This section is generated from cached city metrics and clearly labeled state-level benchmarks. It is meant to make the Bethlehem page less generic and more useful for comparing housing, income, utilities, taxes, insurance, demographics, and nearby alternatives.
Affordability Summary
Population is 2,568, so Bethlehem should be compared with similar-size places before using broader West Virginia averages. Median household income is $87,500, so the best affordability read for Bethlehem is income versus housing, taxes, utilities, and insurance together.
Median home value is $203,000, so ownership costs in Bethlehem should be checked with mortgage, property tax, insurance, and maintenance assumptions. Two-bedroom rent is $1,291/mo, so renters can compare Bethlehem against ownership costs and nearby rental markets.
Housing and Income Context
For Bethlehem, income is solid, so housing and taxes usually decide the budget picture. Home values sit in a moderate range where taxes and utilities still change the monthly math.
Use the home value, rent, and income fields together before deciding whether Bethlehem looks more favorable for renting, buying, or comparing with McMechen, WV.
Utility Cost Context
The residential electricity benchmark is $0.164/kWh, so Bethlehem households should treat usage, home size, heating, and cooling as the practical bill drivers. The electricity value shown for Bethlehem is a West Virginia state-level EIA benchmark, so it should not be read as a local provider tariff.
For Bethlehem, utility planning is stronger when the electric benchmark is paired with home age, square footage, insulation, HVAC equipment, and household occupancy.
Property Tax Context
Median property tax paid is $1,221, so Bethlehem buyers should still verify parcel-specific tax records before budgeting. Parcel boundaries, exemptions, school districts, and reassessment rules can move the actual bill for a Bethlehem address.
Compare the property tax field with home value rather than reading it by itself; a lower tax bill can still pair with a different assessment base or exemption profile.
Insurance and Risk Context
Insurance costs in Bethlehem depend on address-level factors such as roof condition, structure age, coverage limits, claims history, deductible choice, and carrier underwriting.
Home value, tax burden, and insurance exposure should be reviewed together for Bethlehem, especially when comparing with McMechen, WV.
Population and Demographics
Median age is 41.4, so Bethlehem may have different school, commute, healthcare, and housing demand patterns than a statewide average. Bachelor+ share is 44.8%, so Bethlehem education context can be useful when reading labor-market and school sections.
Unemployment is 4.4%, so Bethlehem wage and job-market context should be compared with commute options and regional employment centers.
