Moving to Bethlehem: Pros, Cons & What to Know

Moving to Bethlehem means moving to the real, historic 'Christmas City USA' -- founded by Moravian settlers on Christmas Eve 1741 -- and to a city genuinely split across two Pennsylvania counties, a real complexity worth understanding before you buy.

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A real, historic identity, not marketing copy

Bethlehem was the first US city to feature a decorated Christmas tree (1747) and formally adopted its "Christmas City USA" nickname on December 7, 1937 -- a genuine, dated civic identity distinct from a modern branding campaign.

Confirm which county your target property sits in

Bethlehem is genuinely split across Northampton County (roughly two-thirds of the city) and Lehigh County (roughly one-third), each with its own real, different City-portion millage rate -- confirm this directly for any specific address before budgeting property taxes.

A real, modestly growing population

Unlike several other Pennsylvania Tier A markets in this project, Bethlehem's population has grown modestly and genuinely in recent years, consistent with the broader Lehigh Valley's real logistics-economy growth.

Key takeaways

Bethlehem's "Christmas City USA" identity is real and historic, dating to 1741, 1747, and 1937.
The city is genuinely split across Lehigh and Northampton counties -- confirm which side a target property sits on.
Bethlehem's population is real and modestly growing, a genuine contrast to several NEPA/Erie peers in this project.

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Read the full Bethlehem overview for the complete picture -- housing, taxes, climate, and who this place genuinely fits.

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Last reviewed: 2026-08-25. Independent research; not financial, tax, or legal advice -- confirm current figures with a local professional before making a decision.