Bethlehem is a city in eastern Pennsylvania, United States. It lies in Northampton and Lehigh counties. Bethlehem borders with the cities of Allentown and Easton and is part of the greater Lehigh Valley community. Bethlehem is the sixth largest city in Pennsylvania, after Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Allentown, Erie, and Reading.

The Bethlehem Area School District is the sixth largest school district in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Located in the heart of the Lehigh Valley, it covers approximately 40.4 square miles and is comprised of five municipalities: City of Bethlehem, Boroughs of Fountain Hill and Freemansburg, and Bethlehem and Hanover Townships.

Bethlehem offers a variety of shopping areas. Shopping along Maine Street will take you back in time as you admire the Victorian lamps and store facades. With many interesting shops and lovely sidewalks, Main Street is a perfect place for a relaxing day of shopping. For additional shops of interest, the Southside business district on Third and Fourth Streets is popular and the “Avenue of the Artists” on Third Street is where you will find the Banana Factory and many artists, actors and craftsmen.

The gardens and parks of Bethlehem are beautiful! Illick’s Mill Park is on over 8 acres with walking trails and sports fields. The Mill itself will be home to a new nature center. Other area parks offer boating on the Lehigh River, biking, fishing, swimming, and a playground.

Throughout the year an abundance of artistic venues are supported in Bethlehem. Have a night out to the Opera, Ballet, or Theater. Or attend a jazz performance and make a visit to an art gallery. The professional Bethlehem Opera Theater offers four season series of opera productions per year. The Ballet Guild of the LV located on Main Street offers classical ballet performances and dance education. There are many theaters in Bethlehem and include the Mock Turtle marionette Theater, Pennsylvania Playhouse, Pennsylvania Youth Theater, and Touchstone Theater. Musical performers of jazz, swing, bluegrass, blues, folk, and others can be found at the not-for-profit, Godfrey Daniels. And the Banana Factory on Third Street is home to arts, galleries, classrooms, studios for visual artist, rehearsal studios for the Pennsylvania Youth Theater, and the Bethlehem Area Vocational Technical School’s Academy of Media Arts.

Bethlehem takes pride is a wonderful city that takes pride, supporting the arts, and maintaining its beauty making it an amazing place to live and play!

Housing Cost

Estimated median house or condo value in 2007: $176,200

Mean prices in 2007: All housing units: $203,401; Detached houses: $241,381; Townhouses or other attached units: $148,446; In 2-unit structures: $139,141; In 5-or-more-unit structures: $136,273.

Demographics

Population in July 2008: 72,241. Bethlehem covers 19.3 square miles. It sits at an elevation of 360 feet above sea level.

Area codes: 610, 484

Weather

Bethlehem, PA climate is warm during summer when temperatures tend to be in the 70's and very cold during winter when temperatures tend to be in the 20's.

The warmest month of the year is July with an average maximum temperature of 83.90 degrees Fahrenheit, while the coldest month of the year is January with an average minimum temperature of 19.10 degrees Fahrenheit.

Temperature variations between night and day tend to be moderate during summer with a difference that can reach 21 degrees Fahrenheit, and fairly limited during winter with an average difference of 17 degrees Fahrenheit.

The annual average precipitation at Bethlehem is 45.17 Inches. Rainfall in is fairly evenly distributed throughout the year. The wettest month of the year is May with an average rainfall of 4.47 Inches.

Information provided by idcide.com and city data.com