Side-by-side comparison of York, PA and Bethlehem, PA — cap rates, rent, prices, and investment metrics.
Cash flow: York has the edge with an estimated cap rate of 4.96% compared to Bethlehem's 3.95%. Neither city passes the 1% rule outright, so deal sourcing and value-add strategies become more important. Median home prices are $165,000 in York vs $245,000 in Bethlehem, while rents come in at $1,050/mo and $1,320/mo respectively.
Growth & appreciation: Bethlehem is growing faster at 0.3% annually vs York's 0.1%. Bethlehem leads on home value appreciation at 2.5% per year.
Costs & risk: Property taxes are 1.38% in York vs 1.36% in Bethlehem. Vacancy rates of 6.5% and 5.5% are mixed — Bethlehem has the tighter rental market.
Bottom line: Bethlehem edges out York on most key metrics. While cap rates are moderate at 3.95%, Bethlehem's overall profile is stronger. Use our free calculators to model specific deals in York or Bethlehem.