Bethlehem's Demographics Population: The population findings are based on the new US Census data for 2010. Bethlehem's population for 2010 was 3,607 a difference of 185 additional people from the 2000 population of 3,422. Bethlehem's population, the smallest in the NVC, grew by 5.4% from 2000 to 2010. The population in the NVC increased by 5.6% from 2000 to 2010. Connecticut's population grew by 4.9% during the 2000 to 2010 period. Eleven of the eighteen communities grew at a rate equal to or higher than the state during the 2000 to 2010 period. Bethlehem's population increased by 5.4% or 185 residents. Bethlehem's rate was higher than the State and equal to the NVC average. Population by Sex/Age: Bethlehem had 1,779 males, 1,828 females, 747 people were under age 18, and 2,860 were age 18 and over. Unemployment and Labor Force Characteristics in Bethlehem: In April of 2012 the unemployment rate was 5.6% in Bethlehem, 8.5% in the NVC, and 7.5% in Connecticut and 7.7% in the US. Bethlehem possessed the third lowest unemployment rate among NVC towns. Waterbury had the highest unemployment rate (12.3%)whereas Newtown possessed the lowest unemployment rate (5.2%). The unemployment and labor force have changed during the past years because of the national/worldwide economic crisis. Most of the communities in the NVC reflect an increase in the labor force, and a decrease in the higher unemployment percentages. In April of 2012, Bethlehem possessed about 1 percent of the labor force in the NVC. Its total labor force of 1,925 was the smallest in the NVC in 2012. Waterbury maintained the highest share of the NVC's labor force at 24.4 percent whereas Bethlehem possessed about 1 percent of the NVC's labor force in 2012. Bethlehem maintained less than 1 percent of the unemployed labor force in the NVC in 2012. Bethlehem maintained the smallest number of the NVC's total number of unemployed in 20121. Waterbury possessed the largest number of unemployed (6,308) whereas Bethlehem possessed the smallest number (132) of the NVC's unemployed in 2012. Changes in Employment Force and Unemployment Rates Over Time: Bethlehem's labor force increased by 86 workers from April 2000 to April 2012, whereas the employment force in the NVC and the state increased by 16,842 people and 162,700 respectively. Bethlehem's percent of unemployed went from 1.6% in 2000 to 7.5% in 2011 to 6.4 % in 2012. The NVC went from 2.3% in 2000 to 9.9% in 2011 to 8.5% in 2012. ConnecticuYs unemployed went from 2.2% in 2000 to 8.9% in 2011 to 7.5% in 2012. Median Household Income: based on CERC 2010 data -Bethlehem $85,096, County/ Litchfield $68.682 and the NVC $74,286 and Connecticut $65,686.
Naugatuck Valley Corridor Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy
June 2012