Can A Pharmacist Afford Rent in Bethlehem, PA?

Comfortably affordable — rent takes 17.5% of gross income.

Bethlehem rent: June 2026. Salary: BLS OEWS May 2024 (Pennsylvania state estimate).

Bethlehem median rent
$1,916/mo
Pharmacist salary (Pennsylvania)
$131,423/yr
Rent as % of income
17.5%
Gross monthly income works out to about $10,952, and the 30% rule supports up to $3,286/mo in rent. Bethlehem's median rent of $1,916 leaves roughly $1,370/mo of headroom under that threshold. A pharmacist works roughly 30.3 hours a month to cover that rent.

About rent and a pharmacist salary

Pharmacist pay covers comfortable rent in nearly every US city. At the national-average pharmacist salary, the 30% rule supports about $3,319 a month in rent — above median rent in all but a handful of high-cost coastal metros.

Cheaper rent nearby

These Pennsylvania cities have lower median rent than Bethlehem, which improves the affordability math on a pharmacist salary:

Wyomissing, PA
$1,915/mo (17.5% of income)
Harleysville, PA
$1,914/mo (17.5% of income)
Lansdale, PA
$1,913/mo (17.5% of income)

Compare with full rent data for Bethlehem

View full rent data for Bethlehem, PA

Frequently asked questions

Can a pharmacist afford rent in Bethlehem, PA?

Median rent in Bethlehem is $1,916 a month. A typical pharmacist in Pennsylvania earns about $131,423 a year, which makes that rent 17.5% of gross monthly income. Under the 30% rule, the answer is yes.

How much rent can a pharmacist afford in Bethlehem?

Using the 30% rule, a pharmacist salary in Pennsylvania (~$131,423/yr) supports up to $3,286 a month in rent. Bethlehem's current median rent is $1,916/mo, which leaves a $1,370/mo buffer.

How many hours does a pharmacist work to cover rent in Bethlehem?

At an hourly equivalent of about $63 an hour, a pharmacist in Pennsylvania works roughly 30.3 hours a month to cover Bethlehem's median rent of $1,916.

Where is rent cheaper than Bethlehem for a pharmacist?

Nearby Pennsylvania cities with lower median rent include Wyomissing ($1,915/mo), Harleysville ($1,914/mo), Lansdale ($1,913/mo). Each shifts the affordability math materially on a pharmacist salary.

Methodology: Salary uses the BLS-derived Pennsylvania state estimate from OEWS May 2024. Rent is the most recent ZORI monthly value for Bethlehem, PA. Affordability applies the 30% rule (rent ≤ 30% of gross income). Real take-home varies with taxes, household composition, overtime, tips, and benefits.