Rents are 7% below what Bethlehem's 10-year trend predicts — a better deal than its own history suggests.
Rent by unit size
These are HUD Fair Market Rents, the payment standard for a Housing Choice Voucher (Section 8). They often differ from the $1,880 market median above, and that is expected: FMR is the 40th percentile of standard-quality units and counts gross rent, so it includes essential utilities such as electricity, water, gas, sewer, and trash. The market median is asking rent, which usually excludes utilities. HUD sets FMR once a year; market rent here updates monthly.
Source: HUD Small Area Fair Market Rents. Read the methodology →
12-month history
Last updated: October 17, 2026
What the numbers show
December. Asking rents in Bethlehem usually run 1% below trend in December and 0.8% above it in August, about $34 a month apart at today's median. Based on 11 years of data.
Rent in Bethlehem is at its highest level since Zillow's records here began in January 2015.
Rent in Bethlehem changed +2.6% over the year to September 2026. Across the 114 Pennsylvania cities Zillow tracks, the typical change was +3.6%.
From 2019 to 2024, rent in Bethlehem rose 43% while median household income rose 23.4% ($55,809 to $68,879). Rent outpaced income.
Rent in Bethlehem is 47.6% higher than in March 2020. Across the US, rent is up 37.3% over the same stretch.
Rent rose in 9 of the last 12 months.
30% of the median household income ($68,879) is $1,722 a month. That covers HUD's Fair Market Rent for up to a 2-bedroom ($1,630); a 3-bedroom is $2,080.
The priciest of 3 ZIP codes in Bethlehem, 18017 ($2,077/mo), costs 20% more than the cheapest, 18018 ($1,732/mo).
Allentown, 5 miles away, rents for 10% less ($1,686/mo), about $2,300 a year in savings.
From Zillow's monthly rent index (ZORI) for Bethlehem. The seasonal pattern compares Zillow’s seasonally adjusted and unadjusted series. Income is the Census median household income (5-year estimates). Fair Market Rents are HUD’s, which include utilities.
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Who lives here
Bethlehem, PA is roughly split between renters and owners, skews toward younger working-age adults, 36% of residents hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2024 5-Year Estimates
How Bethlehem, PA has changed in 5 years
Across the past five years, the going rent in Bethlehem, PA has shifted from $1,425 to $1,880, up 31.9% since 2021. Household income in the area moved from $58,232 to $68,879 across the same window, up 18.3% versus 2021. Because rent grew faster than wages over the same span, the affordability picture has tightened relative to 2021. Census counts show Bethlehem, PA adding about 2,357 residents over the five-year window, up 3.1% on net. Bachelor's-degree-or-higher attainment moved from 32.2% to 36% across the same window. Reading these numbers side by side helps frame whether current listings in Bethlehem, PA look reasonable against where the market sat half a decade ago.
Discussions about Bethlehem
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Can you afford rent in Bethlehem on your salary?
At $1,880/mo, how Bethlehem rent compares to typical pay (30% rule).
Bethlehem rent by bedroom count
Median rent for each apartment size in Bethlehem. Click any size for full breakdown.
Tips for renters in Bethlehem
Last updated: October 17, 2026
The median rent in Bethlehem is $1,880/mo as of October 2026. A studio apartment averages $1,117/mo while a 2-bedroom runs $1,630/mo. One-bedroom apartments average $1,310/mo and 3-bedroom units go for $2,080/mo.
At 33% of local median household income ($68,879/yr), Bethlehem ranks as moderate compared to the national benchmark of 30%. Rents have increased 2.6% over the past year.
Frequently asked questions
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Which nearby cities are cheaper to rent in than Bethlehem?
At $1,880/mo, rent takes ~33% of Bethlehem's median household income ($68,879/yr). The standard benchmark is 30%.
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Estimated from ZIP-level data
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