Buying a Home in the Lehigh Valley: Bethlehem, Easton, Nazareth and Allentown
In short: To buy a home in the Lehigh Valley, get pre-approved, choose the city, borough or township, and read the city's pre-sale inspection report, because Bethlehem, Easton and Allentown inspect every home before it is sold. From October 2025 to September 2026, the median sale price was $375,000 in Northampton County and $359,900 in Lehigh County, and lower in the cities of Bethlehem ($315,000), Allentown ($260,000) and Easton ($252,000), according to the Greater Lehigh Valley REALTORS® MLS. Homes sold in about three weeks on average, so be ready to make an offer.
How do I buy a house in the Lehigh Valley?
- Get pre-approved. Homes here sell fast, and sellers take offers with a pre-approval more seriously.
- Choose the municipality. A Bethlehem, Easton or Allentown mailing address can be in the city or in a township next to it, with different taxes, schools and rules.
- Read the city's inspection report. Bethlehem, Easton and Allentown each inspect a home before it is sold. Ask for the report: it shows what the city wants fixed and who is fixing it.
- Make an offer with the right contingencies: your own home inspection, the appraisal and your financing.
- Inspect older homes carefully. Many city homes were built long before 1978, so expect a lead-based paint disclosure and look closely at the wiring, plumbing, roof and foundation.
- Plan for the transfer tax. It is 2% in total in most of the Lehigh Valley and 2.5% in Allentown, split with the seller by custom.
- Close, usually 30 to 60 days after your offer is accepted.
Home prices by area
| Area | Median price | Homes sold | Avg. days on market |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bethlehem, PA | $315,000 | 589 | 19 |
| Easton, PA | $252,000 | 197 | 26 |
| Allentown, PA | $260,000 | 862 | 23 |
| Nazareth, PA | $332,300 | 48 | 15 |
| Northampton County, PA | $375,000 | 2,942 | 23 |
| Lehigh County, PA | $359,900 | 3,392 | 23 |
Homes sold from October 2025 to September 2026. Source: Greater Lehigh Valley REALTORS® MLS, pulled October 2026.
What your budget buys in the Lehigh Valley
Homes sold in Lehigh and Northampton counties together, by price:
| Price | Homes sold | Median size | Median bedrooms |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under $200,000 | 441 | 1,216 sq ft | 3 |
| $200,000 to $299,999 | 1,485 | 1,420 sq ft | 3 |
| $300,000 to $399,999 | 1,773 | 1,728 sq ft | 3 |
| $400,000 to $499,999 | 1,063 | 2,117 sq ft | 3 |
| $500,000 and up | 1,572 | 3,033 sq ft | 4 |
Single-family homes, twins, townhouses and condos sold from October 2025 to September 2026. Size is total finished square feet, including finished basements. Source: Greater Lehigh Valley REALTORS® MLS, pulled October 2026.
About half of all homes sold between $200,000 and $400,000, most with three bedrooms. Below $200,000 there are far fewer choices, and the homes are smaller.
The cities and towns
- Bethlehem: a historic downtown, Lehigh University and Moravian University, the SteelStacks arts campus and Musikfest every August, with I-78 and Route 22 at the edge of town.
- Easton: the Northampton County seat, where the Lehigh River meets the Delaware, with Centre Square and Lafayette College, and I-78 right at the New Jersey line.
- Nazareth: a small borough, home of C. F. Martin & Co. guitars, with Route 33 north to the Poconos and south to I-78.
- Allentown: the largest city in the Lehigh Valley and the Lehigh County seat, next to Bethlehem, with a lower median price and a 2.5% transfer tax.
Help with the down payment
- Pennsylvania's PHFA programs help first-time and repeat buyers across the state. See the first-time home buyer guide.
- The City of Bethlehem's Homebuyer Assistance Program can cover up to 10% of the price, plus closing costs, as a 0% loan forgiven over 10 years, for buyers who qualify. See the Bethlehem guide.
Outdoor life
The Delaware & Lehigh Trail runs along the Lehigh River and the old canal through Bethlehem and Easton, Jacobsburg Environmental Education Center has woods and trails near Nazareth, and the Delaware River runs past Easton. The Poconos' lakes, trails and ski slopes are 30 minutes to an hour north on Route 33.
Getting around
- I-78 and Route 22 cross the Valley from Allentown to Easton and into New Jersey; Route 33 runs north to the Poconos.
- New York City is about 70 miles from Easton and 80 from Bethlehem, and Philadelphia about 1 hour 15 minutes from Bethlehem.
- Trans-Bridge Lines runs buses to New York from Allentown, Bethlehem, Easton and Lehigh Valley International Airport.
Moving from New York or New Jersey? See Moving to Pennsylvania from New York or New Jersey.
Sources
- City of Bethlehem: housing inspections when a property is sold
- City of Easton: Buyer Notification ordinance (Chapter 222)
- City of Allentown: pre-sale inspections
- Greater Lehigh Valley REALTORS®: Allentown transfer tax increase
- U.S. EPA: lead-based paint disclosure for homes built before 1978
- Trans-Bridge Lines: schedules and stops
What clients say
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Questions
How much does a house cost in the Lehigh Valley?
From October 2025 to September 2026, the median sale price was $375,000 in Northampton County and $359,900 in Lehigh County, according to the Greater Lehigh Valley REALTORS® MLS. In the cities it was lower: $315,000 in Bethlehem, $260,000 in Allentown and $252,000 in Easton.
What can I buy for under $300,000 in the Lehigh Valley?
About 1,900 of the homes sold in Lehigh and Northampton counties from October 2025 to September 2026 were under $300,000, most of them three-bedroom homes of about 1,200 to 1,400 square feet.
How fast do homes sell in the Lehigh Valley?
Fast. Homes that sold from October 2025 to September 2026 spent an average of 19 days on the market in Bethlehem, 23 in Allentown and in both counties, and 26 in Easton, according to the Greater Lehigh Valley REALTORS® MLS.
Is Allentown cheaper than Bethlehem?
By median sale price, yes: $260,000 in Allentown against $315,000 in Bethlehem from October 2025 to September 2026. Allentown's transfer tax is higher, at 2.5% in total against 2% in Bethlehem.
Looking for a home in the Lehigh Valley?
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