What is the rental yield in Central Bethlehem?

The gross yield in Central Bethlehem, Bethlehem, Pennsylvania is 7.6. Prices are in line with the city median and about 4% above the state median, while values are down 3.5% over the past year.

How has Central Bethlehem performed over the past year?

Central Bethlehem, Bethlehem, Pennsylvania has seen prices fall 3.5% over the past year. That sits alongside gross yield of 7.6, walkability of 91, and a Red Flag score of 63.

How walkable is Central Bethlehem in Bethlehem?

Central Bethlehem, Bethlehem, Pennsylvania has walkability of 91. It also shows gross yield of 7.6, prices in line with the city median and about 4% above the state median, and education in the 46th percentile.

How does Central Bethlehem compare with Bethlehem and Pennsylvania?

Central Bethlehem, Bethlehem, Pennsylvania is priced in line with the city median and about 4% above the state median. It also has gross yield of 7.6, walkability of 91, education in the 46th percentile, and a Red Flag score of 63.

Neighborhood

Central Bethlehem

Bethlehem, Pennsylvania US

Central Bethlehem, Bethlehem, Pennsylvania offers a balanced but mixed profile with gross yield of 7.6 and prices in line with the city median and about 4% above the state median. Prices are down 3.5% over the past year, which contrasts with a strong walkability of 91. The Red Flag score of 63 indicates notable overall risk, while education is in the 46th percentile.

AI Summary•Updated May 2026

Area

2.18 mi²

ZIP Code

18018

County

Lehigh County

State

Pennsylvania

Redfin — median sale & volumeZillow ZORI — asking rentFEMA National Risk Index v1.20OpenStreetMap — POIFBI UCR — state crimeEPA — radon zonesWashU ACAG — satellite PM2.5EPA FRS / BTS — hazard screeningUS Census ACS / TIGER 2024

Verified Price · Median Sale

$299,911

YoY-3.5%

Gross Rental Yield

7.6%

Listed rent · ZORI annualized

Red Flag Index

High

63 / 100

Walkability Score

Walker's Paradise

OpenStreetMap POI density · national percentile

Education Score

46 / 100

Fair · better than 46% of U.S. districts

Pre-pandemic SEDA (2018/19) · district proxy

AI Score

Good

DistrictScore attractiveness · national model

Central Bethlehem Property Prices & Rental Yield

Verified Redfin sale data and Zillow ZORI asking rent for Central Bethlehem, Bethlehem.

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Market Economics Snapshot

May 2026

Metric	Value	YoY
Median Sale Price	$299,911	-3.5%
Price / Sq Ft (Verified)	$183/sqft	-4.0%
Asking Rent (Median)	$1,891/mo	+2.6%
Gross Rental Yield	7.6%	—
Liquidity Score	26 / 100	Low
Homes Sold (Period)	65	-26.1%

Is Central Bethlehem Safe? Natural-Hazard Risk

FEMA National Risk Index composite across eight hazards, plus inherited Pennsylvania crime context.

Red Flag Breakdown

63 / 100

High Risk

Composite is weighted by expected impact — frequent low-damage hazards (hail, wind) weigh less than flood or wildfire.

Hurricane80Very High

Earthquake80Very High

Heat80Very High

Flood60High

Tornado60High

Strong Wind60High

Wildfire40Moderate

Hail40Moderate

8/8 hazards scored · FEMA NRI v1.20

Crime (state-level): Pennsylvania averaged 16.8 crimes and 2.5 violent per 1,000 residents (-7.8% YoY) in 2024(FBI UCR). Compare the state to the country, not states as a ranking — full Safety & Crime data lives on the state page.

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Tract-level hazard heatmap & parcel detail with Pro

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See all eight FEMA hazard scores — free with a DistrictScore account.

What Stands Out AI Insight

Above-average gross rental yield at 7.6%

Highly walkable neighborhood — score 91/100

Active transaction volume — 65 homes sold last period

Dense amenities — 73 dining & 12 grocery options nearby

Hurricane risk is Very High (80/100)

Earthquake risk is Very High (80/100)

Insights are generated from Central Bethlehem's live DistrictScore metrics.

Central Bethlehem Environment & Safety

Satellite PM2.5 air-quality history, FBI UCR crime trend (Pennsylvania-level, the finest official aggregation), EPA radon potential and point-source hazard screening.

Air Quality — PM2.5

2015–2024

5.6 µg/m³ Meets EPA, above WHO guideline-29.7% since 2015

EPA 9WHO 5

20152024

Annual mean fine-particle (PM2.5) concentration at the Central Bethlehem centroid, satellite-derived (ACAG). References: WHO guideline 5 µg/m³ · EPA annual standard 9 µg/m³. Latest year ranks worse than 39% of U.S. neighborhoods.

Pennsylvania Crime Trend

FBI UCR

20132024

All crimes / 1k

Violent / 1k

Year	Crimes / 1k	Violent / 1k	YoY
2024	16.8	2.5	-7.8%
2023	18.3	2.7	+2.7%
2022	17.9	2.9	+16.8%
2021	15.3	2.8	-23.5%
2020	20.3	3.9	+18.8%
2019	17.1	3.1	—

Reported at the state level — the finest official US crime aggregation; Central Bethlehem inherits the Pennsylvania figures.

Radon Potential

EPA

Zone 1

Zone 1 — Highest potential · Central Bethlehem

EPA radon zones estimate indoor radon potential county-wide (Zone 1 highest, Zone 3 lowest). Testing is recommended in all zones.

Environmental Hazards

EPA / BTS

Superfund (NPL)2.9 kmHigh

Industrial odor5 nearbyVery High

Point-source screening near Central Bethlehem: EPA Superfund National Priorities List & Facility Registry (2026), BTS aviation noise (2020, 24-hour average level). Superfund shows distance to the nearest listed site; odor shows detected sources within the screening radius. Only detected sources are listed; the bar shows severity vs. all U.S. neighborhoods.

Walkability & Amenities in Central Bethlehem

Amenity density and pedestrian access from OpenStreetMap points of interest.

Walkability & Amenities

OpenStreetMap POI

91

Walker's Paradise

Walkability Score

12

Grocery

73

Dining

20

Schools

10

Universities

4

Hospitals

1

Pharmacies

21

Parks

2

Rail Transit

1

Coworking

POI counts are amenities within Central Bethlehem's boundary plus a 400 m walk buffer. Rail transit excludes bus stops.

Central Bethlehem vs Bethlehem vs Pennsylvania

How Central Bethlehem benchmarks against its city and state medians.

Benchmark vs City & State

In Central Bethlehem, the median sale price sits in line with the median for Bethlehem neighborhoods and about 8% above the statewide median. Gross rental yield is 7.6%, against 7.1% for Bethlehem neighborhoods and 6.4% statewide. Over the past 12 months, prices fell 3.5%. Transaction liquidity sits in line with the median for Bethlehem neighborhoods and above the statewide median.

Area	Median / Sq Ft	Gross Yield	Liquidity
Central Bethlehem	$183/sqft	7.6%	26
Bethlehem	$183/sqft	7.1%	26
Pennsylvania	$170/sqft	6.4%	19

Unlock the Central Bethlehem benchmark

Compare Central Bethlehem against Bethlehem and Pennsylvania medians — free with a DistrictScore account.

Buying Property in the US as a Foreigner

Federal & Pennsylvania tax facts for non-resident buyers, plus the latest local market news.

Buying as a Foreigner

US Tax & Ownership

Applies to everyone7

Capital Gains (Federal)

Long-term capital gains taxed federally at 0/15/20%, plus a 3.8% Net Investment Income Tax on higher incomes (2026).

Property Tax

Property tax: ~1.14% average effective rate (statewide average; set and collected locally).

State Income Tax

State income tax up to 3.07%; rental income is taxed at these rates.

State Capital Gains

Capital gains are taxed as ordinary income at state rates.

Transfer Tax

Real estate transfer tax: 1% state + local.

Assessment Cap

No Proposition 13-style assessment cap; property is reassessed at market value.

Mansion Tax / Rent Control

No statewide mansion tax or statewide rent control.

US citizens & tax residents8

Primary-Home Exclusion

Selling your main home: exclude up to $250k of gain (single) / $500k (married) if you owned and lived there 2 of the last 5 years.

1031 Like-Kind Exchange

A 1031 like-kind exchange defers capital gains tax on investment property; 45 days to identify, 180 to close. Real estate only.

Depreciation Recapture

Residential rentals depreciate over 27.5 years; on sale, recaptured depreciation is taxed up to 25% (Section 1250).

Mortgage Interest Deduction

Mortgage interest is deductible on up to $750k of home debt. The SALT cap rose to $40,000 for 2025-2029 (reverts to $10k in 2030).

Opportunity Zones

Opportunity Zones are now permanent (2025): reinvested capital gains get deferral plus a basis step-up, and are tax-free after 10 years.

Rental Income (Resident)

Rental income is reported on Schedule E; passive-loss rules (Section 469) limit deducting rental losses against other income.

Homestead Exemption

No homestead exemption: no creditor protection and no homestead property-tax break.

1031 State Conformity

The state conforms to the federal 1031 like-kind exchange rules.

Foreign buyers (non-residents)5

FIRPTA (Foreign Sellers)

FIRPTA: the buyer withholds 15% of the gross sale price when a nonresident sells US property. It is an advance deposit, not the final tax.

Non-Resident Capital Gains

Nonresident sellers pay US capital gains tax (generally 15-20%) on the net gain via Form 1040-NR; FIRPTA withholding is credited.

Non-Resident Rental Tax

Nonresident rental income is taxed at 30% of gross by default, or on net income at graduated rates via a Section 871(d) election (W-8ECI).

Estate Tax (Non-Resident)

Nonresidents get only a $60,000 US estate-tax exemption (vs $13.99M for residents); US property above it is taxed up to 40%. Treaties may help.

ITIN Requirement

Nonresidents without an SSN need an ITIN (Form W-7) to file US tax returns, claim FIRPTA refunds, and report rental income.

Talk to a US real-estate tax advisor

FIRPTA, ITIN & Pennsylvania property-tax guidance for foreign buyers

Latest Bethlehem Real-Estate News

New Fed chairman may leave mortgage rates mostly unchanged

Guaranteed Rate • Jun 18, 2026

Household real estate wealth hits record $48.7 trillion

Eye On Housing • Jun 18, 2026

U.S. commercial property prices hit record as deal patterns shift

Altus Group • Jun 18, 2026

Central Bethlehem Real Estate FAQ

Central Bethlehem, Bethlehem, Pennsylvania has gross yield of 7.6 and prices in line with the city median and about 4% above the state median. Prices are down 3.5% over the past year, while walkability is 91 and the Red Flag score is 63.

Neighborhoods near Central Bethlehem

Compare Central Bethlehem with nearby neighborhoods in Bethlehem.

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