Bethlehem Township is a rural township in Hunterdon County, New Jersey, occupying roughly 21 square miles in the northwestern part of the state on the western fringe of the New York metropolitan area. It is one of New Jersey's oldest municipalities, incorporated in 1798 as part of the state's first 104 townships, with settlement records reaching back to about 1730. Before Hunterdon County was formed in 1714, the area belonged to Burlington County, and the township was once considerably larger than it is today. The township's geography divides into three distinct zones. The northern half lies in the Musconetcong Valley, bordered by the Musconetcong River, which forms the township's line with Warren County. The southern half rises into the Musconetcong Mountains, and the southwest corner sits atop the Hunterdon Plateau. This varied, largely rural terrain of farms, forests, and hills has shaped the township's character since its earliest days, when villages such as West Portal served the surrounding agricultural economy with milling and blacksmithing. Today Bethlehem Township balances its farming heritage with a modest amount of newer residential development, and the 2020 census recorded 3,745 residents. Its housing ranges from centuries-old farm homes on open acreage to newer subdivisions on generous lots, with zoning that has kept the township predominantly open and low-density. The community's small villages and scattered homes share a landscape that remains more agricultural than suburban. Students attend the Bethlehem Township School District through eighth grade and North Hunterdon High School beyond that. Interstate 78, U.S. Route 22, and Route 173 run through or near the township, placing New York City about 61 miles east and Philadelphia about 71 miles to the south. The result is a quiet, low-density community that offers a distinctly rural Hunterdon County setting without surrendering access to the region's major employment centers.