Lehigh University:

Bethlehem is a part of picturesque Lehigh Valley. It remains a small city with a real neighborhood orientation. Visitors and residents alike generally spend their time in the many sophisticated gourmet restaurants to the fun and casual eateries. If you’re hungry for retail, the Valley offers boutiques, antique shops and several malls. It is ideally situated 75 miles from New York and 50 miles from Philadelphia, as well as proximity to major East Coast cities, including Boston and Washington, D.C.

The cost of living in the Lehigh Valley is slightly lower than the national average. According to the ACCRA Cost of Living Index, Bethlehem scores a 96, as compared to the national average of 100.  It is lower than other nearby metropolitan areas, such as Philadelphia, which scores a 101, and New York City, with a score of 135. However, since the ACCRA Cost of Living Index is mathematically the percentage of some base number, its final numbers are approximations. So numerical values that are close to each other do not imply any actual difference in cost of living in those places.

Lehigh Valley Resources:

• LehighValley.org (Demographic & Economic Information)
• Lehigh Valley Planning Commission (Municipal Profiles)

Other Web Resources:

• City Comparison (Yahoo)
• Best Places Net (Compare two U.S. cities)
• Cost-of-Living Calculator
• Salary Wizard