Town · Connecticut
Bethlehem, Connecticut
Bethlehem, town, in Naugatuck Valley Planning Region, Connecticut. Bethlehem had 3,455 residents on July 1, 2025 by the Census Bureau's estimate, up 2.0% since 2020; the 2020 Census counted 3,385 and the ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates put it at 3,423 (±23). GEOID 0914004930.
Residents, July 2025 estimate
3,455
Census Bureau estimate (no margin published)
2020 Census count: 3,385 · ACS 2020-2024: 3,423 ±23
Median household income
$108,929
±$15,980 (90% margin)
Connecticut: $95,781
Median home value
$410,900
±$35,515 (90% margin)
Connecticut: $366,900
Median gross rent
$1,127
±$124 (90% margin)
Connecticut: $1,488
Where is Bethlehem and what county is it in?
Bethlehem is a town in Naugatuck Valley Planning Region, Connecticut. It covers 19.4 square miles of land, 175 residents per square mile in 2020.
One place lies inside Bethlehem: Bethlehem Village (CDP, 1,970 in 2020).
Bethlehem is in the Waterbury-Shelton, CT metropolitan statistical area (Census Bureau delineation, July 2023).
Bethlehem is the same area as Census Tract 3421 of Naugatuck Valley Planning Region: the tract's figures are Bethlehem's own.
Source: 2024 Gazetteer and 2020 place-by-county files, U.S. Census Bureau · Census reference files
How many people live in Bethlehem, and is it growing?
The Census Bureau estimates that 3,455 people lived in Bethlehem on July 1, 2025, up 2.0% since 2020, in line with Connecticut (+2.2%). The 2020 Census counted 3,385 residents. The 2020-2024 American Community Survey, a five-year sample, puts the population at 3,423 (±23).
| Measure | Bethlehem | Naugatuck Valley Planning Region | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total population | 3,423±23 | 454,969 | – |
| Households | 1,448±164 | 180,116 | – |
| Average household size | 2.31±0.27 | 2.49 | – |
| Housing units | 1,568±190 | 192,551 | – |
Bethlehem's population since 2000
From 3,422 in 2000 to 3,455 in 2025: up 1.0%. The 2000, 2010 and 2020 figures are census counts, each for Bethlehem as it was drawn that year: a place that annexed land, or a community that has since incorporated, covered a different area then. The 2005 figure is the Census Bureau's intercensal estimate, revised to fit the 2000 and 2010 counts and drawn on 2010 boundaries; 2015 and 2025 are July 1 estimates made from the census before them.
Source: The 2000, 2010 and 2020 Census counts and the Census Bureau's population estimates (intercensal 2000-2010, Vintage 2020, Vintage 2025) · Census population estimates
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026); Census PEP Vintage 2025 (SUB-EST2025, CO-EST2025); 2020 Census P.L. 94-171 · Check it at data.census.gov
Who lives in Bethlehem?
The median resident of Bethlehem is 51.5 years old; 16.3% are under 18 and 24.5% are 65 or older. The largest group is non-Hispanic white residents at 90.1%, then Hispanic or Latino residents (of any race) at 4.1%. 7.0% of residents were born outside the United States.
| Measure | Bethlehem | Naugatuck Valley Planning Region | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 51.5±8.5 | 41.8 | – |
| Under 18 years | 16.3%±3.3 pts | 20.3% | – |
| 65 years and over | 24.5%±4.3 pts | 19.2% | – |
| Male | 50.8%±5.1 pts | 48.9% | – |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 4.1%±3.2 pts | 19.9% | – |
| White alone, not Hispanic | 90.1%±4.6 pts | 59.8% | – |
| Black or African American alone, not Hispanic | 1.5%±1.4 pts | 10.6% | – |
| Asian alone, not Hispanic | 1.6%±2.5 pts | 3.8% | – |
| American Indian and Alaska Native alone, not Hispanic | 0.6%±1.0 pts | 0.0% | – |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, not Hispanic | 0.0%±1.2 pts | 0.0% | – |
| Two or more races, not Hispanic | 2.0%±1.9 pts | 5.0% | – |
| Some other race alone, not Hispanic | 0.0%±1.2 pts | 0.9% | – |
| Born outside the United States | 7.0%±3.5 pts | 14.2% | – |
| Speak a language other than English at home (age 5+) | 10.6%±4.1 pts | 23.3% | – |
| Civilian veterans (age 18+) | 8.4%±3.5 pts | 5.0% | – |
| With a disability | 14.3%±6.7 pts | 13.8% | – |
| No health insurance coverage | 5.8%±5.3 pts | 4.8% | – |
| High school graduate or higher (age 25+) | 99.1%±1.3 pts | 90.5% | – |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (age 25+) | 39.2%±6.4 pts | 33.8% | – |
| Graduate or professional degree (age 25+) | 16.4%±4.7 pts | 14.5% | – |
| Lived in the same house a year earlier | 86.8%±6.2 pts | 90.5% | – |
| Moved from another state in the past year | 4.0%±4.0 pts | 1.7% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profiles DP02, DP05) · Check it at data.census.gov
What do households in Bethlehem earn?
Half of Bethlehem's 1,448 households earn less than $108,929 a year (±$15,980), against $86,191 in Naugatuck Valley Planning Region and $95,781 in Connecticut. 10.4% of residents live below the poverty line.
| Measure | Bethlehem | Naugatuck Valley Planning Region | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $108,929±$15,980 | $86,191 | – |
| Mean household income | $138,916±$33,369 | $114,324 | – |
| Per capita income | $55,531±$6,921 | $46,363 | – |
| People below the poverty line | 10.4%±6.6 pts | 11.2% | – |
| Children under 18 below the poverty line | 3.7%±5.9 pts | 15.8% | – |
| Households receiving SNAP | 15.5%±12.8 pts | 14.5% | – |
| Households with a computer | 88.4%±11.4 pts | 94.8% | – |
| Households with a broadband subscription | 85.5%±11.8 pts | 90.8% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP03) · Check it at data.census.gov
What does housing cost in Bethlehem?
Owners occupy 70.2% of Bethlehem's occupied homes and renters 29.8%. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $410,900 by its owner (±$35,515). The median renter pays $1,127 a month including utilities, and 63.3% of renters pay 35% or more of their income on rent.
| Measure | Bethlehem | Naugatuck Valley Planning Region | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value (owner-occupied) | $410,900±$35,515 | $317,700 | – |
| Median gross rent | $1,127±$124 | $1,330 | – |
| Renters paying 35% or more of income on rent | 63.3%±27.2 pts | 44.4% | – |
| Median monthly owner costs, with a mortgage | $2,484±$509 | $2,229 | – |
| Owner-occupied homes | 70.2%±11.2 pts | 68.6% | – |
| Renter-occupied homes | 29.8%±11.2 pts | 31.4% | – |
| Housing units | 1,568±190 | 192,551 | – |
| Homeowner vacancy rate | 0.0%±4.1 pts | 1.0% | – |
| Rental vacancy rate | 0.0%±9.4 pts | 4.3% | – |
| Single-family detached homes | 87.2%±6.3 pts | 59.0% | – |
| Mobile homes | 0.0%±2.7 pts | 0.8% | – |
| Built 2020 or later | 1.1%±1.4 pts | 0.6% | – |
| Built 2010 to 2019 | 2.2%±2.4 pts | 3.3% | – |
| Built 1939 or earlier | 14.3%±6.7 pts | 19.3% | – |
| Households with no vehicle | 0.8%±1.3 pts | 9.1% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP04) · Check it at data.census.gov
How many new homes is Bethlehem building?
Builders took permits for 2 new housing units in Bethlehem in 2025 (2 in single-family houses), 0.6 per 1,000 residents against 2.0 across Connecticut.
Counts of units in permits a local office issued; not every permitted unit is built. A year marked with months was reported for part of the year.
Source: Building Permits Survey, annual place files 2019-2025, U.S. Census Bureau · Census Building Permits Survey
How do people in Bethlehem work and get to work?
73.0% of Bethlehem's workers drive alone and 13.9% work from home. The average trip to work takes 29.0 minutes.
| Measure | Bethlehem | Naugatuck Valley Planning Region | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| In the labor force (age 16+) | 60.0%±6.6 pts | 65.1% | – |
| Unemployment rate | 1.9%±2.3 pts | 6.0% | – |
| Drove alone to work | 73.0%±8.5 pts | 74.3% | – |
| Carpooled | 7.6%±6.4 pts | 8.8% | – |
| Public transportation | 0.0%±2.4 pts | 1.4% | – |
| Walked | 3.8%±4.3 pts | 1.3% | – |
| Worked from home | 13.9%±5.1 pts | 12.7% | – |
| Mean travel time to work | 29.0 min±4.1 | 28.3 min | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP03) · Check it at data.census.gov
What census tracts are in Bethlehem?
1 census tract lies mostly in Bethlehem (2020 census blocks).
| Tract | Residents, 2020-2024 | Median household income |
|---|---|---|
| Tract 3421Naugatuck Valley Planning Region | 3,423 | $108,929 |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026); 2020 block assignment files (tract share = share of the tract's census blocks in Bethlehem) · Census block assignment files
How does Bethlehem compare with other places in Connecticut?
By the Census Bureau's July 2025 estimates, Bethlehem is the 3,186th-most populous of the 16,079 U.S. towns and townships that have one and the 118th-most populous of 142 in Connecticut.
Bethlehem ranks 149th of 294 places in Connecticut with 1,000 or more residents and a reliable estimate, by median household income.
| Measure | Rank | Of |
|---|---|---|
| Population, July 2025 estimate | 118th | 142 |
| Growth 2020-2025 (PEP) | 86th | 167 |
| Residents per square mile | 265th | 303 |
| Median household income | 149th | 294 |
| Per capita income | 169th | 303 |
| Median home value | 118th | 300 |
| Median gross rent | 239th | 266 |
| Poverty rate | 54th | 202 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 204th | 297 |
| Median age | 49th | 301 |
| Owner-occupied share | 210th | 300 |
| Work from home | 189th | 279 |
| Travel time to work | 114th | 302 |
Bethlehem's figures with every place in Connecticut (CSV)
Every place in Connecticut, sortable · Compare Bethlehem with other places
Source: PlainCities ranks computed from the American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) and PEP Vintage 2025 · How ranks are computed
How reliable are the figures for Bethlehem?
21 of the 57 figures for Bethlehem on this page carry a coefficient of variation over 40% and are marked with a ring: they come from a small sample, so read them as rough.
The American Community Survey samples about one household in eight over five years, so every figure is an estimate with a 90% margin of error (shown under each value). A ring marks an estimate whose coefficient of variation is over 40%. A change is called only when the gap between the two periods is larger than their combined 90% margin (the square root of the sum of the two squared margins), the Census Bureau's test. How to read a margin of error.
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026): margins of error as published · ACS technical documentation
How these figures are made: methodology and release checks · reading a margin of error · every state · corrections
Not on this page: crime, weather and schools for Bethlehem are other agencies' records. Crime: the FBI's Crime Data Explorer · climate: NOAA's U.S. Climate Normals · schools: the National Center for Education Statistics' school search.