With 4,101 people, Bethlehem is a city in North Carolina. At a median age of 52.7, this is an older place than the country as a whole. 90% of homes are owner-occupied. Median rent is $795 a month. The poverty rate is 4.5%, under the national 12.5%. 43% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
At a glance
Wealthier
median household income $87,795, above the US median
US median: $82,259
Older
median age 52.7
US median: 38.9
More educated
43% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 36%
Less affordable
home values up 42%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $376,019
Unique to this place
What stands out about Bethlehem
What changed most since 1990
Median age35.3 → 52.7(+17.4 years)US over the same years: +6.0 years
Adults with a bachelor's degree19.1% → 43.3%(+24.2 pts)US over the same years: +15.3 pts
Homes owned by their occupants80.6% → 89.5%(+9.0 pts)US over the same years: +0.9 pts
Shares are "alone or in combination": a person with both Medicare and Medicaid counts in each, so categories overlap and do not sum to 100%.
Section 09 · Service history
Veterans
Veterans by period of service, 2024
Gulf War (2001 or later)22.4%(65)
US avg: 26.4%
Gulf War (1990s)37.9%(110)
US avg: 24.3%
Vietnam era47.2%(137)
US avg: 33.1%
Korean War0%(0)
US avg: 4.5%
World War II0%(0)
US avg: 1%
Share of the 290 veterans here. A veteran who served across eras counts in each, so shares can total more than 100%. Peacetime-only service is included in the total but not shown as an era.
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Over time
Bethlehem, decade by decade
Bethlehem population, inflation-adjusted income and home value, education, and diversity by year
Year
Population
Median household income
Median home value
Bachelor's degree+
Diversity score
1990
3,200
$89,278
$195,126
19.1%
3.7
2000
3,713
$95,533
$230,257
21.4%
10.0
2010
4,214
$86,786
$246,283
32.0%
12.1
2020
4,491
$81,705
$273,072
35.1%
27.0
2024
4,101
$87,795
$327,000
43.3%
32.6
Census years come from the decennial census and the latest year from the American Community Survey, so part of any change between those two rows can reflect the different surveys. Dollar figures are adjusted for inflation to 2024 dollars; a figure ending in "+" was at the Census Bureau's reporting cap that year. The diversity score runs from 0 to 100; see how it's calculated.
