
Hellertown 166Bethlehem 90.8
Jobs per worker+94%
Bethlehem is more of a job hub
Bethlehem 1.20Hellertown 0.62
Median age5.4 yrs
Hellertown skews older
Hellertown 41.5Bethlehem 36.1
★ What stands out · Where they are

Hellertown and Bethlehem share a border

And the people who already live in one and work in the other.

HellertownBethlehemHellertownBethlehem
Hellertown ↔ Bethlehem3.5 miles apart · They share a border
Who commutes between them
365 Hellertown residents work in Bethlehem (12% of its workers)
Work & commute in Hellertown →
Report cards

Hellertown places higher on 14 of 20 PA lists

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

Safety
–HellertownNot graded B−BethlehemSafer than 45% of U.S. towns
Schools
–HellertownNot graded C+BethlehemBetter than 39% of districts in the state
Health
BHellertownHealthier than 58% of U.S. towns C+BethlehemHealthier than 42% of U.S. towns
14Hellertown
5Bethlehem

Lists won, of 20 where both are ranked. Ties go to nobody.

Fewest uninsuredHealth · 1058 towns #381#1020 Most activeHealth · 1058 towns #443#810 Highest graduation rateSchools · 1036 towns #476#832 Shortest commuteGetting around · 1058 towns #540#241 Most conserved landOutdoors · 1055 towns #369#663 HealthiestHealth · 1058 towns #520#759 Lowest obesityHealth · 1058 towns #262#485 Fastest growingGrowth · 1058 towns #356#538

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

Monthly cost

A typical home costs about the same each month

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.

Hellertown$2,520/mo
Typical home $380K (Zillow) · tax rate 1.65% · or rent about $1,372/mo · Housing →
Bethlehem$2,390/mo
Typical home $362K (Zillow) · tax rate 1.64% · or rent about $1,382/mo · Housing →

The difference: $130 a month, about $1,500 a year, between Hellertown 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.

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
HellertownBethlehem
Snow a year33″33″
January low22°F22°F
July high86°F86°F
Growing season (days)184d184d
Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)33rd51st
Outdoors & history
HellertownBethlehem
Trails2 mi18 mi
Conserved land12.2%5.2%
Settled17421741
National Register places223
Archive photos624
Famous people born here988
Community
HellertownBethlehem
Library hours a week44 hrs55 hrs
Colleges in town—2
Posts this month00
Neighbors joined00

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.

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.

HellertownBethlehem
People
Population 6,118Lowest 77,956Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census +4%Highest PA: +2.4% +1.1%Lowest PA: +2.4%
Median age 41.5±2Highest about the PA average 36.1±1.1Lowest 12% below PA
Kids under 18 20.3%±3.7Highest PA: 20.4% 17.2%±1.2Lowest PA: 20.4%
Hellertown and Bethlehem are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+ 23.8%±3.8Highest PA: 19.5% 18.9%±1.1Lowest PA: 19.5%
Hellertown and Bethlehem are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 30.8%Lowest PA: 35.2% 36%Highest PA: 35.2%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 5.4%±3Lowest PA: 6.1% 13.6%±1Highest PA: 6.1%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian $72,813±$11kHighest 7% below PA $68,879±$4kLowest 12% below PA
Hellertown and Bethlehem are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $256,200±$19kLowest about the PA average $260,400±$7kHighest about the PA average
Bethlehem and Hellertown are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly $1,372±$131Lowest 13% above PA $1,382±$43Highest 14% above PA
Bethlehem and Hellertown are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly $4,235Lowest 28% above PA $4,268Highest 29% above PA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 59.3%±18.3Highest PA: 48.2% 52.5%±4.8Lowest PA: 48.2%
Hellertown and Bethlehem are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line 4.8%Lowest PA: 11.7% 15.7%Highest PA: 11.7%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes 66.7%Highest PA: 69.3% 49.9%Lowest PA: 69.3%
Typical home builtmedian year 1952Lowest 13 yrs older than PA 1957Highest 8 yrs older than PA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way 26 minHighest about the PA average 22 minLowest 16% below PA
Work from home 18.8%±5.8Highest PA: 15.6% 17.2%±2Lowest PA: 15.6%
Hellertown and Bethlehem are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Work in townworking residents 9.2%Lowest 19.8%Highest
Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 9.3 miHighest 8.3 miLowest
Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 0.62Lowest 1.20Highest
Top workplaceoutside town Bethlehem (12%)Allentown (8%)
Between these townsresidents who work in the others 12% work in BethlehemFew work in Hellertown
Outdoors
Conserved landshare of the town 12.2%Highest 5.2%Lowest
Trailsmapped miles 1.8 miLowest 17.8 miHighest
Trail densitymiles per sq mi 1.4 miHighest 0.9 miLowest
Parks & preservesnamed on the map 5Lowest 39Highest
Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 166Highest 90.8Lowest
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading —#598 of 765 in PA
School district —Lehigh Valley Dual Language CS · Bethlehem Area SD
High school in town —Liberty HS
Students per teacherat that high school — 16.0
Pennsylvania 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.

Hellertown neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Hellertown’s Town Square.

Bethlehem neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Bethlehem’s Town Square.

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Bordering Hellertown

L
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Lower Saucon Township11,089 people · $396K homes

Towns like Hellertown

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New Holland5,780 people · $238K homes
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Spring Township8,053 people · $274K homes
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South Williamsport6,211 people · $181K homes
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Ridley Park7,261 people · $282K homes
Not sure which town to add? Find your place ranks Pennsylvania towns on what matters to you.Find your place →

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.

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