Population 11,954 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in ZIP 18055
Household size in ZIP 18055
| Period | ZIP 18055 | Allentown area | Pennsylvania | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.48 | 2.55 | 2.51 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.55 | 2.60 | 2.53 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.53 | 2.57 | 2.50 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.56 | 2.56 | 2.46 | 2.65 |
| Change | +0.07 | +0.01 | −0.05 | −0.03 |
The average household in ZIP 18055 has 2.56 people, a bit under the U.S. average of 2.65. Household size has crept up from 2.48 in 2006–10, even as the national average fell. The biggest households, usually families with children, are concentrated in the north.
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 18055
| Period | ZIP 18055 | Allentown area | Pennsylvania | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 44.0 | 40.7 | 40.3 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 44.2 | 41.6 | 41.0 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 46.0 | 42.3 | 41.8 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 46.6 | 42.3 | 42.0 | 40.1 |
| Change | +2.7 | +1.6 | +1.7 | +2.3 |
With a median age of 46.6, ZIP 18055 is noticeably older than the country as a whole (40.1), an age mix that tilts toward empty nesters and retirees. The median age has climbed from 44.0 in 2006–10, as it has nationally. Residents skew youngest in the north and oldest in the center.
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 18055
| Period | ZIP 18055 | Allentown area | Pennsylvania | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 7.1% | 10.8% | 10.5% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 7.8% | 11.0% | 10.6% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 8.7% | 11.4% | 10.5% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 9.0% | 11.5% | 10.7% | 11.6% |
| Change | +1.9 pts | +0.7 pts | +0.2 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single-parent households are less common in ZIP 18055 than nationally: 9.0%, against 11.6%. The single-parent share has risen 1.9 points since 2006–10, even as the national share fell.
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 18055
Renters in ZIP 18055
| Period | ZIP 18055 | Allentown area | Pennsylvania | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 19.9% | 26.9% | 29.0% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 20.4% | 29.3% | 30.5% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 22.0% | 31.2% | 31.1% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 21.2% | 30.3% | 30.7% | 34.8% |
| Change | +1.3 pts | +3.4 pts | +1.7 pts | +1.5 pts |
ZIP 18055 is largely a place of homeowners: only 21.2% of households rent, far below the national share of 34.8%. Owner-heavy areas like this tend to see less turnover. Among homeowners, 34.2% have no mortgage at all, below the national share of 39.8%. The renter share is up 1.3 points from 2006–10, as it has 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 18055
| Period | ZIP 18055 | Allentown area | Pennsylvania | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 7.2% | 8.0% | 10.3% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 7.5% | 8.6% | 10.5% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 6.5% | 8.3% | 10.7% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 6.2% | 6.5% | 9.1% | 9.6% |
| Change | −1.0 pts | −1.5 pts | −1.2 pts | −1.8 pts |
Fewer homes sit empty in ZIP 18055 than nationally: 6.2%, against 9.6% for the U.S. The picture is much the same across the Allentown area. Vacancy has edged down 1.0 points since 2006–10, in line with the national trend.
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 18055
| Period | ZIP 18055 | Allentown area | Pennsylvania | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1961 | 1965 | 1963 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1961 | 1967 | 1964 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1964 | 1967 | 1965 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1965 | 1969 | 1967 | 1980 |
| Change | +3 | +3 | +4 | +6 |
The housing in ZIP 18055 is old by national standards: the median home dates to 1965, against 1980 for the U.S., so buyers will find more older houses, some of them due for updates. The median year built has moved up from 1961 in 2006–10, a sign of steady new building. Newer construction is concentrated in the northeast, while the center has the oldest housing.
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 18055
| Period | ZIP 18055 | Allentown area | Pennsylvania | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $880 | $928 | $829 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $1,025 | $1,020 | $923 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $1,106 | $1,170 | $1,039 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $1,485 | $1,504 | $1,323 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$604 | +$576 | +$494 | +$606 |
A typical rental in ZIP 18055 costs $1,485 a month with utilities, below the national median of $1,571. Rent has climbed $604 a month since 2006–10, up 69%, faster than rents rose nationally. The typical renter here spends 23.4% of household income on rent, comfortably under the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent, and a smaller share than renters pay nationally.
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 18055
Bachelor's degrees in ZIP 18055
| Period | ZIP 18055 | Allentown area | Pennsylvania | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 32.2% | 26.0% | 27.2% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 28.2% | 26.7% | 28.7% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 36.1% | 29.5% | 31.8% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 36.6% | 33.3% | 35.6% | 35.6% |
| Change | +4.4 pts | +7.3 pts | +8.3 pts | +7.2 pts |
College degrees are about as common in ZIP 18055 as nationally: 36.6% of adults 25 and older have a bachelor's or higher, against 35.6%. The share is higher than in the Allentown area as a whole (33.3%). The share with a degree is up 4.4 points from 2006–10, in line with the national trend.
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 18055
| Period | ZIP 18055 | Allentown area | Pennsylvania | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 88.5% | 86.4% | 87.3% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 91.9% | 88.0% | 88.8% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 93.7% | 89.7% | 90.3% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 94.4% | 91.4% | 91.8% | 89.3% |
| Change | +6.0 pts | +5.0 pts | +4.5 pts | +4.3 pts |
High school completion is high in ZIP 18055: 94.4% of adults 25 and older have a diploma or equivalent, well above the national rate of 89.3%. The share with a diploma has risen 6.0 points since 2006–10, in line with the national trend.
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 18055
| Period | ZIP 18055 | Allentown area | Pennsylvania | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 6.7% | 7.3% | 7.5% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 8.3% | 9.4% | 8.8% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 3.0% | 5.5% | 5.5% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 5.2% | 5.5% | 5.4% | 5.4% |
| Change | −1.5 pts | −1.8 pts | −2.1 pts | −2.7 pts |
At 5.2%, unemployment in ZIP 18055 is close to the national rate of 5.4%. Unemployment has edged down 1.5 points since 2006–10, in line with the national trend. Because the Census pools five years of responses (2020–24), these rates smooth over short swings and lag the current 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 18055 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 18055 | 2.56 | 46.6 | 9.0% | 21.2% | 6.2% | 1965 | $1,485 | 36.6% | 94.4% | 5.2% |
| ZIP 18081 | 2.70 | 62.5 | 11.6% | 4.4% | 5.1% | 1972 | $1,152 | 50.0% | 87.6% | 0.0% |
| ZIP 18015 | 2.60 | 34.7 | 12.7% | 49.9% | 8.1% | 1957 | $1,449 | 31.4% | 85.7% | 8.2% |
| ZIP 18018 | 2.28 | 40.0 | 9.8% | 47.0% | 4.2% | 1951 | $1,464 | 38.1% | 91.8% | 5.7% |
| ZIP 18077 | 2.42 | 51.9 | 10.1% | 15.9% | 6.1% | 1957 | $1,238 | 45.0% | 95.7% | 1.3% |
| ZIP 18034 | 2.79 | 40.9 | 7.0% | 9.9% | 4.9% | 1990 | $1,668 | 56.5% | 98.7% | 3.3% |
| ZIP 18017 | 2.43 | 46.6 | 10.7% | 33.1% | 4.6% | 1975 | $1,921 | 39.8% | 93.4% | 5.3% |
| ZIP 18020 | 2.56 | 43.7 | 6.5% | 17.7% | 2.9% | 1986 | $1,573 | 43.7% | 95.5% | 3.8% |
| ZIP 18036 | 2.60 | 46.3 | 6.3% | 12.1% | 3.9% | 1978 | $1,808 | 44.7% | 95.5% | 1.8% |
| ZIP 18109 | 2.67 | 36.9 | 16.9% | 47.4% | 7.6% | 1967 | $1,419 | 16.3% | 81.3% | 8.2% |
| ZIP 18930 | 2.44 | 52.9 | 5.8% | 13.8% | 9.5% | 1970 | $1,090 | 41.2% | 96.5% | 0.4% |
All figures 2020–24.
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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 18055. 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.
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