Bethlehem, PA vs Harrisburg, PA
Side-by-side fiscal comparison · U.S. Census Bureau data (2023)
Bethlehem, PA outspends Harrisburg, PA by a wide margin per resident — $14,468 versus $73, a 19729% difference. A gap this size usually reflects a structurally different service mix or accounting scope rather than a single line item.
Harrisburg, PA edges Bethlehem, PA on the Fiscal Health Score by 2 points — 90/100 (grade A) to 88/100 (grade A). At a margin this narrow the grade is close enough that the factor-level detail matters more than the composite.
Neither city reports outstanding debt per resident in its current Census filing, which removes debt service as a point of difference between them.
Summary
Bethlehem spends 19729.5% more per capita than Harrisburg ($14,395/person difference). Harrisburg, PA has the stronger Fiscal Health Score (A, 90/100).
Fiscal Health Score
Key Metrics
Per Capita Spending by Department
Revenue Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Property Tax | $1 | $0 |
| Sales Tax | $405 | $0 |
| Income Tax | $308 | $0 |
| Intergovernmental | $3,237 | -$1,698 |
| Charges & Fees | $3,296 | $0 |
| Other | $3,969 | $0 |
Spending Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Fire Protection | $1,642 | $0 |
| Highways & Roads | $668 | $0 |
| Public Welfare | $1,218 | $0 |
| Health | $187 | $0 |
| Hospitals | $526 | $73 |
| Parks & Recreation | $634 | $0 |
| Housing | $2,229 | $0 |
| Sewerage | $68 | $0 |
| Utilities | $2,000 | $0 |
| Other | $5,296 | $0 |
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Source: Census Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances, 2026.