Town · New Hampshire
Bethlehem, New Hampshire
Bethlehem, town, in Grafton County, New Hampshire. Bethlehem had 2,575 residents on July 1, 2025 by the Census Bureau's estimate, up 3.2% since 2020; the 2020 Census counted 2,484 and the ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates put it at 2,537 (±17). GEOID 3300905460.
Residents, July 2025 estimate
2,575
Census Bureau estimate (no margin published)
2020 Census count: 2,484 · ACS 2020-2024: 2,537 ±17
Median household income
$85,029
±$17,781 (90% margin)
New Hampshire: $99,031
Median home value
$288,300
±$21,879 (90% margin)
New Hampshire: $402,500
Median gross rent
$1,174
±$81 (90% margin)
New Hampshire: $1,491
Where is Bethlehem and what county is it in?
Bethlehem is a town in Grafton County, New Hampshire. It covers 90.6 square miles of land, 27 residents per square mile in 2020.
One place lies inside Bethlehem: Bethlehem (CDP, 826 in 2020).
Bethlehem is in the Lebanon-Claremont, NH-VT micropolitan statistical area, which takes in 4 counties (Census Bureau delineation, July 2023).
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 2,575 people lived in Bethlehem on July 1, 2025, up 3.2% since 2020, faster than New Hampshire (+2.7%). The 2020 Census counted 2,484 residents. The 2020-2024 American Community Survey, a five-year sample, puts the population at 2,537 (±17).
| Measure | Bethlehem | Grafton County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total population | 2,537±17 | 92,120 | −32 |
| Households | 1,053±123 | 37,107 | no clear change |
| Average household size | 2.34±0.27 | 2.29 | no clear change |
| Housing units | 1,367±157 | 51,920 | no clear change |
Bethlehem's population since 2000
From 2,199 in 2000 to 2,575 in 2025: up 17.1%. 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 50.6 years old; 17.7% are under 18 and 28.2% are 65 or older. The largest group is non-Hispanic white residents at 93.9%, then non-Hispanic residents of two or more races at 5.3%.
| Measure | Bethlehem | Grafton County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 50.6±8.5 | 44.1 | no clear change |
| Under 18 years | 17.7%±4.4 pts | 15.6% | – |
| 65 years and over | 28.2%±5.0 pts | 23.0% | – |
| Male | 47.4%±3.6 pts | 49.6% | – |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 0.2%±0.4 pts | 2.9% | – |
| White alone, not Hispanic | 93.9%±3.9 pts | 87.5% | no clear change |
| Black or African American alone, not Hispanic | 0.3%±0.4 pts | 1.1% | – |
| Asian alone, not Hispanic | 0.2%±0.3 pts | 3.5% | – |
| American Indian and Alaska Native alone, not Hispanic | 0.0%±1.4 pts | 0.1% | – |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, not Hispanic | 0.0%±1.4 pts | 0.0% | – |
| Two or more races, not Hispanic | 5.3%±3.8 pts | 4.4% | – |
| Some other race alone, not Hispanic | 0.0%±1.4 pts | 0.5% | – |
| Born outside the United States | 2.7%±1.9 pts | 5.6% | – |
| Speak a language other than English at home (age 5+) | 3.3%±2.3 pts | 6.2% | – |
| Civilian veterans (age 18+) | 4.9%±2.0 pts | 7.2% | – |
| With a disability | 14.2%±3.1 pts | 14.0% | – |
| No health insurance coverage | 5.2%±2.4 pts | 5.4% | no clear change |
| High school graduate or higher (age 25+) | 97.0%±2.2 pts | 94.7% | – |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (age 25+) | 45.1%±7.3 pts | 46.7% | +13.6 pts |
| Graduate or professional degree (age 25+) | 23.8%±6.8 pts | 24.5% | – |
| Lived in the same house a year earlier | 92.8%±3.6 pts | 86.8% | – |
| Moved from another state in the past year | 0.0%±1.4 pts | 6.4% | – |
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 1,053 households earn less than $85,029 a year (±$17,781), against $88,261 in Grafton County and $99,031 in New Hampshire. In 2015-2019 it was $68,372 in 2024 dollars; the margins of error cannot tell the two periods apart. 10.1% of residents live below the poverty line.
| Measure | Bethlehem | Grafton County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $85,029±$17,781 | $88,261 | no clear change |
| Mean household income | $100,260±$14,840 | $125,563 | – |
| Per capita income | $43,806±$7,077 | $52,790 | no clear change |
| People below the poverty line | 10.1%±5.7 pts | 10.4% | no clear change |
| Children under 18 below the poverty line | 7.7%±9.9 pts | 10.8% | – |
| Households receiving SNAP | 1.7%±1.4 pts | 6.4% | – |
| Households with a computer | 98.8%±1.1 pts | 95.2% | – |
| Households with a broadband subscription | 95.8%±3.2 pts | 90.3% | – |
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 75.3% of Bethlehem's occupied homes and renters 24.7%. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $288,300 by its owner (±$21,879). The median renter pays $1,174 a month including utilities, and 36.6% of renters pay 35% or more of their income on rent.
| Measure | Bethlehem | Grafton County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value (owner-occupied) | $288,300±$21,879 | $344,500 | +$81,913 |
| Median gross rent | $1,174±$81 | $1,301 | +$322 |
| Renters paying 35% or more of income on rent | 36.6%±20.0 pts | 36.9% | no clear change |
| Median monthly owner costs, with a mortgage | $1,703±$289 | $2,070 | – |
| Owner-occupied homes | 75.3%±7.8 pts | 71.3% | no clear change |
| Renter-occupied homes | 24.7%±7.8 pts | 28.7% | – |
| Housing units | 1,367±157 | 51,920 | no clear change |
| Homeowner vacancy rate | 6.7%±5.5 pts | 0.7% | – |
| Rental vacancy rate | 0.0%±12.6 pts | 4.8% | – |
| Single-family detached homes | 74.2%±7.1 pts | 61.4% | – |
| Mobile homes | 5.1%±3.9 pts | 7.2% | – |
| Built 2020 or later | 1.5%±2.1 pts | 1.5% | – |
| Built 2010 to 2019 | 6.4%±3.7 pts | 5.9% | – |
| Built 1939 or earlier | 29.2%±6.5 pts | 20.2% | – |
| Households with no vehicle | 3.1%±2.9 pts | 6.3% | – |
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 11 new housing units in Bethlehem in 2025 (11 in single-family houses), 4.3 per 1,000 residents against 3.6 across New Hampshire.
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?
56.6% of Bethlehem's workers drive alone and 31.2% work from home. The average trip to work takes 20.3 minutes. The unemployment rate in 2020-2024 averaged 7.3%.
| Measure | Bethlehem | Grafton County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| In the labor force (age 16+) | 57.6%±6.3 pts | 60.5% | – |
| Unemployment rate | 7.3%±4.4 pts | 3.2% | – |
| Drove alone to work | 56.6%±11.5 pts | 67.1% | – |
| Carpooled | 9.3%±6.0 pts | 8.6% | – |
| Public transportation | 0.0%±3.0 pts | 0.5% | – |
| Walked | 1.9%±1.7 pts | 4.4% | – |
| Worked from home | 31.2%±12.4 pts | 17.2% | +22.5 pts |
| Mean travel time to work | 20.3 min±2.8 | 22.2 min | no clear change |
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?
No census tract lies mostly in Bethlehem; 1 tract reaches into it (2020 census blocks).
| Tract | Residents, 2020-2024 | Median household income |
|---|---|---|
| Tract 9602Grafton County | 4,255 | $88,281 |
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 New Hampshire?
By the Census Bureau's July 2025 estimates, Bethlehem is the 4,026th-most populous of the 16,079 U.S. towns and townships that have one and the 110th-most populous of 221 in New Hampshire.
Bethlehem ranks 155th of 235 places in New Hampshire with 1,000 or more residents and a reliable estimate, by median household income.
| Measure | Rank | Of |
|---|---|---|
| Population, July 2025 estimate | 110th | 221 |
| Growth 2020-2025 (PEP) | 72nd | 187 |
| Residents per square mile | 231st | 241 |
| Median household income | 155th | 235 |
| Per capita income | 161st | 240 |
| Median home value | 175th | 239 |
| Median gross rent | 143rd | 221 |
| Poverty rate | 54th | 160 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 68th | 239 |
| Median age | 59th | 239 |
| Owner-occupied share | 147th | 241 |
| Work from home | 6th | 214 |
| Travel time to work | 216th | 241 |
Bethlehem's figures with every place in New Hampshire (CSV)
Every place in New Hampshire, 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?
19 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.