The Allentown metro area: Carbon, Lehigh, Northampton and Warren counties · Population 873,603 · 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 the Allentown area: Best Neighborhoods · Walk Grade · Household income · Home prices · Race · Politics · Traffic noise · Internet
Population and households in the Allentown area
Household size in the Allentown area
| Period | Allentown area | Pennsylvania | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.55 | 2.51 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.60 | 2.53 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.57 | 2.50 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.56 | 2.46 | 2.65 |
| Change | +0.01 | −0.05 | −0.03 |
The average household in the Allentown area has 2.56 people, a bit under the U.S. average of 2.65. Even so, the typical household here is bigger than in Pennsylvania overall, where it has 2.46 people.
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 the Allentown area
| Period | Allentown area | Pennsylvania | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 40.7 | 40.3 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 41.6 | 41.0 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 42.3 | 41.8 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 42.3 | 42.0 | 40.1 |
| Change | +1.6 | +1.7 | +2.3 |
The Allentown area skews a little older than the country: its median age is 42.3, against 40.1 nationally. The median age has climbed from 40.7 in 2006–10, in line with the national trend. Of the 100 large U.S. metro areas, only eight are older.
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 the Allentown area
| Period | Allentown area | Pennsylvania | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 10.8% | 10.5% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 11.0% | 10.6% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 11.4% | 10.5% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 11.5% | 10.7% | 11.6% |
| Change | +0.7 pts | +0.2 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single parents head nearly one in eight households in the Allentown area (11.5%), close to the national share of 11.6%. Since 2006–10, the single-parent share has edged up 0.7 points, 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 the Allentown area
Renters in the Allentown area
| Period | Allentown area | Pennsylvania | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 26.9% | 29.0% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 29.3% | 30.5% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 31.2% | 31.1% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 30.3% | 30.7% | 34.8% |
| Change | +3.4 pts | +1.7 pts | +1.5 pts |
About three in ten households in the Allentown area rent their homes (30.3%), a little below the national share of 34.8%; the rest own. Nearly four in ten owners (38.6%) have paid off their mortgages, about the same as nationally. Renting is most common in the south and least common in the west. Since 2006–10, the renter share has risen 3.4 points, in line with the national trend.
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 the Allentown area
| Period | Allentown area | Pennsylvania | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 8.0% | 10.3% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 8.6% | 10.5% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 8.3% | 10.7% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 6.5% | 9.1% | 9.6% |
| Change | −1.5 pts | −1.2 pts | −1.8 pts |
Fewer homes sit empty in the Allentown area than nationally: 6.5%, against 9.6% for the U.S. Vacancy has fallen 1.5 points since 2006–10, mirroring the country. The Allentown area has a lower vacancy rate than at least four in five large metro areas.
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 the Allentown area
| Period | Allentown area | Pennsylvania | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1965 | 1963 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1967 | 1964 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1967 | 1965 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1969 | 1967 | 1980 |
| Change | +3 | +4 | +6 |
The housing in the Allentown area is old by national standards: the median home dates to 1969, 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 1965 in 2006–10, a sign of steady new building. The Allentown area has older homes than the great majority of large metro areas.
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 the Allentown area
| Period | Allentown area | Pennsylvania | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $928 | $829 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $1,020 | $923 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $1,170 | $1,039 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $1,504 | $1,323 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$576 | +$494 | +$606 |
A typical rental in the Allentown area costs $1,504 a month with utilities, close to the national median of $1,571. Rents here are higher than in Pennsylvania overall ($1,323). Rent has climbed $576 a month since 2006–10, up 62%, roughly in step with the nation. Rent takes 31.2% of the typical renter's income, just over the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent.
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 the Allentown area
Bachelor's degrees in the Allentown area
| Period | Allentown area | Pennsylvania | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 26.0% | 27.2% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 26.7% | 28.7% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 29.5% | 31.8% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 33.3% | 35.6% | 35.6% |
| Change | +7.3 pts | +8.3 pts | +7.2 pts |
About a third of adults 25 and older in the Allentown area (33.3%) hold at least a bachelor's degree, close to the national share of 35.6%. The share with a degree has risen 7.3 points since 2006–10, in line with the national trend. College graduates are most concentrated in the southwest and least in the northwest.
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 the Allentown area
| Period | Allentown area | Pennsylvania | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 86.4% | 87.3% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 88.0% | 88.8% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 89.7% | 90.3% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 91.4% | 91.8% | 89.3% |
| Change | +5.0 pts | +4.5 pts | +4.3 pts |
About nine in ten adults in the Allentown area have finished high school (91.4%), a bit above the national rate of 89.3%. The figure for Pennsylvania is much the same. Since 2006–10, the share with a diploma has risen 5.0 points, mirroring the country.
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 the Allentown area
| Period | Allentown area | Pennsylvania | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 7.3% | 7.5% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 9.4% | 8.8% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 5.5% | 5.5% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 5.5% | 5.4% | 5.4% |
| Change | −1.8 pts | −2.1 pts | −2.7 pts |
At 5.5%, unemployment in the Allentown area is close to the national rate of 5.4%. Since 2006–10, unemployment has fallen 1.8 points, as it has nationally. 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).
Largest cities in the Allentown area
| City | Household size | Median age | Single parents | Renters | Vacant homes | Median year built | Median rent | Bachelor's degree | High school diploma | Unemployment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Allentown area (all) | 2.56 | 42.3 | 11.5% | 30.3% | 6.5% | 1969 | $1,504 | 33.3% | 91.4% | 5.5% |
| Bethlehem | 2.46 | 41.2 | 10.0% | 38.5% | 4.9% | 1967 | $1,620 | 38.9% | 91.6% | 5.8% |
| Easton | 2.50 | 41.6 | 12.9% | 28.3% | 7.1% | 1970 | $1,606 | 38.7% | 92.2% | 4.6% |
| Hackettstown | 2.58 | 42.0 | 8.3% | 30.4% | 3.4% | 1976 | $1,783 | 48.9% | 95.4% | 6.3% |
| Nazareth | 2.66 | 45.5 | 9.6% | 24.4% | 3.6% | 1981 | $1,619 | 38.9% | 94.4% | 2.3% |
| Phillipsburg | 2.37 | 42.0 | 11.4% | 32.2% | 4.0% | 1958 | $1,440 | 30.7% | 91.9% | 5.8% |
| Macungie | 2.69 | 46.4 | 6.8% | 21.0% | 4.3% | 1989 | $1,877 | 49.5% | 96.3% | 2.8% |
| Northampton | 2.52 | 44.5 | 8.3% | 22.3% | 10.6% | 1968 | $1,359 | 27.9% | 95.7% | 3.6% |
| Emmaus | 2.47 | 43.2 | 8.2% | 28.3% | 2.5% | 1965 | $1,429 | 38.6% | 94.7% | 3.0% |
| Lehighton | 2.47 | 45.1 | 11.5% | 23.9% | 11.4% | 1966 | $1,036 | 18.4% | 90.6% | 7.0% |
| Fullerton | 2.58 | 36.6 | 12.1% | 48.9% | 5.4% | 1965 | $1,404 | 21.8% | 91.1% | 8.7% |
All figures 2020–24.
Metro areas of similar size: Charleston area · Dayton area · Columbia area · Sarasota area · Oxnard area · Worcester area · New Haven area · El Paso area · Baton Rouge area · McAllen area
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 the Allentown area. 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.