Compare towns
Spring vs Ross vs Bethlehem
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Pennsylvania.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Spring has the most kids (19.8% under 18).
Ross has the most people working from home (25.4%).
Bethlehem has the most expensive homes ($377k median).
What matters to you?
Pick a few. We’ll pull those rows to the top and mark which town comes out ahead on each. There’s no overall score: what matters is up to you.
| Measure | Spring | Ross | Bethlehem |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 28,601 |
32,939Highest |
26,237Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.7%Lowest PA: +2.4% |
+7.9% PA: +2.4% |
+9%Highest PA: +2.4% |
| Median age | 42.2±2.3 3% above PA |
42.6±1.5Highest 4% above PA |
41.9±2.6Lowest about the PA average |
| Ross and Spring are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 19.8%±2Highest PA: 20.4% |
19.4%±1.7 PA: 20.4% |
19.3%±2.4Lowest PA: 20.4% |
| Spring and Ross are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 19.4%±1.8Lowest PA: 19.5% |
23.1%±2Highest PA: 19.5% |
21.5%±1.8 PA: 19.5% |
| Ross and Bethlehem are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 44.5%Lowest PA: 35.2% |
51.3%Highest PA: 35.2% |
46.6% PA: 35.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 7.8%±1.1Highest PA: 6.1% |
4.3%±1.1Lowest PA: 6.1% |
6.5%±0.8 PA: 6.1% |
| Spring and Bethlehem are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $94,837±$10k 22% above PA |
$92,642±$3kLowest 19% above PA |
$119,050±$13kHighest 53% above PA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $286,900±$11k 13% above PA |
$268,900±$9kLowest 6% above PA |
$376,500±$11kHighest 48% above PA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,416±$95 17% above PA |
$1,278±$58Lowest 6% above PA |
$1,794±$99Highest 48% above PA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,603 39% above PA |
$3,662Lowest 11% above PA |
$6,126Highest 85% above PA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 49.3%±13Highest PA: 48.2% |
43%±8 PA: 48.2% |
41.4%±8.8Lowest PA: 48.2% |
| Spring and Ross are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 5.1%Lowest PA: 11.7% |
6.7%Highest PA: 11.7% |
5.1%Lowest PA: 11.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 75.3% PA: 69.3% |
72.1%Lowest PA: 69.3% |
81.7%Highest PA: 69.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975 10 yrs newer than PA |
1966Lowest 1 yr newer than PA |
1989Highest 24 yrs newer than PA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 minLowest 10% below PA |
24 minLowest 10% below PA |
26 minHighest about the PA average |
| Work from home | 14.9%±2.2Lowest PA: 15.6% |
25.4%±3.6Highest PA: 15.6% |
15.9%±2.2 PA: 15.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #365 of 764 in PA | #78 of 764 in PA | #565 of 764 in PA |
| School district | Wilson SD | North Hills SD | Bethlehem Area SD · Bethlehem Area Vocational-Technical School |
| High school in town | Wilson HS | North Hills HS | Freedom HS |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 16.1 |
13.7Lowest |
16.5Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet |
PA average · Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates 2020–2024; 2010 & 2020 decennial census; NCES Common Core of Data. “±” is the Census margin of error. Property tax is top-coded by the Census at $10,000+. School rank compares math and reading proficiency against the state average.