Bethlehem, PA vs Reading, PA
Side-by-side fiscal comparison · U.S. Census Bureau data (2023)
Reading, PA and Bethlehem, PA spend within 12.9% of each other per resident — $16,327 versus $14,468 — so on the headline spending-per-capita measure the two cities are effectively neck and neck.
Bethlehem, PA edges Reading, PA on the Fiscal Health Score by 2 points — 88/100 (grade A) to 86/100 (grade A). At a margin this narrow the grade is close enough that the factor-level detail matters more than the composite.
Bethlehem, PA reports no outstanding debt per resident in its Census filing, while Reading, PA carries $87 per resident. Their budgets diverge on where the largest per-resident dollars go: Bethlehem, PA leads with fire protection at $1,642 per resident, while Reading, PA leads with parks and recreation at $826.
On the revenue side both lean hardest on other revenue — 16% of total revenue in Bethlehem, PA and 28% in Reading, PA.
Summary
Reading spends 11.4% more per capita than Bethlehem ($1,860/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 | $47 |
| Sales Tax | $405 | $60 |
| Income Tax | $308 | $956 |
| Intergovernmental | $3,237 | $767 |
| Charges & Fees | $3,296 | $3,742 |
| Other | $3,969 | $6,157 |
Spending Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Fire Protection | $1,642 | $256 |
| Highways & Roads | $668 | $92 |
| Public Welfare | $1,218 | $1,502 |
| Health | $187 | $180 |
| Hospitals | $526 | $672 |
| Parks & Recreation | $634 | $826 |
| Housing | $2,229 | $4,415 |
| Sewerage | $68 | $0 |
| Utilities | $2,000 | $3,304 |
| Other | $5,296 | $5,080 |
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Source: Census Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances, 2026.