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Data from U.S. Census Bureau · 2026 · Methodology
CitySpend

Bethlehem, PA

Population: 76,555 (2022) · Small Cities (50K–100K)

A
88/100

Excellent fiscal health — strong reserves, low debt, well-funded pensions

Total Spending
$1.1B
Per Capita
$14,468
Total Revenue
$1.9B
Total Debt
$0

Spending Breakdown

Other
36.6%$405.4M
Housing & Community Development
15.4%$170.6M
Utilities
13.8%$153.1M
Fire Protection
11.4%$125.7M
Public Welfare
8.4%$93.2M
Highways & Roads
4.6%$51.1M
Parks & Recreation
4.4%$48.5M
Hospitals
3.6%$40.3M
Health
1.3%$14.3M
Sewerage
0.5%$5.2M

Spending data sourced from the Census Bureau's Annual Survey of State & Local Government Finances. Per-capita comparisons use the Lincoln Institute's Fiscally Standardized Cities methodology for fair cross-city benchmarking.

Revenue Sources

Property Tax
0.0%$42K
Sales Tax
1.6%$31.0M
Income Tax
1.2%$23.6M
Intergovernmental
12.9%$247.8M
Charges & Fees
13.1%$252.4M
Other
15.8%$303.9M

Per Capita Spending by Department

Fire Protection$1,642/person
Highways & Roads$668/person
Parks & Recreation$634/person
Health$187/person

Score Breakdown

Budget Balance & Reserves (25%)100/100
Debt Burden (20%)100/100
Pension Funding (20%)76/100
Spending Efficiency (15%)86/100
Revenue Diversity (10%)100/100
Trend Direction (10%)50/100

Compare Cities

See how Bethlehem stacks up against another city.

vs Philadelphia, PAvs Pittsburgh, PAvs Allentown, PA
Data source: U.S. Census Bureau, Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances (2023). Population from American Community Survey.

Other Cities in Pennsylvania

Philadelphia, PA

Pop. 1.6M

D
Total Spending
$89.7B
Per Capita
$56,272

Pittsburgh, PA

Pop. 304K

B
Total Spending
$7.7B
Per Capita
$25,349

Allentown, PA

Pop. 125K

B
Total Spending
$1.9B
Per Capita
$15,252

Erie, PA

Pop. 95K

D
Total Spending
$4.1B
Per Capita
$43,394

Compare Bethlehem With

Philadelphia, PA

Spending: $56,272/person · Grade: D

Pittsburgh, PA

Spending: $25,349/person · Grade: B

Allentown, PA

Spending: $15,252/person · Grade: B

Erie, PA

Spending: $43,394/person · Grade: D

Frequently Asked Questions

Bethlehem, PA spends $14,468 per resident, based on total expenditures of $1.1B for a population of 76,555. The city has a Fiscal Health Score of A (88/100).

Bethlehem, PA has total expenditures of $1.1B and total revenue of $1.9B. The city carries $0 in total debt, based on Census Bureau data from 2023.

Bethlehem, PA employs 0 government workers, of which 0 are full-time. The average government salary is $0, with 0.0 employees per 10,000 residents.

Bethlehem, PA has a Fiscal Health Score of A (88/100). This score evaluates budget balance, debt burden, pension funding, spending efficiency, revenue diversity, and 3-year fiscal trajectory compared to peer cities of similar population.

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