Bethlehem Township's housing stock reflects its rural heritage and its measured growth. Older farm homes and farmhouses are scattered across the township's valleys and hills, often on substantial acreage, and they coexist with newer residential development. Higher-end subdivisions such as Charlestown Hills, The Woods at Fox Farm, Hunterdon Ridge, and Brodhead Manor offer larger, newer single-family homes on generous lots, while the township's zoning preserves much of its open, agricultural character. The market is spread across roughly 21 square miles, so properties range from established homes in small village settings to secluded rural parcels and newer luxury construction. Buyers are typically drawn by land, privacy, and Hunterdon County's low-density landscape, with easy access to I-78 for regional commuting.

Bethlehem Township is a spread-out, rural township rather than a collection of dense neighborhoods, and its identity runs through historic villages and newer residential enclaves. West Portal, once known as Bethlehem, is among the township's older village centers, while the village of Asbury, straddling the Bethlehem–Franklin line, anchors the area around the Musconetcong River and its island park. Newer residential development is concentrated in named communities such as Charlestown Hills, The Woods at Fox Farm, Hunterdon Ridge, and Brodhead Manor, which offer more contemporary subdivision living within the rural landscape. Between these nodes lie working farms, forested hills, and the Musconetcong Mountains, giving the township a distinctly open, low-density feel across its roughly 21 square miles.

Life in Bethlehem Township is defined by its rural, open landscape and its historic small-village roots. The township's farms, forests, and rolling terrain set a deliberately country pace, with village centers such as West Portal and Asbury carrying on the agricultural-services tradition of milling and blacksmithing that shaped the area. The Musconetcong River anchors local recreation, from fishing and kayaking at Musconetcong Island Park to riverside walking, while the township's park and trail system supports everyday outdoor activity. Residents value privacy, acreage, and a landscape that has stayed largely undeveloped, even as Interstate 78 keeps New York, the Lehigh Valley, and western New Jersey's employment centers within reach. The result is a quiet, land-rich community for those seeking rural character rather than suburban density.

Bethlehem Township is served by the Bethlehem Township School District, which operates two schools: Thomas B. Conley Elementary for pre-kindergarten through fifth grade and Ethel Hoppock Middle School for sixth through eighth grade. For high school, students attend North Hunterdon High School in Annandale through a send-receive arrangement shared with several other Hunterdon County municipalities, part of the North Hunterdon-Voorhees Regional High School District. This structure — a small, local K-8 district feeding a well-established regional high school — is typical of Hunterdon County's townships. Families considering the area often cite the district's small scale and the quality of the regional high school as factors, alongside the township's rural setting.

Bethlehem Township is well positioned for regional travel despite its rural character. Interstate 78 and U.S. Route 22 run through the township, and Route 173 provides an additional east-west corridor, connecting residents to the Lehigh Valley in Pennsylvania to the west and toward New York City about 61 miles to the east. The Norfolk Southern Railway's Lehigh Line passes through the township on its way to Phillipsburg. There is no passenger rail station within the township, so commuters typically drive to regional stations or use the highway network, and Interstate 78 exits in nearby Bloomsbury and Union Township provide convenient access points. Most local trips are car-based, in keeping with the township's spread-out, rural layout.

The Musconetcong River is the centerpiece of outdoor recreation in Bethlehem Township. Musconetcong Island Park, in the village of Asbury on the Bethlehem–Franklin line, is a favorite spot for fishing, swimming, and kayaking and connects to the Asbury Historic District by sidewalk. The township maintains a park system of a community park, four neighborhood parks, a memorial park, two trail systems, and two developing greenways, supporting walking, play, and community events. The township's history even includes Bellewood Park, an early amusement park on Musconetcong Mountain that once drew visitors with rides and a beer garden. The surrounding hills, the Musconetcong Mountains, and the Hunterdon Plateau add hiking and scenic countryside to the area's recreational offerings.