Population 3,288 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Median age by neighborhoodHistory and comparison ↓︎
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Population and households in 1st Ward
Household size in 1st Ward
| Period | 1st Ward | Allentown area | Pennsylvania | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 3.29 | 2.55 | 2.51 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 3.55 | 2.60 | 2.53 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 3.53 | 2.57 | 2.50 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 3.35 | 2.56 | 2.46 | 2.65 |
| Change | +0.06 | +0.01 | −0.05 | −0.03 |
Households in 1st Ward are large by national standards, averaging 3.35 people against 2.65 for the U.S. That usually means more families with children at home. Only two of Allentown's 16 neighborhoods 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 1st Ward
| Period | 1st Ward | Allentown area | Pennsylvania | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 29.8 | 40.7 | 40.3 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 24.8 | 41.6 | 41.0 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 28.6 | 42.3 | 41.8 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 27.7 | 42.3 | 42.0 | 40.1 |
| Change | −2.1 | +1.6 | +1.7 | +2.3 |
1st Ward is young: half of its residents are under 27.7, compared with a national median of 40.1. The population tilts toward families with many children. The median age has dropped from 29.8 in 2006–10, but in a place this small, survey estimates can swing a lot from one release to the next. Only one other Allentown neighborhood is younger.
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 1st Ward
| Period | 1st Ward | Allentown area | Pennsylvania | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 27.5% | 10.8% | 10.5% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 37.3% | 11.0% | 10.6% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 34.8% | 11.4% | 10.5% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 39.1% | 11.5% | 10.7% | 11.6% |
| Change | +11.6 pts | +0.7 pts | +0.2 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single parents head about four in ten households in 1st Ward (39.1%), well above the national share of 11.6%. 1st Ward has the highest share of single-parent households of any Allentown neighborhood.
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 1st Ward
Renters in 1st Ward
| Period | 1st Ward | Allentown area | Pennsylvania | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 54.1% | 26.9% | 29.0% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 65.5% | 29.3% | 30.5% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 66.2% | 31.2% | 31.1% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 72.7% | 30.3% | 30.7% | 34.8% |
| Change | +18.6 pts | +3.4 pts | +1.7 pts | +1.5 pts |
Most households in 1st Ward rent: 72.7% of occupied homes are rented, far above the national share of 34.8%. Expect more apartments, and more turnover, than in owner-heavy areas. More than one in five owners (22.3%) have paid off their mortgages, well below the national share of 39.8%.
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 1st Ward
| Period | 1st Ward | Allentown area | Pennsylvania | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 16.4% | 8.0% | 10.3% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 15.8% | 8.6% | 10.5% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 13.5% | 8.3% | 10.7% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 14.0% | 6.5% | 9.1% | 9.6% |
| Change | −2.4 pts | −1.5 pts | −1.2 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacancy is high in 1st Ward: 14.0% of homes are empty, far above the national rate of 9.6%. In resort and lake areas that usually means seasonal and vacation homes; elsewhere it can point to weak demand. Only one other Allentown neighborhood has a higher 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 1st Ward
| Period | 1st Ward | Allentown area | Pennsylvania | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1943 | 1965 | 1963 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1940 | 1967 | 1964 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1941 | 1967 | 1965 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1939 | 1969 | 1967 | 1980 |
| Change | −4 | +3 | +4 | +6 |
1st Ward is a place of older homes: half were built before 1939, while the national median is 1980. That means established neighborhoods, and more houses that may need updating. 1st Ward has older homes than at least four in five Allentown neighborhoods.
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 1st Ward
| Period | 1st Ward | Allentown area | Pennsylvania | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $846 | $928 | $829 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $875 | $1,020 | $923 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $1,018 | $1,170 | $1,039 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $1,281 | $1,504 | $1,323 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$435 | +$576 | +$494 | +$606 |
The median renter in 1st Ward pays $1,281 a month for rent and utilities, below the national median of $1,571. The typical renter here spends 30.0% of household income on rent, just over the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent. 1st Ward has lower rents than at least four in five Allentown neighborhoods.
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 1st Ward
Bachelor's degrees in 1st Ward
| Period | 1st Ward | Allentown area | Pennsylvania | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 7.9% | 26.0% | 27.2% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 6.3% | 26.7% | 28.7% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 9.3% | 29.5% | 31.8% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 13.4% | 33.3% | 35.6% | 35.6% |
| Change | +5.4 pts | +7.3 pts | +8.3 pts | +7.2 pts |
College degrees are relatively uncommon in 1st Ward: 13.4% of adults 25 and older hold a bachelor's or higher, well below the national share of 35.6%.
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 1st Ward
| Period | 1st Ward | Allentown area | Pennsylvania | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 59.5% | 86.4% | 87.3% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 66.6% | 88.0% | 88.8% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 71.4% | 89.7% | 90.3% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 87.1% | 91.4% | 91.8% | 89.3% |
| Change | +27.6 pts | +5.0 pts | +4.5 pts | +4.3 pts |
About one in eight adults in 1st Ward never finished high school, a bit more than nationally: 87.1% have a diploma or equivalent, against 89.3% across the U.S. Among Allentown's 16 neighborhoods, though, only two have a higher 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 1st Ward
| Period | 1st Ward | Allentown area | Pennsylvania | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 21.1% | 7.3% | 7.5% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 15.8% | 9.4% | 8.8% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 15.1% | 5.5% | 5.5% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 13.0% | 5.5% | 5.4% | 5.4% |
| Change | −8.1 pts | −1.8 pts | −2.1 pts | −2.7 pts |
Unemployment in 1st Ward runs well above the national rate: 13.0% of the labor force was out of work and looking, 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).
1st Ward compared with nearby neighborhoods
| Neighborhood | Household size | Median age | Single parents | Renters | Vacant homes | Median year built | Median rent | Bachelor's degree | High school diploma | Unemployment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st Ward | 3.35 | 27.7 | 39.1% | 72.7% | 14.0% | 1939 | $1,281 | 13.4% | 87.1% | 13.0% |
| Jordan Heights | 3.40 | 26.6 | 30.8% | 75.5% | 9.1% | 1938 | $1,265 | 11.6% | 66.6% | 13.7% |
| 6th Ward | 2.86 | 31.0 | 32.4% | 55.1% | 6.6% | 1938 | $1,358 | 12.3% | 79.8% | 15.7% |
| NoTi | 3.22 | 33.7 | 24.8% | 56.6% | 6.6% | 1938 | $1,493 | 8.1% | 69.5% | 14.2% |
| Overlook Park | 2.69 | 31.4 | 26.5% | 52.3% | 9.8% | 1975 | $1,389 | 11.2% | 79.7% | 5.2% |
| Downtown | 2.03 | 32.3 | 13.5% | 88.0% | 4.9% | 1972 | $1,370 | 27.1% | 85.0% | 6.2% |
| Old Allentown | 2.98 | 31.3 | 31.3% | 68.8% | 14.6% | 1940 | $1,322 | 14.2% | 79.4% | 12.7% |
| Eighth Ward | 3.19 | 32.7 | 29.6% | 55.2% | 9.1% | 1944 | $1,411 | 9.0% | 78.1% | 9.6% |
| Fairview | 2.54 | 33.1 | 21.5% | 64.2% | 4.9% | 1953 | $1,321 | 13.6% | 81.1% | 10.9% |
| West Park | 2.58 | 37.8 | 24.0% | 77.0% | 8.4% | 1949 | $1,155 | 14.4% | 79.3% | 5.9% |
| West Walnut | 2.69 | 34.6 | 19.5% | 63.5% | 8.4% | 1941 | $1,276 | 20.6% | 84.2% | 9.1% |
All figures 2020–24.
Neighborhoods with similar populations: Doylestown Historic District, Doylestown, PA · Payette Heights, Payette, ID · Highlands Park, Smyrna, GA · Fry Springs, Charlottesville, VA · McIntire Terrace Historic District, Zanesville, OH · Bay Colony, Fort Lauderdale, FL · East Winston, Winston-Salem, NC · Beacon Hills and Harbour, Jacksonville, FL · Southdale, Edina, MN · Cherry Grove, Cincinnati, OH
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 1st Ward. 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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