ZIP 18018 · Bethlehem, PA

Five governments run on your community's money

From the state down to your schools: where each one's money comes from and goes.

Yearly budgets from each government's latest fiscal year on record. Tap one to jump to it.

Your state

Commonwealth of Pennsylvania

$122.4 billion budget in the latest fiscal year on record, which ended June 30, 2024.

Where the money comes from

State taxes44%Federal tax money35%Fees for services (hospital bills, college tuition)14%Fines and other6.7%

What stands out

14%

of Pennsylvania's money comes from fees for services such as water, sewer and parking.A typical state government gets 10%.

Full Pennsylvania breakdown

State taxes44%

Other taxes
14%$17.3 billion
What's in other taxesMotor fuel taxes; other selective sales taxes and 17 more
  • Motor fuel taxes$3.38 billion
  • Other selective sales taxes$2.32 billion
  • Amusement taxes$2.28 billion
  • Estate and gift taxes$1.58 billion
  • Motor vehicle licenses$1.48 billion
  • Public utility taxes$1.40 billion
  • Occupation and business licenses$1.32 billion
  • Insurance premium taxes$1.02 billion
  • Tobacco taxes$960 million
  • Real estate and stock transfer taxes$697 million
  • Alcoholic beverage taxes$473 million
  • Driver's licenses$93.9 million
  • Hunting and fishing licenses$91.7 million
  • Public utility licenses$86.2 million
  • Other taxes not classified elsewhere$66.8 million
  • Alcoholic beverage licenses$35.3 million
  • Amusement licenses$33.5 million
  • Other licenses$21.2 million
  • Corporation licenses$3.2 million

Amounts are by Census tax category.

Individual income tax
14%$17.1 billion
Sales tax
12%$15.6 billion
Business income tax
3.9%$4.96 billion
Property tax
<0.1%$44.1 million

Fees for services14%

Fees for services
14%$17.8 billion
What's in fees for servicesHospital bills; college tuition and 11 more
  • Hospital bills$7.08 billion
  • College tuition$4.21 billion
  • Liquor stores$2.55 billion
  • Tolls on roads and bridges$1.61 billion
  • University housing and dining$1.15 billion
  • Other service charges$592 million
  • Other education charges$205 million
  • Housing$144 million
  • Parks, land and natural resources$94.8 million
  • Parks and recreation$78.7 million
  • Road charges$59.9 million
  • Sewer$3.4 million
  • Airport$44 thousand

Amounts are by Census type of charge.

Federal tax money35%

Grants from Washington, paid for by the federal taxes residents also pay.

From the federal government
35%$44.5 billion

Local tax money<0.1%

Money passed on by the county or other local governments.

From local governments
<0.1%$58.5 million

Fines and other6.7%

Interest, rents and other
6.5%$8.23 billion
Fines
0.2%$217 million
Pennsylvania page →

Where the money goes

Social services32%Sent to local governments25%Schools and colleges12%Health and hospitals9.2%Roads, transit and parking8.1%All other spending14%

What stands out

9.2%

of Pennsylvania's spending goes to health services and hospitals.A typical state government spends 5.7%.

Full Pennsylvania breakdown

Spending by category100%

Social services
32%$39.5 billion
What's in social servicesOther public welfare; welfare institutions and 2 more
  • Other public welfare$39.1 billion
  • Welfare institutions$263 million
  • Unemployment and social insurance offices$131 million
  • Veterans' services$9.3 million
Sent to local governments
25%$30.2 billion
What's in sent to local governmentsSent to school districts; sent to local governments: other and not broken out and 21 more
  • Sent to school districts$19.6 billion
  • Sent to local governments: other and not broken out$2.69 billion
  • Sent to local governments: other public welfare$1.97 billion
  • Sent to local governments: public health$1.38 billion
  • Sent to local governments: hospitals$1.21 billion
  • Sent to local governments: roads and highways$1.10 billion
  • Sent to local governments: other education$764 million
  • Sent to local governments: housing and community development$291 million
  • Sent to local governments: general support$265 million
  • Sent to school districts (colleges)$262 million
  • Sent to local governments: police$157 million
  • Sent to local governments: natural resources, farming and conservation$138 million
  • Sent to the federal government$111 million
  • Sent to local governments: libraries$74.7 million
  • Sent to local governments: parks and recreation$55.7 million
  • Sent to local governments: courts and legal services$47.5 million
  • Sent to local governments: inspections and regulation$36.8 million
  • Sent to local governments: garbage and solid waste$34.2 million
  • Sent to local governments: probation, parole and other corrections$18.9 million
  • Sent to local governments: prisons and jails$14.1 million
  • Sent to local governments: airports$13.6 million
  • Sent to local governments: other government administration$11.0 million
  • Sent to local governments: sewer systems$5.9 million
Schools and colleges
12%$14.2 billion
What's in schools and collegesColleges and universities; scholarships and other education subsidies and 2 more
  • Colleges and universities$10.5 billion
  • Scholarships and other education subsidies$1.46 billion
  • Other education$1.14 billion
  • College housing, dining and bookstores$1.08 billion
Health and hospitals
9.2%$11.2 billion
What's in health and hospitalsHospitals and public health
  • Hospitals$7.36 billion
  • Public health$3.86 billion
Roads, transit and parking
8.1%$9.89 billion
What's in roads, transit and parkingRoads and highways; toll roads and bridges and 3 more
  • Roads and highways$8.16 billion
  • Toll roads and bridges$1.71 billion
  • Airports$7.0 million
  • Public transit$5.4 million
  • Ports and harbors$3.6 million
Police, fire, courts and jails
4.7%$5.77 billion
What's in police, fire, courts and jailsPrisons and jails; police and 3 more
  • Prisons and jails$2.74 billion
  • Police$1.72 billion
  • Courts and legal services$793 million
  • Inspections and regulation$328 million
  • Probation, parole and other corrections$190 million
Running the government and other costs
4.6%$5.57 billion
What's in running the government and other costsFinance, tax collection and budgeting; other and not broken out and 3 more
  • Finance, tax collection and budgeting$2.49 billion
  • Other and not broken out$1.47 billion
  • Government buildings$848 million
  • Central staff services (personnel, purchasing, technology)$711 million
  • Other government administration$51.7 million
Water, sewer, trash and utilities
1.9%$2.38 billion
What's in water, sewer, trash and utilitiesLiquor stores; garbage and solid waste and 1 more
  • Liquor stores$2.31 billion
  • Garbage and solid waste$54.2 million
  • Sewer systems$22.1 million
Interest on debt
1.5%$1.79 billion
Environment and natural resources
0.7%$868 million
What's in environment and natural resourcesNatural resources, farming and conservation
  • Natural resources, farming and conservation$868 million
Parks, recreation and libraries
0.6%$722 million
What's in parks, recreation and librariesParks and recreation and libraries
  • Parks and recreation$705 million
  • Libraries$16.8 million
Housing and community development
0.2%$235 million
Pennsylvania page →

Your counties

Lehigh County

$535 million budget in the latest fiscal year on record, which ended December 31, 2023.

About 66% of this ZIP is in Lehigh County.

Where the money comes from

State tax money69%County taxes22%Fees for services4.6%Fines and other4.5%

What stands out

69%

of Lehigh County's money comes from state tax money.A typical U.S. county of 250,000+ people gets 19%.

Full Lehigh County breakdown

County taxes22%

Property tax
22%$118 million
Other taxes
0.2%$1.2 million
What's in other taxesOther selective sales taxes
  • Other selective sales taxes$1.2 million

Amounts are by Census tax category.

Fees for services4.6%

Fees for services
4.6%$24.8 million
What's in fees for servicesOther service charges
  • Other service charges$24.8 million

Amounts are by Census type of charge.

State tax money69%

Money the state passes on, paid for by the state taxes residents also pay.

From the state
69%$375 million

Fines and other4.5%

Interest, rents and other
3.9%$21.2 million
Fines
0.7%$3.5 million
Lehigh County page →

Where the money goes

Social services47%Police, fire, courts and jails19%Health and hospitals17%Running the government and other costs13%Housing and community development2.4%All other spending1.7%

What stands out

47%

of Lehigh County's spending goes to social services.A typical U.S. county of 250,000+ people spends 4.3%.

Full Lehigh County breakdown

Spending by category100%

Social services
47%$253 million
What's in social servicesOther public welfare and welfare institutions
  • Other public welfare$149 million
  • Welfare institutions$104 million
Police, fire, courts and jails
19%$101 million
What's in police, fire, courts and jailsCourts and legal services; prisons and jails and 2 more
  • Courts and legal services$36.6 million
  • Prisons and jails$36.5 million
  • Probation, parole and other corrections$17.8 million
  • Police$10.0 million
Health and hospitals
17%$90.5 million
What's in health and hospitalsPublic health
  • Public health$90.5 million
Running the government and other costs
13%$68.1 million
What's in running the government and other costsFinance, tax collection and budgeting; central staff services (personnel, purchasing, technology) and 2 more
  • Finance, tax collection and budgeting$22.9 million
  • Central staff services (personnel, purchasing, technology)$22.0 million
  • Other and not broken out$18.4 million
  • Government buildings$4.7 million
Housing and community development
2.4%$12.9 million
Interest on debt
0.8%$4.0 million
Parks, recreation and libraries
0.6%$3.1 million
What's in parks, recreation and librariesParks and recreation and libraries
  • Parks and recreation$2.3 million
  • Libraries$858 thousand
Environment and natural resources
0.2%$1.1 million
What's in environment and natural resourcesNatural resources, farming and conservation
  • Natural resources, farming and conservation$1.1 million
Roads, transit and parking
0.2%$1.0 million
What's in roads, transit and parkingRoads and highways
  • Roads and highways$1.0 million
Lehigh County page →

Northampton County

$425 million budget in the latest fiscal year on record, which ended December 31, 2023.

About 34% of this ZIP is in Northampton County.

Where the money comes from

State tax money54%County taxes23%Federal tax money13%Fees for services8.4%Fines and other1.7%

What stands out

54%

of Northampton County's money comes from state tax money.A typical U.S. county of 250,000+ people gets 19%.

Full Northampton County breakdown

County taxes23%

Property tax
23%$97.6 million
Other taxes
0.7%$3.0 million
What's in other taxesOther selective sales taxes
  • Other selective sales taxes$3.0 million

Amounts are by Census tax category.

Fees for services8.4%

Fees for services
8.4%$36.2 million
What's in fees for servicesOther service charges
  • Other service charges$36.2 million

Amounts are by Census type of charge.

Federal tax money13%

Grants from Washington, paid for by the federal taxes residents also pay.

From the federal government
13%$56.2 million

State tax money54%

Money the state passes on, paid for by the state taxes residents also pay.

From the state
54%$232 million

Local tax money<0.1%

Money passed on by the county or other local governments.

From other local governments
<0.1%$175 thousand

Fines and other1.7%

Interest, rents and other
1.7%$7.3 million
Northampton County page →

Where the money goes

Social services60%Police, fire, courts and jails22%Health and hospitals8.1%Running the government and other costs6.5%Roads, transit and parking2.0%All other spending1.5%

What stands out

60%

of Northampton County's spending goes to social services.A typical U.S. county of 250,000+ people spends 4.3%.

Full Northampton County breakdown

Spending by category100%

Social services
60%$254 million
What's in social servicesOther public welfare and welfare institutions
  • Other public welfare$141 million
  • Welfare institutions$113 million
Police, fire, courts and jails
22%$94.4 million
What's in police, fire, courts and jailsCourts and legal services; prisons and jails and 2 more
  • Courts and legal services$43.6 million
  • Prisons and jails$40.5 million
  • Probation, parole and other corrections$9.8 million
  • Police$529 thousand
Health and hospitals
8.1%$34.6 million
What's in health and hospitalsPublic health
  • Public health$34.6 million
Running the government and other costs
6.5%$27.5 million
What's in running the government and other costsCentral staff services (personnel, purchasing, technology); finance, tax collection and budgeting and 1 more
  • Central staff services (personnel, purchasing, technology)$17.5 million
  • Finance, tax collection and budgeting$8.5 million
  • Other and not broken out$1.5 million
Roads, transit and parking
2.0%$8.6 million
What's in roads, transit and parkingRoads and highways
  • Roads and highways$8.6 million
Interest on debt
0.6%$2.8 million
Environment and natural resources
0.5%$2.0 million
What's in environment and natural resourcesNatural resources, farming and conservation
  • Natural resources, farming and conservation$2.0 million
Parks, recreation and libraries
0.4%$1.7 million
What's in parks, recreation and librariesParks and recreation
  • Parks and recreation$1.7 million
Northampton County page →

Your city

City of Bethlehem

$135 million budget in the latest fiscal year on record, which ended December 31, 2023.

About 98% of this ZIP is in Bethlehem.

Where the money comes from

Fees for services (water, sewer)41%City taxes36%State tax money15%Federal tax money6.0%Fines and other2.1%County and local tax money0.5%
Full Bethlehem breakdown

What stands out

7.5%

of Bethlehem's money comes from a personal income tax.Most U.S. cities of 50,000+ people get none.

City taxes36%

Property tax
21%$32.9 million
Individual income tax
7.5%$11.9 million
Other taxes
7.5%$11.8 million
What's in other taxesOccupation and business licenses; real estate and stock transfer taxes and 2 more
  • Occupation and business licenses$8.7 million
  • Real estate and stock transfer taxes$1.9 million
  • Public utility licenses$719 thousand
  • Amusement taxes$502 thousand

Amounts are by Census tax category.

Fees for services41%

Fees for services
41%$64.2 million
What's in fees for servicesWater; sewer and 5 more
  • Water$27.3 million
  • Sewer$22.3 million
  • Other service charges$8.4 million
  • Garbage collection$2.9 million
  • Parks and recreation$2.8 million
  • Parking$422 thousand
  • Road charges$1 thousand

Amounts are by Census type of charge.

Federal tax money6.0%

Grants from Washington, paid for by the federal taxes residents also pay.

From the federal government
6.0%$9.6 million

State tax money15%

Money the state passes on, paid for by the state taxes residents also pay.

From the state
15%$23.6 million

County and local tax money0.5%

Money passed on by the county or other local governments.

From the county and other local governments
0.5%$870 thousand

Fines and other2.1%

Interest, rents and other
1.9%$3.1 million
Fines
0.2%$321 thousand
Bethlehem page →

Where the money goes

Running the government and other costs26%Police, fire, courts and jails21%Water, sewer, trash and utilities20%Health and hospitals8.5%Interest on debt7.6%All other spending16%

What stands out

8.5%

of Bethlehem's spending goes to health services and hospitals.Most U.S. cities of 50,000+ people spend nothing on this.

Full Bethlehem breakdown

Spending by category100%

Running the government and other costs
26%$35.7 million
What's in running the government and other costsOther and not broken out; finance, tax collection and budgeting and 2 more
  • Other and not broken out$18.1 million
  • Finance, tax collection and budgeting$12.2 million
  • Government buildings$3.5 million
  • Central staff services (personnel, purchasing, technology)$2.0 million
Police, fire, courts and jails
21%$29.1 million
What's in police, fire, courts and jailsPolice; fire protection and 2 more
  • Police$17.9 million
  • Fire protection$10.2 million
  • Inspections and regulation$601 thousand
  • Courts and legal services$330 thousand
Water, sewer, trash and utilities
20%$27.3 million
What's in water, sewer, trash and utilitiesWater supply; sewer systems and 2 more
  • Water supply$12.6 million
  • Sewer systems$6.9 million
  • Garbage and solid waste$5.9 million
  • Electric power$1.8 million
Health and hospitals
8.5%$11.5 million
What's in health and hospitalsPublic health
  • Public health$11.5 million
Interest on debt
7.6%$10.3 million
Roads, transit and parking
6.6%$9.0 million
What's in roads, transit and parkingRoads and highways
  • Roads and highways$9.0 million
Parks, recreation and libraries
4.2%$5.7 million
What's in parks, recreation and librariesParks and recreation and libraries
  • Parks and recreation$4.3 million
  • Libraries$1.4 million
Housing and community development
3.6%$4.9 million
Environment and natural resources
1.4%$1.9 million
What's in environment and natural resourcesNatural resources, farming and conservation
  • Natural resources, farming and conservation$1.9 million
Bethlehem page →

Your schools

Bethlehem Area School District

$339 million budget in the latest fiscal year on record, which ended June 30, 2024.

Where the money comes from

School district taxes60%State tax money36%Fines and other3.3%County and local tax money0.7%Fees for services (school lunches, school tuition and transportation)0.6%
Full Bethlehem Area School District breakdown

What stands out

51%

of Bethlehem Area School District's money comes from property tax.A typical school district with 5,000 to 25,000 students gets 29%.

School district taxes60%

Property tax
51%$187 million
Individual income tax
5.4%$19.8 million
Sales tax
1.7%$6.3 million
Other taxes
1.3%$4.8 million
What's in other taxesOther taxes not classified elsewhere and public utility taxes
  • Other taxes not classified elsewhere$4.6 million
  • Public utility taxes$190 thousand

Amounts are by Census tax category.

Fees for services0.6%

Fees for services
0.6%$2.1 million
What's in fees for servicesSchool lunches; other school charges and 1 more
  • School lunches$1.5 million
  • Other school charges$589 thousand
  • School tuition and transportation$37 thousand

Amounts are by Census type of charge.

Federal tax money<0.1%

Grants from Washington, paid for by the federal taxes residents also pay.

From the federal government
<0.1%$157 thousand

State tax money36%

Money the state passes on, paid for by the state taxes residents also pay.

From the state
36%$130 million

County and local tax money0.7%

Money passed on by the county or other local governments.

From the county and other local governments
0.7%$2.7 million

Fines and other3.3%

Interest, rents and other
3.3%$12.1 million
Bethlehem Area School District page →

Where the money goes

Schools and colleges90%Sent to other local governments7.7%Interest on debt2.7%

What stands out

7.7%

of Bethlehem Area School District's spending goes to local governments.Most school districts with 5,000 to 25,000 students spend nothing on this.

Full Bethlehem Area School District breakdown

Spending by category100%

Schools and colleges
90%$304 million
What's in schools and collegesElementary and secondary schools
  • Elementary and secondary schools$304 million
Sent to other local governments
7.7%$26.0 million
What's in sent to other local governmentsSent to school districts and sent to local governments: other and not broken out
  • Sent to school districts$23.4 million
  • Sent to local governments: other and not broken out$2.6 million
Interest on debt
2.7%$9.0 million
Bethlehem Area School District page →
Sources and moreEach government's source, fiscal year and how a ZIP is matched

Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. U.S. Census Bureau, 2024 Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances, individual unit file, fiscal year ended June 30, 2024.

Bethlehem Area School District. U.S. Census Bureau, 2024 Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances, individual unit file, fiscal year ended June 30, 2024.

City of Bethlehem. U.S. Census Bureau, 2024 Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances, individual unit file, fiscal year ended December 31, 2023.

Lehigh County. U.S. Census Bureau, 2024 Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances, individual unit file, fiscal year ended December 31, 2023.

Northampton County. U.S. Census Bureau, 2024 Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances, individual unit file, fiscal year ended December 31, 2023.

How a ZIP is matched. A ZIP code is not a government boundary, so we match it to the cities, counties and school districts that overlap it, using Census Bureau geography. Where a ZIP crosses several, each one is shown with its share of the ZIP. Each government's money covers its own operations only; the others listed here are separate.

Latest recorded year. The year differs by government: each block shows the newest fiscal year on file. A Census survey year covers fiscal years ending July 1 of the year before through June 30 of that year.