Population 6,591 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in South Side
Household size in South Side
| Period | South Side | Bethlehem | Allentown area | Pennsylvania | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.71 | 2.50 | 2.55 | 2.51 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.91 | 2.54 | 2.60 | 2.53 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.85 | 2.51 | 2.57 | 2.50 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.59 | 2.46 | 2.56 | 2.46 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.12 | −0.04 | +0.01 | −0.05 | −0.03 |
Households in South Side average 2.59 people, about the same as the country as a whole (2.65). The typical household here is bigger than in Bethlehem as a whole, where it has 2.46 people. Household size has dropped from 2.71 in 2006–10, a much bigger shift than nationally.
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 South Side
| Period | South Side | Bethlehem | Allentown area | Pennsylvania | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 28.5 | 40.1 | 40.7 | 40.3 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 28.4 | 41.1 | 41.6 | 41.0 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 30.7 | 41.2 | 42.3 | 41.8 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 30.9 | 41.2 | 42.3 | 42.0 | 40.1 |
| Change | +2.4 | +1.1 | +1.6 | +1.7 | +2.3 |
With a median age of just 30.9, South Side is far younger than the country as a whole (40.1), a population that tilts toward young adults and children. The median age has climbed from 28.5 in 2006–10, as it has nationally. Residents skew youngest in the southwest and oldest in the center.
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 South Side
| Period | South Side | Bethlehem | Allentown area | Pennsylvania | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 20.2% | 12.0% | 10.8% | 10.5% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 27.6% | 11.5% | 11.0% | 10.6% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 19.4% | 11.4% | 11.4% | 10.5% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 16.2% | 10.0% | 11.5% | 10.7% | 11.6% |
| Change | −4.0 pts | −2.0 pts | +0.7 pts | +0.2 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single-parent households are common in South Side: 16.2% of all households, against 11.6% nationally. The single-parent share is down 4.0 points from 2006–10, a much bigger shift than nationally.
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 South Side
Renters in South Side
| Period | South Side | Bethlehem | Allentown area | Pennsylvania | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 62.1% | 33.7% | 26.9% | 29.0% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 70.2% | 37.4% | 29.3% | 30.5% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 71.0% | 37.4% | 31.2% | 31.1% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 69.4% | 38.5% | 30.3% | 30.7% | 34.8% |
| Change | +7.3 pts | +4.8 pts | +3.4 pts | +1.7 pts | +1.5 pts |
Most households in South Side rent: 69.4% of occupied homes are rented, far above the national share of 34.8%. Expect more apartments, and more turnover, than in owner-heavy areas. Among homeowners, 54.2% have no mortgage at all, well above the national share of 39.8%. The renter share is up 7.3 points from 2006–10, a much bigger shift than nationally.
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 South Side
| Period | South Side | Bethlehem | Allentown area | Pennsylvania | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 9.9% | 6.2% | 8.0% | 10.3% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 13.3% | 7.0% | 8.6% | 10.5% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 12.7% | 7.3% | 8.3% | 10.7% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 15.4% | 4.9% | 6.5% | 9.1% | 9.6% |
| Change | +5.4 pts | −1.3 pts | −1.5 pts | −1.2 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacancy is high in South Side: 15.4% of homes are empty, far above the national rate of 9.6%. In resort and lake areas that usually means seasonal and vacation homes; elsewhere it can point to weak demand. Since 2006–10, vacancy has risen 5.4 points, even as the national rate fell.
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 South Side
| Period | South Side | Bethlehem | Allentown area | Pennsylvania | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1946 | 1963 | 1965 | 1963 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1945 | 1964 | 1967 | 1964 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1940 | 1965 | 1967 | 1965 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1949 | 1967 | 1969 | 1967 | 1980 |
| Change | +3 | +3 | +3 | +4 | +6 |
South Side is a place of older homes: half were built before 1949, while the national median is 1980. That means established neighborhoods, and more houses that may need updating. The median year built has moved up from 1946 in 2006–10, a sign of steady new building. Newer construction is concentrated in the west, while the south has the oldest housing.
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 South Side
| Period | South Side | Bethlehem | Allentown area | Pennsylvania | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $766 | $974 | $928 | $829 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $860 | $1,046 | $1,020 | $923 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $985 | $1,190 | $1,170 | $1,039 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $1,268 | $1,620 | $1,504 | $1,323 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$502 | +$646 | +$576 | +$494 | +$606 |
A typical rental in South Side costs $1,268 a month with utilities, below the national median of $1,571. Rent has climbed $502 a month since 2006–10, up 65%, roughly in step with the nation. The typical renter here spends 32.1% of household income on rent, just over the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent.
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 South Side
Bachelor's degrees in South Side
| Period | South Side | Bethlehem | Allentown area | Pennsylvania | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 22.1% | 31.1% | 26.0% | 27.2% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 14.9% | 29.8% | 26.7% | 28.7% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 18.0% | 33.8% | 29.5% | 31.8% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 19.9% | 38.9% | 33.3% | 35.6% | 35.6% |
| Change | −2.2 pts | +7.8 pts | +7.3 pts | +8.3 pts | +7.2 pts |
College degrees are relatively uncommon in South Side: 19.9% of adults 25 and older hold a bachelor's or higher, well below the national share of 35.6%. Since 2006–10, the share with a degree has fallen 2.2 points, even as the national share rose. College graduates are most concentrated in the west and least in the northeast.
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 South Side
| Period | South Side | Bethlehem | Allentown area | Pennsylvania | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 65.4% | 86.9% | 86.4% | 87.3% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 68.5% | 88.3% | 88.0% | 88.8% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 78.4% | 90.6% | 89.7% | 90.3% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 79.0% | 91.6% | 91.4% | 91.8% | 89.3% |
| Change | +13.6 pts | +4.7 pts | +5.0 pts | +4.5 pts | +4.3 pts |
Just over one in five adults in South Side never finished high school, well above the national share: only 79.0% have a diploma or equivalent, against 89.3% nationally. The share with a diploma is up 13.6 points from 2006–10, a much bigger shift than nationally.
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 South Side
| Period | South Side | Bethlehem | Allentown area | Pennsylvania | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 11.4% | 6.6% | 7.3% | 7.5% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 11.4% | 8.3% | 9.4% | 8.8% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 10.6% | 4.7% | 5.5% | 5.5% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 15.0% | 5.8% | 5.5% | 5.4% | 5.4% |
| Change | +3.6 pts | −0.9 pts | −1.8 pts | −2.1 pts | −2.7 pts |
Unemployment in South Side runs well above the national rate: 15.0% of the labor force was out of work and looking, against 5.4%. Since 2006–10, unemployment has risen 3.6 points, even as the national rate fell. Because the Census pools five years of responses (2020–24), these rates smooth over short swings and lag the current 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).
South Side compared with nearby neighborhoods
| Neighborhood | Household size | Median age | Single parents | Renters | Vacant homes | Median year built | Median rent | Bachelor's degree | High school diploma | Unemployment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| South Side | 2.59 | 30.9 | 16.2% | 69.4% | 15.4% | 1949 | $1,268 | 19.9% | 79.0% | 15.0% |
| Sayre Park | 2.69 | 27.2 | 12.0% | 65.3% | 5.3% | 1948 | $1,541 | 25.2% | 78.0% | 4.6% |
| West Bethlehem | 2.24 | 39.2 | 9.9% | 43.6% | 5.5% | 1944 | $1,447 | 44.2% | 94.8% | 6.4% |
| middletown | 2.56 | 45.7 | 6.5% | 18.6% | 3.0% | 1978 | $1,493 | 31.8% | 93.5% | 4.2% |
| Rittersville | 2.87 | 39.7 | 19.1% | 49.6% | 7.7% | 1952 | $1,419 | 14.3% | 74.9% | 15.7% |
| Overlook Park | 2.69 | 31.4 | 26.5% | 52.3% | 9.8% | 1975 | $1,389 | 11.2% | 79.7% | 5.2% |
| 1st Ward | 3.35 | 27.7 | 39.1% | 72.7% | 14.0% | 1939 | $1,281 | 13.4% | 87.1% | 13.0% |
| 6th Ward | 2.86 | 31.0 | 32.4% | 55.1% | 6.6% | 1938 | $1,358 | 12.3% | 79.8% | 15.7% |
| Mountainville | 2.46 | 45.9 | 20.4% | 27.9% | 9.1% | 1967 | $1,554 | 24.2% | 84.6% | 4.1% |
| Jordan Heights | 3.40 | 26.6 | 30.8% | 75.5% | 9.1% | 1938 | $1,265 | 11.6% | 66.6% | 13.7% |
| salisbury | 2.62 | 43.8 | 11.8% | 19.1% | 7.5% | 1969 | $1,458 | 35.0% | 90.6% | 6.1% |
All figures 2020–24.
Neighborhoods with similar populations: South Tabor, Portland, OR · Depot Bench, Boise, ID · Downtown, Honolulu, HI · East End, Boise, ID · Grandmont-Rosedale, Detroit, MI · Hillcrest-Bakersfield, Bakersfield, CA · Lauderdale North Park, North Lauderdale, FL · Lincoln Park, Denver, CO · Linda Vista-San Francisco, Napa, CA · Lyndale, Minneapolis, MN
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 South Side. 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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