Population 2,577 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Bethlehem
Household size in Bethlehem
| Period | Bethlehem | West Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.40 | 2.44 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.51 | 2.45 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.30 | 2.44 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.34 | 2.43 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.06 | −0.01 | −0.03 |
Bethlehem is a place of small households, averaging 2.34 people against 2.65 for the U.S., which points to many singles, couples and roommates and relatively few children.
Household size: the average number of people living in each occupied home. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25010).
Median age in Bethlehem
| Period | Bethlehem | West Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 46.3 | 41.4 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 45.5 | 42.2 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 45.2 | 43.1 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 44.7 | 43.2 | 40.1 |
| Change | −1.5 | +1.9 | +2.3 |
With a median age of 44.7, Bethlehem is noticeably older than the country as a whole (40.1), an age mix that tilts toward empty nesters and retirees. Since 2006–10, the median age has dropped from 46.3, but in a place this small, survey estimates can swing a lot from one release to the next.
Median age: the age that splits residents into two equal halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B01002).
Single-parent households in Bethlehem
| Period | Bethlehem | West Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 5.0% | 9.7% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 8.1% | 10.4% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 2.7% | 10.6% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 4.9% | 10.4% | 11.6% |
| Change | −0.2 pts | +0.6 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single parents head only 4.9% of households in Bethlehem, well below the national share of 11.6%.
Single-parent households: households where one adult with no spouse present lives with children under 18. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B11003).
Housing in Bethlehem
Renters in Bethlehem
| Period | Bethlehem | West Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 16.6% | 25.4% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 16.0% | 27.0% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 16.5% | 26.8% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 12.2% | 25.1% | 34.8% |
| Change | −4.4 pts | −0.3 pts | +1.5 pts |
Only 12.2% of households in Bethlehem rent their homes, far below the national share of 34.8%, so most residents are owners who tend to stay put. Among homeowners, 55.4% have no mortgage at all, well above the national share of 39.8%.
Renters: occupied homes that are rented rather than owned. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25003).
Vacant homes in Bethlehem
| Period | Bethlehem | West Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 8.6% | 15.1% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 5.6% | 15.0% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 7.8% | 16.8% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 8.5% | 14.9% | 9.6% |
| Change | −0.1 pts | −0.1 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacancy in Bethlehem is close to the national rate: 8.5% of homes are empty, against 9.6%. The rate is lower than in West Virginia as a whole (14.9%).
Vacant homes: homes with no one living in them, including vacation homes and homes for sale or rent. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25002).
Age of homes in Bethlehem
| Period | Bethlehem | West Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1961 | 1970 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1962 | 1973 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1962 | 1974 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1961 | 1976 | 1980 |
| Change | +0 | +6 | +6 |
Bethlehem is a place of older homes: half were built before 1961, while the national median is 1980. That means established neighborhoods, and more houses that may need updating.
Age of homes: the year that splits the housing stock into older and newer halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25035).
Rent in Bethlehem
| Period | Bethlehem | West Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $714 | $578 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $704 | $657 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $1,105 | $759 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $1,401 | $905 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$687 | +$327 | +$606 |
The median renter in Bethlehem pays $1,401 a month for rent and utilities, below the national median of $1,571. Still, rents here are higher than in West Virginia overall ($905). The typical renter here spends 16.8% of household income on rent, comfortably under the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent, and a smaller share than renters pay nationally.
Rent: monthly rent plus the utilities renters pay themselves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25064).
Education in Bethlehem
Bachelor's degrees in Bethlehem
| Period | Bethlehem | West Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 32.5% | 18.4% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 30.9% | 19.7% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 41.7% | 21.4% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 45.2% | 25.0% | 35.6% |
| Change | +12.7 pts | +6.6 pts | +7.2 pts |
College degrees are more common in Bethlehem than nationally: 45.2% of adults 25 and older have a bachelor's or higher, against 35.6%.
Bachelor's degrees: adults 25 and older with a bachelor's degree or higher. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
High school graduates in Bethlehem
| Period | Bethlehem | West Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 98.4% | 82.5% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 93.4% | 84.8% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 98.6% | 87.2% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 99.0% | 89.4% | 89.3% |
| Change | +0.6 pts | +6.9 pts | +4.3 pts |
Finishing high school is nearly universal in Bethlehem: 99.0% of adults 25 and older have a diploma or equivalent, well above the national rate of 89.3%.
High school graduates: adults 25 and older with a high school diploma, GED or more. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
Jobs in Bethlehem
| Period | Bethlehem | West Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.2% | 7.2% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 1.8% | 8.2% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 8.0% | 6.7% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 3.0% | 5.5% | 5.4% |
| Change | +0.8 pts | −1.6 pts | −2.7 pts |
Unemployment in Bethlehem has been low: just 3.0% of the labor force was out of work and looking, well below the national rate of 5.4%. Each figure pools five years of surveys (2020–24), so it describes that whole stretch rather than today's job market.
Unemployment: people looking for work as a share of everyone working or looking. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B23025).
Bethlehem compared with nearby cities
| City | Household size | Median age | Single parents | Renters | Vacant homes | Median year built | Median rent | Bachelor's degree | High school diploma | Unemployment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bethlehem | 2.34 | 44.7 | 4.9% | 12.2% | 8.5% | 1961 | $1,401 | 45.2% | 99.0% | 3.0% |
| Wheeling | 2.18 | 44.2 | 12.1% | 35.1% | 14.6% | 1955 | $817 | 34.7% | 93.1% | 6.4% |
| Benwood | 2.26 | 45.0 | 12.3% | 30.9% | 14.1% | 1950 | $738 | 14.7% | 87.9% | 3.0% |
| Riverview | 2.21 | 56.0 | 5.3% | 1.6% | 10.0% | 1958 | $583 | 23.3% | 91.5% | 2.4% |
| Brookside | 2.26 | 44.6 | 10.4% | 9.7% | 11.2% | 1943 | $569 | 23.7% | 94.0% | 6.3% |
| McMechen | 2.44 | 35.1 | 25.0% | 33.5% | 19.8% | 1942 | $611 | 12.6% | 91.6% | 6.5% |
| Martins Ferry | 2.26 | 42.6 | 16.5% | 40.4% | 15.2% | 1949 | $775 | 13.7% | 88.9% | 10.4% |
| Bellaire | 2.22 | 46.0 | 13.1% | 30.4% | 16.4% | 1959 | $676 | 14.7% | 91.2% | 5.7% |
| Triadelphia | 2.39 | 48.0 | 6.0% | 17.4% | 13.5% | 1978 | $855 | 26.2% | 90.1% | 2.7% |
| Bridgeport | 2.22 | 42.3 | 11.5% | 29.1% | 17.2% | 1956 | $756 | 19.0% | 94.7% | 6.8% |
| Lansing | 2.35 | 39.5 | 12.7% | 19.7% | 22.1% | 1953 | $998 | 16.4% | 95.4% | 13.1% |
All figures 2020–24.
Cities with similar populations: Singer, LA · Marmaduke, AR · Shaftsbury, VT · Forest Heights, MD · Tennessee Ridge, TN · Iberia, MO · Independence, WI · Kempton, PA · Loxahatchee, FL · Stockport, OH
About these numbers
Every figure on this page is a BestNeighborhood calculation from the Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS), built up from the Census block groups that make up Bethlehem. Each ACS 5-year release pools five years of responses; this page shows the last 15 releases, 2006–10 through 2020–24. Neighboring releases share four of their five years, so they move gradually and small changes between them are within the survey's margin of error; in small places the lines can jump from one release to the next for the same reason. The maps show the same measures for each neighborhood, ranked against the whole country.
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