Bethlehem, PA vs Lancaster, PA
Side-by-side fiscal comparison · U.S. Census Bureau data (2023)
Lancaster, PA outspends Bethlehem, PA by a wide margin per resident — $51,351 versus $14,468, a 255% difference. A gap this size usually reflects a structurally different service mix or accounting scope rather than a single line item.
Bethlehem, PA holds the stronger Fiscal Health Score, 88/100 (grade A) against 51/100 (grade C) for Lancaster, PA — a 37-point spread that puts the two in different grade territory.
Neither city reports outstanding debt per resident in its current Census filing, which removes debt service as a point of difference between them. Their budgets diverge on where the largest per-resident dollars go: Bethlehem, PA leads with fire protection at $1,642 per resident, while Lancaster, PA leads with police at $5,263.
They also fund themselves differently: other revenue is the largest single revenue source in Bethlehem, PA at 16% of total revenue, whereas Lancaster, PA relies most on intergovernmental transfers at 100%.
Summary
Lancaster spends 71.8% more per capita than Bethlehem ($36,883/person difference). Bethlehem, PA has the stronger Fiscal Health Score (A, 88/100).
Fiscal Health Score
Key Metrics
Per Capita Spending by Department
Revenue Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Property Tax | $1 | $0 |
| Sales Tax | $405 | $72 |
| Income Tax | $308 | $0 |
| Intergovernmental | $3,237 | $24,786 |
| Charges & Fees | $3,296 | $0 |
| Other | $3,969 | $4,613 |
Spending Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Police | $0 | $5,263 |
| Fire Protection | $1,642 | $4,067 |
| Highways & Roads | $668 | $500 |
| Public Welfare | $1,218 | $24 |
| Health | $187 | $417 |
| Hospitals | $526 | $6,387 |
| Parks & Recreation | $634 | $278 |
| Housing | $2,229 | $2,619 |
| Sewerage | $68 | $0 |
| Utilities | $2,000 | $7,457 |
| Interest on Debt | $0 | $76 |
| Other | $5,296 | $24,262 |
Compare More Cities
Source: Census Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances, 2026.