Living a College Town Lifestyle in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania

With a liberal arts campus, Bethlehem is a city of about 73,000 people in eastern Pennsylvania.  Allentown is nearby. Bethlehem is home to Lehigh University, a highly rated school with over 5,000 students, as well as Moravian College. Bethlehem Steel was formerly here, whose departure the city is struggling to overcome. The Sands Casino, which is being built on brownfields here,  has been projected to bring in approximately one million dollars in revenue per day as of 2009. Crime is below average.

Where to Retire in Bethlehem and Home Prices

You can live in town or in one of the active communities in the area (see link at left).
The National Association of Realtors reports the median sale price to be $299,800 in the 4th quarter of 2022, in the Allentown-Bethlehem- Easton PA-NJ area.

What Is Special about Bethlehem

Money Magazine named Bethlehem as one of its 100 Best Places to Live (2016). The Sands Casino is one of the most ambitious brownfields redemption projects anywhere. Thanks to Pat for her comment: Bethlehem is... "home to STEEL STACKS, a venue for concerts , craft shows, Octoberfest, 1 of the nations biggest music festivals, Musikfest and many other events. The site of those steel stacks bathed in rainbow light as a backdrop to a Steely Dan or Chicago outdoor concert is priceless. Downtown Bethlehem also has a thriving downtown & is known as the Christmas City, drawing thousands of holiday visitors for tours."

What Is Not Special about Bethlehem

This is an old industrial city that is trying hard to reinvent itself.

Climate and Physical Environment

The average July temp is in the low 70s and and the average Jan temp is in the high 20s. Bethlehem is in Eastern PA.

Restaurants & Cultural Scene

Bethlehem has appropriately been called "Christmas City" as the town offers more than 50 different events and attractions during the holiday season, including walking tours and carriage rides. Christkindlmarkt is an arts and crafts market modeled after European open-air markets where vendors sell ornaments, nutcrackers and art work. The town is home to many restaurants, parks and recreation opportunities. Bethlehem also hosts several other festivals throughout the year including a Blueberry Festival and a Harvest Festival. The Sands Casino Resort is an entertainment destination with games, live music and restaurants.

Crime

Bethlehem's crime rate is below the national average.

Medical Facilities

St. Lukes and Lehigh Valley are among the hospitals and medical centers in the area.

Transportation

There is bus service throughout the Lehigh Valley and daily service to NYC, Atlantic City and JFK. The nearest airport is the Lehigh Valley International Airport, just 7 miles away in Allentown.

Valuable Links

City of Bethlehem

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