Main Street, New Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, c. 1860
New Bethlehem’s story
186 years in pictures
The archive holds 6 old photos and papers going back to 1860.
- 1840New Bethlehem is settled
New BethlehemPA
4 bordering townsMap →
Photo: Doug Kerr from Albany, NY, United States · CC BY-SA 2.0
Population
943
2025 Census estimate · −2.8% since 2020
Typical home
$132K
+0.3% in a year
Household income
$50K
median
Median age
42.5
years
Jobs based here
527
Balanced
Is New Bethlehem a good place to live?
18% of residents live below the poverty line in New Bethlehem, where Pennsylvania’s towns sit at 7.6% and U.S. towns at 9.6%. New Bethlehem has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.
What makes New Bethlehem stand out
Where New Bethlehem beats most towns.
Small town
943 people, and everyone knows the way
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
Nearby towns
Porter TownshipMahoning TownshipSouth BethlehemRedbank TownshipNew Bethlehem
Getting set up
The full setup list →Moving to New Bethlehem: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in New Bethlehem, and how to reach them.
PowerWest Penn PowerEIAHIFLD · EIA
WaterRedbank Valley Mun Auth water systemNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet6 providers100% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & dumpNot on file yetWe don’t have New Bethlehem’s trash rules yet
Register to voteOnlineIn Pennsylvania you can register online until 15 days before Election Day, in person until 15 days before Election Day, or by mail (received 15 days before).vote.govWho runs elections hereClarion County Board of ElectionsClarion County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Jan 2025
ZIP code1624216242 100%Census 2020
EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Nov 18, 2024.
The data
Ordered by what stands out in New Bethlehem.
Housing
The median rent in New Bethlehem is lower than in most of Pennsylvania or the rest of the country
Zillow values the typical New Bethlehem home at about $132,000, about the same as a year ago, 54% below the Pennsylvania typical home.
$132KZillow home value
| New Bethlehem | Pennsylvania towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Households that own their home | 54% | 78% | 73% |
| Median rent | $667 a month | $1,115 a month | $1,185 a month |
Typical home value
New Bethlehem$132K
Pennsylvania$287K
+0.3%
value change, 1 year
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Schools
The schools New Bethlehem’s kids attend
Its two schools are below. Redbank Valley SD runs its public schools. The largest public high school is Redbank Valley HS, with 539 students.
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Redbank Valley Primary SchoolLargest public elementary schoolGrades K–2 | Grades K–2 | 218 | – |
| Redbank Valley HSLargest public high schoolGrades 6–12 | Grades 6–12 | 539 | B− |
NCES · EDFacts
Climate
New Bethlehem has four seasons and pleasant summers
New Bethlehem’s peak summer temperature is 82°F.
35″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter20–37°
Spring35–60°
Summer57–81°
Fall40–62°
Oct 12
typical first frost
May 10
typical last frost
+1.3°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Work & commute
A job hub: New Bethlehem has 1.4 jobs for every working resident and draws in 508 commuters
Most people who work leave New Bethlehem to do it: just 5% work in town. New Bethlehem’s typical household income stands at $50,000. The average commute for New Bethlehem comes to 22 minutes, against 26 minutes in Pennsylvania’s towns and 25 minutes across U.S. towns. The top destinations are Monroe Township (11%), Clarion (7%) and Clarion Township (4%).
5%work in town
| New Bethlehem | Pennsylvania towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $50,000 | $81,000 | $80,000 |
| Average trip to work | 22 minutes | 26 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Working residents who work in town | 5% | 6.3% | 8% |
Where working residents work
In New Bethlehem5%
Monroe Township11%
Clarion7%
Clarion Township4%
Paint Township4%
18 mi
median commute distance
527
jobs based in New Bethlehem
Balanced
jobs vs. working residents
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Who lives here
Fewer middle-aged adults than Pennsylvania overall
Adults 35 to 64 are a third of residents (38% statewide). Nearly a quarter of New Bethlehem residents are 65 or older. The Census Bureau’s 2025 estimate puts New Bethlehem at 943 residents, down 2.8% since 2020.
42.5median age · PA 40.9
| New Bethlehem | Pennsylvania towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aged 65 or older | 23% | 21% | 18% |
| Median age | 42.5 years | 43.2 years | 40.5 years |
| Under 18 | 21% | 20% | 22% |
New BethlehemPennsylvaniaUnited States
Ages · share of residents
18%
Education · adults 25 and older
No diploma10%
High school37%
Some college12%
Associate’s13%
Bachelor’s15%
Graduate13%
Women and men · all residents
48% women, 52% men
That’s an even split within the survey’s margin of ±5.9 points. Across Pennsylvania, 50.7% of residents are women.
| New Bethlehem | PA | U.S. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 10 | 8.2% | 10.8% | 11.6% |
| 10 to 17 | 12.6% | 9.7% | 10.3% |
| 18 to 24 | 10.9% | 9% | 9.1% |
| 25 to 34 | 13.2% | 13% | 13.7% |
| 35 to 44 | 8% | 12.6% | 13.2% |
| 45 to 54 | 17.5% | 11.9% | 12.2% |
| 55 to 64 | 7.1% | 13.6% | 12.7% |
| 65 to 74 | 12.9% | 11.4% | 10.2% |
| 75 and older | 9.7% | 8.1% | 7% |
| No diploma | 10.1% | 7.9% | 10.4% |
| High school | 36.9% | 32.9% | 26% |
| Some college | 11.6% | 15.1% | 19.1% |
| Associate’s | 13.1% | 8.9% | 8.8% |
| Bachelor’s | 15.3% | 20.9% | 21.6% |
| Graduate | 13% | 14.3% | 14.1% |
Census population estimates, 2025 · U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates · in a town of 900, single groups can be off by several points
Health
How healthy New Bethlehem is
In New Bethlehem, 24% of adults say their health is fair or poor. On the CDC’s 26 measures, New Bethlehem is ahead of Pennsylvania on 1 and behind on 13.
| New Bethlehem | Pennsylvania towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Smoke cigarettes (CDC PLACES) | 21% | 17% | 14% |
| Frequent physical distress (CDC PLACES) | 17% | 14% | 14% |
| Fair or poor health (CDC PLACES) | 24% | 19% | 19% |
| Get no exercise (CDC PLACES) | 31% | 24% | 25% |
26 measures vs. Pennsylvania
1 better12 too close to call13 worse
| What stands out | New Bethlehem | PA |
|---|---|---|
| More adults treating high blood pressure | 83.4% | 79.2% |
| More adults with COPD | 11.8% | 7.7% |
Independence Health System Clarion Hospital
13.8 mi away · emergency room
2 of 3
care shortages: dental, mental health
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Natural hazards
Top of a moderate hazard risk in New Bethlehem: inland flooding
The national flood insurance program has paid 84 claims here since 1978. In New Bethlehem, the FEMA hazard score is 53 of 100. Federal disaster aid has reached households in New Bethlehem once, in 2004.
53risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland flooding
84
paid flood claims since 1978
1
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA disaster declarations and aid · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Keep exploring
Everything we know about New Bethlehem
17pages on New Bethlehem
The big questions
Out and about
The story
After high school
Colleges nearby
None within 15 miles of New Bethlehem; the nearest are
Indiana University of PennsylvaniaUniversity or college · Public · Indiana28.2 mi$11,380 in-state tuitionButler County Community CollegeCommunity college · Public · Butler33 mi$5,910 in-state tuition
About 1 of every 100 New Bethlehem residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Pennsylvania.
About New Bethlehem
Borough in Pennsylvania, US
New Bethlehem ( new-BETH-lum) is a borough in Clarion County, United States. The population was 979 at the 2020 census. The borough is situated at the southwestern corner of the Pennsylvania Wilds Conservation Landscape. Its main street, PA Route 28-66, is a major thoroughfare between the Pittsburgh metropolitan region and northcentral Pennsylvania. The designated tourism agency for Clarion County is Discover Clarion County
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Established
- 1840
- Area
- 0.5 sq mi
- Elevation
- 1,070 ft
- ZIP code
- 16242
Questions about New Bethlehem
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is New Bethlehem, PA a good place to live?
New Bethlehem has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.