Population 8,206 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in ZIP 18078
Household size in ZIP 18078
| Period | ZIP 18078 | Allentown area | Pennsylvania | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.61 | 2.55 | 2.51 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.65 | 2.60 | 2.53 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.65 | 2.57 | 2.50 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.80 | 2.56 | 2.46 | 2.65 |
| Change | +0.18 | +0.01 | −0.05 | −0.03 |
The typical household in ZIP 18078 holds 2.80 people, slightly more than the U.S. average of 2.65. Since 2006–10, household size has climbed from 2.61, even as the national average fell. Only 55 of the 628 Pennsylvania ZIP codes with 5,000+ people have larger households.
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 18078
| Period | ZIP 18078 | Allentown area | Pennsylvania | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 45.5 | 40.7 | 40.3 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 45.3 | 41.6 | 41.0 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 45.5 | 42.3 | 41.8 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 43.0 | 42.3 | 42.0 | 40.1 |
| Change | −2.5 | +1.6 | +1.7 | +2.3 |
The median resident of ZIP 18078 is 43.0 years old, older than the national median of 40.1. Since 2006–10, the median age has dropped from 45.5, even as the national median rose. Residents skew youngest in the west and oldest in the east.
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 18078
| Period | ZIP 18078 | Allentown area | Pennsylvania | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 5.1% | 10.8% | 10.5% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 4.7% | 11.0% | 10.6% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 6.6% | 11.4% | 10.5% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 9.9% | 11.5% | 10.7% | 11.6% |
| Change | +4.8 pts | +0.7 pts | +0.2 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single-parent households are a bit less common in ZIP 18078 than nationally: 9.9%, against 11.6%. The single-parent share has risen 4.8 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 18078
Renters in ZIP 18078
| Period | ZIP 18078 | Allentown area | Pennsylvania | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 11.5% | 26.9% | 29.0% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 11.3% | 29.3% | 30.5% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 17.5% | 31.2% | 31.1% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 11.4% | 30.3% | 30.7% | 34.8% |
| Change | −0.0 pts | +3.4 pts | +1.7 pts | +1.5 pts |
ZIP 18078 is overwhelmingly a place of homeowners: only 11.4% of households rent, far below the national share of 34.8%. Owner-heavy areas like this tend to see less turnover. Among homeowners, 37.6% have no mortgage at all, about the same as nationally. Of the 628 Pennsylvania ZIP codes with 5,000+ people, only 43 have a lower share of renters.
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 18078
| Period | ZIP 18078 | Allentown area | Pennsylvania | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 5.7% | 8.0% | 10.3% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 6.3% | 8.6% | 10.5% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 3.6% | 8.3% | 10.7% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 1.9% | 6.5% | 9.1% | 9.6% |
| Change | −3.8 pts | −1.5 pts | −1.2 pts | −1.8 pts |
Only 1.9% of homes in ZIP 18078 are vacant, far below the national rate of 9.6%, which usually means strong demand for housing. Vacancy has fallen 3.8 points since 2006–10, in line with the national trend. Only six of the 628 Pennsylvania ZIP codes with 5,000+ people have a lower vacancy rate.
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 18078
| Period | ZIP 18078 | Allentown area | Pennsylvania | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1980 | 1965 | 1963 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1983 | 1967 | 1964 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1983 | 1967 | 1965 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1984 | 1969 | 1967 | 1980 |
| Change | +5 | +3 | +4 | +6 |
The housing in ZIP 18078 is a little younger than the country's: half of it was built after 1984, against 1980 nationally. The median year built has moved up from 1980 in 2006–10, a sign of steady new building. The newest homes are mostly in the northeast, the oldest in the southeast.
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 18078
| Period | ZIP 18078 | Allentown area | Pennsylvania | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $706 | $928 | $829 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $980 | $1,020 | $923 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $1,221 | $1,170 | $1,039 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $1,328 | $1,504 | $1,323 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$622 | +$576 | +$494 | +$606 |
The median renter in ZIP 18078 pays $1,328 a month for rent and utilities, below the national median of $1,571. Rent has climbed $622 a month since 2006–10, up 88%, faster than rents rose nationally. The typical renter here spends 25.7% of household income on rent, comfortably under the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent, and a smaller share than renters pay nationally. The priciest rents are in the southwest; the most affordable are in the east.
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 18078
Bachelor's degrees in ZIP 18078
| Period | ZIP 18078 | Allentown area | Pennsylvania | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 35.0% | 26.0% | 27.2% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 34.4% | 26.7% | 28.7% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 37.8% | 29.5% | 31.8% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 42.4% | 33.3% | 35.6% | 35.6% |
| Change | +7.4 pts | +7.3 pts | +8.3 pts | +7.2 pts |
College degrees are more common in ZIP 18078 than nationally: 42.4% of adults 25 and older have a bachelor's or higher, against 35.6%. The share with a degree has risen 7.4 points since 2006–10, as it has nationally. College graduates are most concentrated in the west and least in the southeast.
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 18078
| Period | ZIP 18078 | Allentown area | Pennsylvania | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 91.7% | 86.4% | 87.3% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 91.7% | 88.0% | 88.8% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 94.4% | 89.7% | 90.3% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 96.5% | 91.4% | 91.8% | 89.3% |
| Change | +4.7 pts | +5.0 pts | +4.5 pts | +4.3 pts |
High school completion is high in ZIP 18078: 96.5% of adults 25 and older have a diploma or equivalent, well above the national rate of 89.3%. Since 2006–10, the share with a diploma has risen 4.7 points, as it has nationally. ZIP 18078 has a higher share of high school graduates than at least four in five Pennsylvania ZIP codes.
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 18078
| Period | ZIP 18078 | Allentown area | Pennsylvania | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 4.6% | 7.3% | 7.5% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 7.7% | 9.4% | 8.8% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 3.9% | 5.5% | 5.5% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 4.4% | 5.5% | 5.4% | 5.4% |
| Change | −0.2 pts | −1.8 pts | −2.1 pts | −2.7 pts |
Jobs have been a little easier to find in ZIP 18078 than nationally: unemployment was 4.4%, against 5.4%. 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 18078 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 18078 | 2.80 | 43.0 | 9.9% | 11.4% | 1.9% | 1984 | $1,328 | 42.4% | 96.5% | 4.4% |
| ZIP 18080 | 2.56 | 41.1 | 15.8% | 18.9% | 7.2% | 1964 | $988 | 22.5% | 91.9% | 3.2% |
| ZIP 18069 | 2.65 | 46.3 | 7.4% | 11.3% | 2.9% | 1988 | $1,654 | 51.0% | 96.4% | 4.3% |
| ZIP 18037 | 2.48 | 42.5 | 12.8% | 21.0% | 5.0% | 1972 | $1,219 | 27.9% | 94.5% | 2.0% |
| ZIP 18059 | 2.23 | 53.9 | 8.0% | 6.5% | 1.8% | 1990 | $1,123 | 31.4% | 95.4% | 5.0% |
| ZIP 18053 | 2.59 | 46.6 | 7.6% | 9.6% | 3.3% | 1977 | $1,006 | 29.5% | 93.5% | 3.8% |
| ZIP 18086 | 2.27 | 49.5 | 1.7% | 5.9% | 1.1% | 1973 | $1,471 | 32.0% | 98.6% | 3.0% |
| ZIP 18079 | 3.28 | 27.7 | 30.0% | 8.4% | 5.9% | 1938 | $1,063 | 14.1% | 70.4% | 0.0% |
| ZIP 18035 | 2.25 | 51.6 | 2.1% | 5.4% | 3.7% | 1975 | $1,449 | 31.1% | 98.3% | 2.3% |
| ZIP 18088 | 2.57 | 49.9 | 5.7% | 11.3% | 5.1% | 1973 | $1,409 | 18.8% | 94.1% | 4.2% |
| ZIP 18052 | 2.53 | 41.2 | 10.9% | 37.4% | 4.7% | 1968 | $1,442 | 26.0% | 92.0% | 7.3% |
All figures 2020–24.
Zip codes with similar populations: 42171, KY · 70533, LA · 55013, MN · 54724, WI · 52333, IA · 48734, MI · 48158, MI · 47060, IN · 00913, PR · 46034, IN
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 18078. 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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