Reading, PA vs Bethlehem, 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: Reading, PA leads with parks and recreation at $826 per resident, while Bethlehem, PA leads with fire protection at $1,642.
On the revenue side both lean hardest on other revenue — 28% of total revenue in Reading, PA and 16% in Bethlehem, PA.
Summary
Reading spends 12.9% 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 | $47 | $1 |
| Sales Tax | $60 | $405 |
| Income Tax | $956 | $308 |
| Intergovernmental | $767 | $3,237 |
| Charges & Fees | $3,742 | $3,296 |
| Other | $6,157 | $3,969 |
Spending Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Fire Protection | $256 | $1,642 |
| Highways & Roads | $92 | $668 |
| Public Welfare | $1,502 | $1,218 |
| Health | $180 | $187 |
| Hospitals | $672 | $526 |
| Parks & Recreation | $826 | $634 |
| Housing | $4,415 | $2,229 |
| Sewerage | $0 | $68 |
| Utilities | $3,304 | $2,000 |
| Other | $5,080 | $5,296 |
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Source: Census Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances, 2026.