Residential comparison · 13 facts
Bethlehem, PA vs Scranton, PA
Compare the housing, tax, cost, income, safety, school, and climate facts that are available for both places. The table shows the numbers without declaring one city universally better.
A household earning $85,000 in Bethlehem needs about $82,000 in Scranton to keep the same lifestyle.
Coming from Scranton, $85,000 of lifestyle costs about $88,000 in Bethlehem.
A few differences
- Bethlehem is higher on median household income ($68,879 vs $50,739).
- Scranton is lower on cost of living index (82 vs 95).
- Scranton is lower on 2-bedroom rent ($1,023/mo vs $1,503/mo).
Bethlehem vs Scranton · facet by facet
| Facet | Bethlehem, PA | Scranton, PA |
|---|---|---|
| Median home price | $260,400 | $158,100 |
| 2-bedroom rent | $1,503/mo | $1,023/mo |
| Property tax rate | 1.5% | 1.5% |
| State & local income tax | 4.57% | 6.47% |
| Sales tax | 6.34% | 6.34% |
| Cost of living index | 95 | 82 |
| Groceries index | 100 | 100 |
| Utilities | $180/mo | $180/mo |
| Median household income | $68,879 | $50,739 |
| Unemployment rate | 3.4% | 3.4% |
| Crime index | 40/100 | 40/100 |
| School rating | 6.3/10 | 6.3/10 |
| Sunny days / year | 180 days | 180 days |
Data: Census ACS 2024 · BLS · Tax Foundation 2024 brackets · HUD/Zillow · NOAA 1991–2020 · FEMA NRI · Values are shown as reported; no universal winner is implied.
Full profiles: Bethlehem, PA · Scranton, PA
Questions & answers
- Is Bethlehem cheaper than Scranton?
- Scranton has the lower day-to-day cost index (82 vs 95 against a national 100). The other differences are shown facet by facet in the table.
- What household income in Scranton equals $85,000 in Bethlehem?
- A household earning $85,000 in Bethlehem needs about $82,000 in Scranton to keep the same lifestyle; coming the other way, $85,000 of Scranton lifestyle costs about $88,000 in Bethlehem.