$479,900
3 bd|2 ba|1,980 sqft
3815 Spear St, Bethlehem, PA 18020
Listed by Redfin Corporation
Lehigh County + Northampton County
Bethlehem Area School District
45.4
Academic Index · #97 of 112
Straddles Lehigh and Northampton counties (PDE lists it under Northampton). The matrix scores it on the Lehigh side; the Northampton-side school rate (63.17 mills) is in the tax dataset and drives Northampton-side listings and the Northampton tax page. Listing/price counts span both sides.
Academic outcomes (2024-25)
% proficient or advanced, official PDE district files. Black tick = state average.
PSSA English (gr. 3-8)36.1%PA 48.5%
PSSA Math (gr. 3-8)30.2%PA 41.7%
Keystone Algebra I27.8%PA 44.3%
Keystone Literature46.7%PA 62.1%
Keystone Biology33.6%PA 49.4%
4-year graduation rate88.8%PA 89.1%
The true tax picture
- School millage (2025-26)
- 19.42 mills
- Effective school tax (of market value)
- 0.91%/yr
- Typical total (county + muni + school)
- 1.51%/yr
- On a $450,000 purchase
- ≈ $6,791/yr
- Median sale, 12 mo (61 sales)
- $325,000
Northampton County side: effective school tax ≈ 1.02% (billed on that county's assessments).
Rates assume an assessment at Lehigh County's current Common Level Ratio (47.00%). PA does not reassess on sale. Exact math for any price: the calculator.
Family & student support
Beyond test scores: official, public measures of student support and community context that families ask about. District- and county-level only; never a rating of an individual school, student, or home.
Support & services
U.S. Dept. of Education / NCES, 2021-22. Gray figures are the PA average.
- Special-education enrollment
- 21.9%PA avg 20.3%
- Students per teacher
- 14.1:1PA avg 13.9:1
- Students per school counselor
- 266:1PA avg 352:1 · recommended 250:1
- Students per school psychologist
- 1,086:1PA avg 1,165:1 · recommended 500:1
Special-education enrollment is the share of students receiving IEP or related services: the support a district provides, not a drawback. Counselor and psychologist ratios compare against ASCA (250:1) and NASP (500:1) recommendations.
Lehigh County: overdose context
Pennsylvania Department of Health. County-level, not specific to any school or district.
111drug-overdose deaths in 2024
20122024
Down from 146 the prior year and a peak of 184 in 2021. Recent years are provisional.
School climate & safety
81.3%regular attendance
Share of students present at least 90% of enrolled days, vs. 79.6% statewide. Enrollment-weighted across the district's schools. Pennsylvania Future Ready PA Index, 2024-25.
U.S. Dept. of Education, Office for Civil Rights — Civil Rights Data Collection (CRDC), 2021-22. Incidents per 1,000 enrolled students; one student can account for several incidents, so this is not the share of students involved. Figures are privacy-adjusted at the school level; small district counts are shown as “fewer than 10.”
- Bullying & harassment allegations
- 2.4 / 1,000
- Out-of-school suspensions
- 47.5 / 1,000
- Referrals to law enforcement
- 15.7 / 1,000
- School-related arrests
- Fewer than 10
- Restraint or seclusion
- 2.1 / 1,000
Bullying counts are incidents a district formally reported under federal civil-rights categories, a widely underreported measure. A low number (including zero) often reflects reporting practices more than the absence of bullying.
These figures describe districts and counties, not individual schools, students, or homes. They are official public data and may be self-reported, lag by a year or more, or be underreported. They are context for families, not a safety rating. Sources: U.S. Department of Education, NCES Common Core of Data (2021-22); Pennsylvania Department of Health; Pennsylvania Future Ready PA Index (2024-25); U.S. Dept. of Education, Office for Civil Rights — Civil Rights Data Collection (CRDC) (2021-22).
Schools in Bethlehem Area
22 public schools. Open any for grades, enrollment, and attendance.
Elementary schools
Asa Packer Elementary SchoolCalypso Elementary SchoolClearview Elementary SchoolDonegan Elementary SchoolFarmersville Elementary SchoolFountain Hill Elementary SchoolFreemansburg Elementary SchoolGovernor Wolf Elementary SchoolHanover Elementary SchoolJames Buchanan Elementary SchoolLincoln Elementary SchoolMarvine Elementary SchoolMiller Heights Elementary SchoolSpring Garden Elementary SchoolThomas Jefferson Elementary SchoolWilliam Penn Elementary School
Middle schools
High schools
Tax bill by municipality
| Municipality | Muni millage | Total millage | Effective rate | Tax on $450,000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bethlehem City (Lehigh side) | 6.21 mills | 29.41 mills | 1.38% | ≈ $6,220/yr |
| Fountain Hill Borough | 11.61 mills | 34.81 mills | 1.64% | ≈ $7,362/yr |
Browse homes in Bethlehem Area
Homes for sale in Bethlehem Area
Active listings across the district's towns. Every home here feeds the same schools.
$319,900
3 bd|1.5 ba|1,886 sqft
1740 Bayard St, Bethlehem, PA 18017
Listed by Keller Williams Real Estate - Bethlehem
$300,000
2 bd|1 ba|864 sqft
1509 Callone Ave, Bethlehem, PA 18017
Listed by Iron Valley Real Estate Legacy
$198,900
2 bd|1 ba|912 sqft
1940 Glendale Ave, Bethlehem, PA 18018
Listed by Keller Williams Real Estate - Allentown
$885,000
5 bd|4.5 ba|3,426 sqft
917 Main St, Bethlehem, PA 18018
Listed by Kurfiss Sotheby's International Realty
$319,000
3 bd|1.5 ba|1,632 sqft
809-813 Hayes St, Bethlehem, PA 18015
Listed by Stone Hollow Real Estate LLC
$469,900
3 bd|2 ba|2,046 sqft
1220 North Blvd, Bethlehem, PA 18017
Listed by I-DO Real Estate
$499,000
3 bd|1.5 ba|2,014 sqft
406 N New St, Bethlehem, PA 18018
Listed by Carol C Dorey Real Estate
$788,675
5 bd|3 ba|3,960 sqft
1415 Farmhouse Way, Bethlehem, PA 18017
Listed by D.R. Horton Realty of Pennsylvania
$245,000
2 bd|2.5 ba|1,332 sqft
427 Pawnee St, Bethlehem, PA 18015
Listed by Ramos Realty
$349,900
Price cut: $10,000 (Aug 28)
3 bd|2.5 ba|1,360 sqft
708 Bach Ct, Bethlehem, PA 18017
Listed by Century 21 Keim Realtors
$285,000
3 bd|2.5 ba|1,586 sqft
1514 Ravena St #r, Bethlehem, PA 18015
Listed by Real of Pennsylvania
Common questions
Is Bethlehem Area a good school district?
Bethlehem Area scores 45.4 of 100 on the NookLocal Academic Index, #97 of 112 districts serving Bucks, Chester, Delaware, Montgomery, Berks, Lancaster, and the Lehigh Valley. Components (official 2025 PDE data): PSSA proficiency 33% (state ~45%), Keystone proficiency 36%, graduation rate 88.8% (state 89.1%). The index measures outcomes, not school effectiveness in isolation.
What are property taxes in Bethlehem Area School District?
The district levies 19.42 mills (2025-26) on Lehigh County's assessment base, an effective school tax of about 0.91% of market value at the current Common Level Ratio. With county and typical municipal millage, the total runs about 1.51%, roughly $6,791 per year on a $450,000 purchase. Exact bills vary by municipality (1.38%–1.64% across 2) and by the home's actual assessment.
What towns are in Bethlehem Area School District?
NookLocal-covered towns served by Bethlehem Area: Bethlehem, Bethlehem City, Bethlehem City, Bethlehem Township, Hanover Township. The taxing municipalities are Bethlehem City (Lehigh side), Fountain Hill Borough. A specific home's district is shown on every NookLocal listing.
Bethlehem Area vs. Catasauqua Area: how do they compare?
Academically: Bethlehem Area 45.4 vs. Catasauqua Area 46.6 on the Academic Index. On taxes: 1.51% vs. 1.62% of home value per year, about $6,791 vs. $7,273 on a $450,000 purchase. Full comparison on the school district value matrix.
What is the attendance rate in Bethlehem Area School District?
81.3% of Bethlehem Area students are regularly present (enrolled and attending at least 90% of school days) versus 79.6% statewide (Future Ready PA Index, 2024-25).
Does Bethlehem Area support students with IEPs and special needs?
21.9% of students receive special-education services (Pennsylvania average 20.3%), with about 266 students per school counselor and 1,086 per school psychologist. The Family & student support section above has the full breakdown.
Is Bethlehem Area a safe school district?
Rather than a single safety score, NookLocal shows official district figures. Regular attendance is 81.3% (state 79.6%). For 2021-22, the federal Civil Rights Data Collection reports about 47.5 out-of-school suspensions and 15.7 law-enforcement referrals per 1,000 students. These figures describe the district, not individual schools, and reported bullying is widely undercounted. See the Family & student support section.
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Academic data: PA Department of Education district-level files (2024-25). Tax data: county assessment offices and STEB. Estimates only. Verify with the district and county before transacting. Full methodology on the value matrix.
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