Neighborhood · Bethlehem, PA

South Side Eviction Risk: Moderate

1 census tracts · pop 5,369 · pop-weighted Eviction Risk Score 5.6/10 · range 5.6–5.6

South Side is a hispanic-black neighborhood in Bethlehem with 1 census tract and a population of 5,369 residents. The neighborhood's pop-weighted eviction-risk score of 5.6/10 (Moderate tier) blends state law, county-level filing rates, parent-city politics, and tract-specific rent-to-income ratios + poverty. 63% of renters here pay at least 30% of household income on rent, and 23% are severely cost-burdened (≥50% of income). Average gross rent of $1,267/month sits 8% lower than the Bethlehem citywide average ($1,382).

Risk score

5.6

Moderate

1 tracts · population-weighted

South Side vs Bethlehem How this neighborhood stacks against the citywide average

% of income on rent

63.1% +103%

Bethlehem: 31.1%

Average gross rent

$1,267 -8%

Bethlehem: $1,382

Average HH income

$46,165 -31%

Bethlehem: $66,443

Poverty rate

14.0% -11%

Bethlehem: 15.8%

Renter share

69.8% +39%

Bethlehem: 50.1%

Peer neighborhoods

Neighborhoods with similar eviction risk

Same county, closest by Eviction Risk Score.

Geographic context

Risk heat across South Side and the region

Click any tract to drill in · 1 tracts span score 5.6–5.6

Why South Side scores 5.6

9 axes · pop-weighted · 1 = landlord-friendly

State political climate

legislature & governorship · Range 3.4–3.4 across tracts

3.4

Regional political climate

County-level mix · 2024 presidential margin · Range 5.0–5.0 across tracts

5.0

Local political climate

Parent city governance · Range 5.5–5.5 across tracts

5.5

Rent control risk

63% of income on rent · Range 7.1–7.1 across tracts

7.1

Eviction process difficulty

State notice requirements & court backlog · Range 3.5–3.5 across tracts

3.5

Tenant organizing strength

70% renter households · Range 9.1–9.1 across tracts

9.1

Housing court bias

County bench composition · Range 7.1–7.1 across tracts

7.1

Economic stress

14.0% below poverty line · Range 3.5–3.5 across tracts

3.5

Supply constraint

Rent-to-FMR gap & zoning friction · Range 3.4–3.4 across tracts

3.4

Risk score comparison

South Side vs. parent city, state, U.S.

Eviction Risk Score (0–10 scale).

Census tracts

1 tracts in South Side

Ranked highest-risk first. Click for per-tract detail.

Tract↕	Score↕	Pop↕	% over 30% on rent↕	Average rent↕
42095011200	5.6	5,369	63%	$1,267

Social Vulnerability Index

CDC SVI percentile: 98

Pop-weighted across 1 tracts. Higher = more vulnerable to disaster, displacement, and rent shocks. Source: CDC/ATSDR SVI 2022.

Socioeconomic status 96%ile

Poverty, unemployment, no-HS-diploma, housing cost burden

Household characteristics 99%ile

Single-parent HH, disability, language barriers, age 17- / 65+

Racial/ethnic minority 83%ile

Hispanic + non-white share of population

Housing & transport 82%ile

Multi-unit structures, mobile homes, crowding, no vehicle

Eviction filings · Princeton Eviction Lab

Court-record eviction history in South Side

Aggregated across 1 validated constituent tract. Filing rate is filings per 100 renter households, pop-weighted.

Historic baseline (2000–2018)

689Total filings (sum)
9.69%Avg annual filing rate
13.8%Peak year (2006)
13.79%Latest filed (2006)

Frequently asked

About South Side

What is the eviction-risk score for South Side?

South Side scores 5.6/10 (Moderate tier) across 1 census tracts. The pop-weighted Eviction Risk Score blends state law, county filing rates, parent-city politics, and tract-specific rent-to-income and poverty signals.

How does South Side compare to Bethlehem overall?

South Side scores 1.4 points higher than Bethlehem overall (4.2/10). Renters spend 63% of income on rent vs 31% citywide. Average rent: $1,267 vs $1,382.

What is the average rent in South Side?

Average gross rent in South Side is $1,267/month (pop-weighted across 1 census tracts, ACS 5-year 2023). 63% of renter households are cost-burdened.

What percentage of South Side residents are renters?

70% of South Side households are renter-occupied (vs 50% in Bethlehem). The neighborhood has 5,369 residents.

Is South Side a high social-vulnerability area?

South Side sits in the 98th percentile nationally on the CDC Social Vulnerability Index (highly vulnerable). The index combines poverty, unemployment, household composition, racial/ethnic minority share, and housing/transportation factors across all US census tracts.

How safe is South Side for landlords?

South Side carries a moderate-tier eviction-risk profile for landlords (5.6/10). Pop-weighted across 1 constituent tracts, the score blends parent-city rent-control posture, county eviction-process timelines, and tract-specific rent-to-income / poverty signals. Compared to Bethlehem as a whole (4.2/10), this neighborhood is higher-risk.

What is the demographic breakdown of South Side?

South Side has 5,268 residents (Hispanic-Black Neighborhood). Top groups: Hispanic / Latino (47.1%), Black (non-Hispanic) (25.3%), White (non-Hispanic) (22.6%). Source: ACS 5-year 2023, table B03002.

Nearby

Other neighborhoods near South Side

4.5 Sayre Park 2 tracts · pop 7,563 6.2 Historic South Bethlehem 2 tracts · pop 7,471 4.8 Clearfield Terrace 2 tracts · pop 7,283 2.4 Wagner Terrace 2 tracts · pop 6,109 1.6 Trio Fields 2 tracts · pop 11,725 2 Somerset Village 2 tracts · pop 9,643

Sibling neighborhoods

Other neighborhoods inside Bethlehem

Same parent city, ranked by score similarity to South Side.

5.5 West Bethlehem 1 tracts · pop 4,871 5.5 Central Bethlehem 1 tracts · pop 4,568 5.3 Clearfield Terrace 2 tracts · pop 7,283 5.2 Brinker Terrace 1 tracts · pop 4,446 5.2 Elmwood Park 1 tracts · pop 2,892 5.1 Rosemont 1 tracts · pop 3,416

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