Population 18,655 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in ZIP 18109
Household size in ZIP 18109
| Period | ZIP 18109 | Allentown area | Pennsylvania | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.48 | 2.55 | 2.51 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.66 | 2.60 | 2.53 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.66 | 2.57 | 2.50 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.67 | 2.56 | 2.46 | 2.65 |
| Change | +0.18 | +0.01 | −0.05 | −0.03 |
Households in ZIP 18109 average 2.67 people, about the same as the country as a whole (2.65). The typical household here is bigger than in the Allentown area overall, where it has 2.56 people. Household size has climbed from 2.48 in 2006–10, even as the national average fell.
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 18109
| Period | ZIP 18109 | Allentown area | Pennsylvania | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 37.2 | 40.7 | 40.3 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 35.9 | 41.6 | 41.0 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 33.9 | 42.3 | 41.8 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 36.9 | 42.3 | 42.0 | 40.1 |
| Change | −0.3 | +1.6 | +1.7 | +2.3 |
The median resident of ZIP 18109 is 36.9 years old, a few years younger than the national median of 40.1. The youngest areas are in the north, the oldest in the east. ZIP 18109 is younger than the great majority of 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 18109
| Period | ZIP 18109 | Allentown area | Pennsylvania | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 15.8% | 10.8% | 10.5% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 17.1% | 11.0% | 10.6% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 26.5% | 11.4% | 10.5% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 16.9% | 11.5% | 10.7% | 11.6% |
| Change | +1.1 pts | +0.7 pts | +0.2 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single-parent households are common in ZIP 18109: 16.9% of all households, against 11.6% nationally. Since 2006–10, the single-parent share has edged up 1.1 points, even as the national share fell. ZIP 18109 has a higher share of single-parent households than at least four in five Pennsylvania ZIP codes.
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 18109
Renters in ZIP 18109
| Period | ZIP 18109 | Allentown area | Pennsylvania | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 38.4% | 26.9% | 29.0% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 46.3% | 29.3% | 30.5% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 54.4% | 31.2% | 31.1% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 47.4% | 30.3% | 30.7% | 34.8% |
| Change | +9.0 pts | +3.4 pts | +1.7 pts | +1.5 pts |
Renting is far more common in ZIP 18109 than nationally: 47.4% of households rent their homes, against 34.8%. Nearly four in ten owners (37.6%) have paid off their mortgages, about the same as nationally. Renting is most common in the north and least common in the center. The renter share is up 9.0 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 18109
| Period | ZIP 18109 | Allentown area | Pennsylvania | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 10.9% | 8.0% | 10.3% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 12.5% | 8.6% | 10.5% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 7.0% | 8.3% | 10.7% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 7.6% | 6.5% | 9.1% | 9.6% |
| Change | −3.3 pts | −1.5 pts | −1.2 pts | −1.8 pts |
Fewer homes sit empty in ZIP 18109 than nationally: 7.6%, against 9.6% for the U.S. That is in line with the rest of the Allentown area. Vacancy is down 3.3 points from 2006–10, mirroring the country.
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 18109
| Period | ZIP 18109 | Allentown area | Pennsylvania | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1955 | 1965 | 1963 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1960 | 1967 | 1964 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1962 | 1967 | 1965 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1967 | 1969 | 1967 | 1980 |
| Change | +12 | +3 | +4 | +6 |
The housing in ZIP 18109 is old by national standards: the median home dates to 1967, 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 1955 in 2006–10, a sign of steady new building. Newer construction is concentrated in the south, while the east 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 18109
| Period | ZIP 18109 | Allentown area | Pennsylvania | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $816 | $928 | $829 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $889 | $1,020 | $923 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $1,029 | $1,170 | $1,039 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $1,419 | $1,504 | $1,323 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$603 | +$576 | +$494 | +$606 |
The median renter in ZIP 18109 pays $1,419 a month for rent and utilities, below the national median of $1,571. Rent has climbed $603 a month since 2006–10, up 74%, faster than rents rose nationally. The typical renter here spends 34.7% of household income on rent, well over the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent, so many renters here are stretched. Rents run highest in the center 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 18109
Bachelor's degrees in ZIP 18109
| Period | ZIP 18109 | Allentown area | Pennsylvania | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 13.7% | 26.0% | 27.2% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 13.5% | 26.7% | 28.7% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 15.5% | 29.5% | 31.8% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 16.3% | 33.3% | 35.6% | 35.6% |
| Change | +2.6 pts | +7.3 pts | +8.3 pts | +7.2 pts |
Fewer adults in ZIP 18109 have a four-year degree than in the country as a whole: 16.3%, against 35.6% nationally. Since 2006–10, the share with a degree has risen 2.6 points, mirroring the country. Only 39 of the 628 Pennsylvania ZIP codes with 5,000+ people have a lower share of college graduates.
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 18109
| Period | ZIP 18109 | Allentown area | Pennsylvania | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 77.0% | 86.4% | 87.3% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 79.9% | 88.0% | 88.8% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 82.9% | 89.7% | 90.3% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 81.3% | 91.4% | 91.8% | 89.3% |
| Change | +4.3 pts | +5.0 pts | +4.5 pts | +4.3 pts |
Nearly one in five adults in ZIP 18109 never finished high school, well above the national share: only 81.3% have a diploma or equivalent, against 89.3% nationally. The share with a diploma is up 4.3 points from 2006–10, mirroring the country. Only 22 of the 628 Pennsylvania ZIP codes with 5,000+ people have a lower share of high school graduates.
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 18109
| Period | ZIP 18109 | Allentown area | Pennsylvania | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 9.2% | 7.3% | 7.5% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 10.9% | 9.4% | 8.8% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 7.8% | 5.5% | 5.5% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 8.2% | 5.5% | 5.4% | 5.4% |
| Change | −1.0 pts | −1.8 pts | −2.1 pts | −2.7 pts |
Finding work has been harder in ZIP 18109: 8.2% of the labor force was out of work and looking, well above the national rate of 5.4%. Only 62 of the 628 Pennsylvania ZIP codes with 5,000+ people have higher unemployment. 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 18109 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 18109 | 2.67 | 36.9 | 16.9% | 47.4% | 7.6% | 1967 | $1,419 | 16.3% | 81.3% | 8.2% |
| ZIP 18101 | 2.17 | 29.5 | 16.1% | 90.4% | 6.8% | 1978 | $1,447 | 31.4% | 87.3% | 7.2% |
| ZIP 18102 | 3.02 | 32.2 | 27.2% | 67.9% | 9.6% | 1942 | $1,305 | 12.8% | 75.8% | 11.3% |
| ZIP 18018 | 2.28 | 40.0 | 9.8% | 47.0% | 4.2% | 1951 | $1,464 | 38.1% | 91.8% | 5.7% |
| ZIP 18032 | 2.40 | 39.7 | 11.5% | 25.1% | 2.6% | 1947 | $1,065 | 28.2% | 93.6% | 5.9% |
| ZIP 18052 | 2.53 | 41.2 | 10.9% | 37.4% | 4.7% | 1968 | $1,442 | 26.0% | 92.0% | 7.3% |
| ZIP 18103 | 2.60 | 40.2 | 17.3% | 38.1% | 5.6% | 1965 | $1,458 | 25.3% | 86.0% | 5.7% |
| ZIP 18015 | 2.60 | 34.7 | 12.7% | 49.9% | 8.1% | 1957 | $1,449 | 31.4% | 85.7% | 8.2% |
| ZIP 18017 | 2.43 | 46.6 | 10.7% | 33.1% | 4.6% | 1975 | $1,921 | 39.8% | 93.4% | 5.3% |
| ZIP 18104 | 2.52 | 42.8 | 8.1% | 28.9% | 4.2% | 1974 | $1,750 | 48.8% | 94.4% | 5.9% |
| ZIP 18034 | 2.79 | 40.9 | 7.0% | 9.9% | 4.9% | 1990 | $1,668 | 56.5% | 98.7% | 3.3% |
All figures 2020–24.
Zip codes with similar populations: 01721, MA · 28374, NC · 54452, WI · 17019, PA · 14830, NY · 90814, CA · 91345, CA · 06468, CT · 06401, CT · 02421, MA
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 18109. 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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