Population 45,338 · Census ACS 2020–24
Choose a measure to map it.Tap a measure to map it. Swipe the row for more. Arrows show the change since 2006–10.
Median age by neighborhoodHistory and comparison ↓︎
Younger residents
Older residents
Colorblind friendly
off
More maps of ZIP 18042: Best Neighborhoods · Walk Grade · Household income · Home prices · Race · Politics · Traffic noise · Internet
Population and households in ZIP 18042
Household size in ZIP 18042
| Period | ZIP 18042 | Allentown area | Pennsylvania | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.46 | 2.55 | 2.51 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.46 | 2.60 | 2.53 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.62 | 2.57 | 2.50 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.51 | 2.56 | 2.46 | 2.65 |
| Change | +0.05 | +0.01 | −0.05 | −0.03 |
The average household in ZIP 18042 has 2.51 people, a bit under the U.S. average of 2.65. Household size has crept up from 2.46 in 2006–10, even as the national average fell. The biggest households, usually families with children, are concentrated in the west.
Household size: the average number of people living in each occupied home. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25010).
Median age in ZIP 18042
| Period | ZIP 18042 | Allentown area | Pennsylvania | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 36.5 | 40.7 | 40.3 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 38.5 | 41.6 | 41.0 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 38.8 | 42.3 | 41.8 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 36.5 | 42.3 | 42.0 | 40.1 |
| Change | +0.0 | +1.6 | +1.7 | +2.3 |
ZIP 18042 is younger than the country as a whole: its median age is 36.5, against 40.1 nationally. Residents skew youngest in the northeast and oldest in the southeast. ZIP 18042 is younger than at least four in five Pennsylvania ZIP codes.
Median age: the age that splits residents into two equal halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B01002).
Single-parent households in ZIP 18042
| Period | ZIP 18042 | Allentown area | Pennsylvania | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 17.5% | 10.8% | 10.5% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 16.1% | 11.0% | 10.6% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 15.7% | 11.4% | 10.5% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 17.7% | 11.5% | 10.7% | 11.6% |
| Change | +0.2 pts | +0.7 pts | +0.2 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single-parent households are common in ZIP 18042: 17.7% of all households, against 11.6% nationally. Only 56 of the 628 Pennsylvania ZIP codes with 5,000+ people have a higher share of single-parent households.
Single-parent households: households where one adult with no spouse present lives with children under 18. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B11003).
Housing in ZIP 18042
Renters in ZIP 18042
| Period | ZIP 18042 | Allentown area | Pennsylvania | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 40.6% | 26.9% | 29.0% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 43.7% | 29.3% | 30.5% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 45.6% | 31.2% | 31.1% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 45.3% | 30.3% | 30.7% | 34.8% |
| Change | +4.7 pts | +3.4 pts | +1.7 pts | +1.5 pts |
Renting is far more common in ZIP 18042 than nationally: 45.3% of households rent their homes, against 34.8%. Among owners, 39.0% have paid off their mortgages, about the same as nationally. Rentals cluster in the center; owners are most common in the southwest. The renter share is up 4.7 points from 2006–10, a much bigger shift than nationally.
Renters: occupied homes that are rented rather than owned. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25003).
Vacant homes in ZIP 18042
| Period | ZIP 18042 | Allentown area | Pennsylvania | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 12.2% | 8.0% | 10.3% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 12.3% | 8.6% | 10.5% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 14.1% | 8.3% | 10.7% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 11.2% | 6.5% | 9.1% | 9.6% |
| Change | −1.0 pts | −1.5 pts | −1.2 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacancy runs a little high in ZIP 18042: 11.2% of homes are empty, against 9.6% nationally. The count includes vacation homes and homes between owners or tenants, not just abandoned ones. Vacancy is down 1.0 points from 2006–10, as it has nationally.
Vacant homes: homes with no one living in them, including vacation homes and homes for sale or rent. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25002).
Age of homes in ZIP 18042
| Period | ZIP 18042 | Allentown area | Pennsylvania | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1947 | 1965 | 1963 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1948 | 1967 | 1964 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1946 | 1967 | 1965 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1948 | 1969 | 1967 | 1980 |
| Change | +1 | +3 | +4 | +6 |
The housing in ZIP 18042 is old by national standards: the median home dates to 1948, against 1980 for the U.S., so buyers will find more older houses, some of them due for updates. The newest homes are mostly in the southeast, the oldest in the north. ZIP 18042 has older homes than the great majority of Pennsylvania ZIP codes.
Age of homes: the year that splits the housing stock into older and newer halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25035).
Rent in ZIP 18042
| Period | ZIP 18042 | Allentown area | Pennsylvania | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $891 | $928 | $829 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $932 | $1,020 | $923 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $1,082 | $1,170 | $1,039 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $1,450 | $1,504 | $1,323 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$559 | +$576 | +$494 | +$606 |
A typical rental in ZIP 18042 costs $1,450 a month with utilities, below the national median of $1,571. Rents are up $559 a month from 2006–10, a 63% jump, roughly in step with the nation. The typical renter here spends 30.0% of household income on rent, just under the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent. Rents run highest in the southeast and lowest in the north.
Rent: monthly rent plus the utilities renters pay themselves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25064).
Education in ZIP 18042
Bachelor's degrees in ZIP 18042
| Period | ZIP 18042 | Allentown area | Pennsylvania | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 19.7% | 26.0% | 27.2% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 20.6% | 26.7% | 28.7% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 25.8% | 29.5% | 31.8% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 30.0% | 33.3% | 35.6% | 35.6% |
| Change | +10.3 pts | +7.3 pts | +8.3 pts | +7.2 pts |
College degrees are a little less common in ZIP 18042 than nationally: 30.0% of adults 25 and older have a bachelor's or higher, against 35.6%. The share with a degree is up 10.3 points from 2006–10, as it has nationally. College graduates are most concentrated in the northeast and least in the center.
Bachelor's degrees: adults 25 and older with a bachelor's degree or higher. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
High school graduates in ZIP 18042
| Period | ZIP 18042 | Allentown area | Pennsylvania | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 82.9% | 86.4% | 87.3% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 85.4% | 88.0% | 88.8% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 85.1% | 89.7% | 90.3% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 89.0% | 91.4% | 91.8% | 89.3% |
| Change | +6.1 pts | +5.0 pts | +4.5 pts | +4.3 pts |
About as many adults in ZIP 18042 have finished high school as nationally: 89.0%, against 89.3%. The rate is lower than in the Allentown area overall (91.4%). Since 2006–10, the share with a diploma has risen 6.1 points, as it has nationally.
High school graduates: adults 25 and older with a high school diploma, GED or more. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
Jobs in ZIP 18042
| Period | ZIP 18042 | Allentown area | Pennsylvania | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 9.4% | 7.3% | 7.5% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 11.0% | 9.4% | 8.8% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 4.9% | 5.5% | 5.5% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 5.3% | 5.5% | 5.4% | 5.4% |
| Change | −4.1 pts | −1.8 pts | −2.1 pts | −2.7 pts |
Unemployment in ZIP 18042 is close to the national rate: 5.3% of the labor force, against 5.4%. Unemployment has fallen 4.1 points since 2006–10, in line with the national trend. Each figure pools five years of surveys (2020–24), so it describes that whole stretch rather than today's job market.
Unemployment: people looking for work as a share of everyone working or looking. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B23025).
ZIP 18042 compared with nearby ZIP codes
| ZIP code | Household size | Median age | Single parents | Renters | Vacant homes | Median year built | Median rent | Bachelor's degree | High school diploma | Unemployment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ZIP 18042 | 2.51 | 36.5 | 17.7% | 45.3% | 11.2% | 1948 | $1,450 | 30.0% | 89.0% | 5.3% |
| ZIP 18045 | 2.53 | 45.7 | 8.9% | 17.6% | 4.1% | 1982 | $1,880 | 45.1% | 96.0% | 3.7% |
| ZIP 08865 | 2.35 | 42.8 | 11.0% | 31.0% | 4.2% | 1958 | $1,461 | 29.9% | 92.0% | 5.6% |
| ZIP 18040 | 2.61 | 44.6 | 7.5% | 9.8% | 3.3% | 1994 | $1,458 | 41.4% | 92.5% | 3.4% |
| ZIP 18085 | 3.24 | 38.5 | 11.3% | 24.1% | 3.0% | 1968 | $1,647 | 37.1% | 98.3% | 5.6% |
| ZIP 08886 | 2.94 | 42.3 | 5.0% | 6.0% | 2.3% | 1990 | $2,179 | 49.0% | 97.3% | 4.9% |
| ZIP 18020 | 2.56 | 43.7 | 6.5% | 17.7% | 2.9% | 1986 | $1,573 | 43.7% | 95.5% | 3.8% |
| ZIP 18083 | 2.64 | 38.8 | 6.5% | 14.3% | 7.3% | 1948 | $1,182 | 32.3% | 96.2% | 2.8% |
| ZIP 18064 | 2.67 | 45.5 | 9.6% | 24.7% | 3.6% | 1981 | $1,632 | 38.7% | 94.3% | 2.4% |
| ZIP 08804 | 2.82 | 42.7 | 10.7% | 16.7% | 4.2% | 1972 | $1,771 | 48.4% | 95.2% | 4.5% |
| ZIP 18063 | 2.53 | 56.9 | 1.4% | 24.8% | 12.8% | 1958 | $1,227 | 19.5% | 92.1% | 6.7% |
All figures 2020–24.
Zip codes with similar populations: 90065, CA · 94561, CA · 19401, PA · 19403, PA · 19460, PA · 20706, MD · 21044, MD · 21220, MD · 22015, VA · 23451, VA
About these numbers
Every figure on this page is a BestNeighborhood calculation from the Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS), built up from the Census block groups that make up ZIP 18042. Each ACS 5-year release pools five years of responses; this page shows the last 15 releases, 2006–10 through 2020–24. Neighboring releases share four of their five years, so they move gradually and small changes between them are within the survey's margin of error; in small places the lines can jump from one release to the next for the same reason. The maps show the same measures for each neighborhood, ranked against the whole country.
No other site shows detail at this level for free. We are able to keep this site free by receiving a small commission from the referring links on this page. Please share or cite this page if you aren’t able to otherwise support our work.