Population 4,780 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Downtown
Household size in Downtown
| Period | Downtown | Allentown area | Pennsylvania | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.43 | 2.55 | 2.51 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.42 | 2.60 | 2.53 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.44 | 2.57 | 2.50 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.03 | 2.56 | 2.46 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.39 | +0.01 | −0.05 | −0.03 |
Downtown is a place of small households, averaging 2.03 people against 2.65 for the U.S., which points to many singles, couples and roommates and relatively few children. Household size has dropped from 2.43 in 2006–10, but in a place this small, much of that may be survey noise rather than real change. No other Allentown neighborhood has smaller 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 Downtown
| Period | Downtown | Allentown area | Pennsylvania | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 31.0 | 40.7 | 40.3 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 31.0 | 41.6 | 41.0 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 35.6 | 42.3 | 41.8 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 32.3 | 42.3 | 42.0 | 40.1 |
| Change | +1.3 | +1.6 | +1.7 | +2.3 |
With a median age of just 32.3, Downtown is far younger than the country as a whole (40.1), a population that tilts toward young adults, many of them living alone or as couples.
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 Downtown
| Period | Downtown | Allentown area | Pennsylvania | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 28.4% | 10.8% | 10.5% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 29.8% | 11.0% | 10.6% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 27.5% | 11.4% | 10.5% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 13.5% | 11.5% | 10.7% | 11.6% |
| Change | −14.9 pts | +0.7 pts | +0.2 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single-parent households are a bit more common in Downtown than nationally: 13.5%, against 11.6%. Among Allentown's 16 neighborhoods, though, only two have a lower share of single-parent households.
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 Downtown
Renters in Downtown
| Period | Downtown | Allentown area | Pennsylvania | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 86.3% | 26.9% | 29.0% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 87.0% | 29.3% | 30.5% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 88.6% | 31.2% | 31.1% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 88.0% | 30.3% | 30.7% | 34.8% |
| Change | +1.7 pts | +3.4 pts | +1.7 pts | +1.5 pts |
Renters far outnumber owners in Downtown: 88.0% of households rent their homes, against 34.8% nationally. Just over seven in ten owners (72.2%) have paid off their mortgages, well above the national share of 39.8%. No other Allentown neighborhood has a higher 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 Downtown
| Period | Downtown | Allentown area | Pennsylvania | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 15.8% | 8.0% | 10.3% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 13.5% | 8.6% | 10.5% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 11.5% | 8.3% | 10.7% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 4.9% | 6.5% | 9.1% | 9.6% |
| Change | −10.9 pts | −1.5 pts | −1.2 pts | −1.8 pts |
Empty homes are scarce in Downtown: just 4.9% sit vacant, compared with 9.6% nationally, a sign of a tight housing market. Only one other Allentown neighborhood has 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 Downtown
| Period | Downtown | Allentown area | Pennsylvania | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1952 | 1965 | 1963 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1950 | 1967 | 1964 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1962 | 1967 | 1965 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1972 | 1969 | 1967 | 1980 |
| Change | +20 | +3 | +4 | +6 |
Homes in Downtown run older than the national norm, with a median build year of 1972 against 1980. The picture is much the same across the Allentown area. Among Allentown's 16 neighborhoods, though, only one other has newer homes.
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 Downtown
| Period | Downtown | Allentown area | Pennsylvania | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $702 | $928 | $829 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $727 | $1,020 | $923 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $897 | $1,170 | $1,039 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $1,370 | $1,504 | $1,323 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$668 | +$576 | +$494 | +$606 |
The median renter in Downtown pays $1,370 a month for rent and utilities, below the national median of $1,571. The typical renter here spends 34.6% of household income on rent, well over the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent, so many renters here are stretched.
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 Downtown
Bachelor's degrees in Downtown
| Period | Downtown | Allentown area | Pennsylvania | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 8.0% | 26.0% | 27.2% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 10.9% | 26.7% | 28.7% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 10.3% | 29.5% | 31.8% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 27.1% | 33.3% | 35.6% | 35.6% |
| Change | +19.1 pts | +7.3 pts | +8.3 pts | +7.2 pts |
More than a quarter of adults 25 and older in Downtown (27.1%) have a bachelor's degree or higher, below the national share of 35.6%. Among Allentown's 16 neighborhoods, though, only two have a higher 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 Downtown
| Period | Downtown | Allentown area | Pennsylvania | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 69.3% | 86.4% | 87.3% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 67.5% | 88.0% | 88.8% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 73.7% | 89.7% | 90.3% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 85.0% | 91.4% | 91.8% | 89.3% |
| Change | +15.8 pts | +5.0 pts | +4.5 pts | +4.3 pts |
Just over one in seven adults in Downtown never finished high school, more than nationally: 85.0% have a diploma or equivalent, against 89.3% across the U.S. Compared with other Allentown neighborhoods, though, Downtown has a higher share of high school graduates than most.
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 Downtown
| Period | Downtown | Allentown area | Pennsylvania | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 16.5% | 7.3% | 7.5% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 20.9% | 9.4% | 8.8% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 9.8% | 5.5% | 5.5% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 6.2% | 5.5% | 5.4% | 5.4% |
| Change | −10.2 pts | −1.8 pts | −2.1 pts | −2.7 pts |
Jobs have been a little harder to find in Downtown than nationally: unemployment was 6.2%, against 5.4%. Compared with other Allentown neighborhoods, though, Downtown has lower unemployment than most. 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).
Downtown 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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% |
| Jordan Heights | 3.40 | 26.6 | 30.8% | 75.5% | 9.1% | 1938 | $1,265 | 11.6% | 66.6% | 13.7% |
| Fairview | 2.54 | 33.1 | 21.5% | 64.2% | 4.9% | 1953 | $1,321 | 13.6% | 81.1% | 10.9% |
| West Walnut | 2.69 | 34.6 | 19.5% | 63.5% | 8.4% | 1941 | $1,276 | 20.6% | 84.2% | 9.1% |
| West Park | 2.58 | 37.8 | 24.0% | 77.0% | 8.4% | 1949 | $1,155 | 14.4% | 79.3% | 5.9% |
| Eighth Ward | 3.19 | 32.7 | 29.6% | 55.2% | 9.1% | 1944 | $1,411 | 9.0% | 78.1% | 9.6% |
| 1st Ward | 3.35 | 27.7 | 39.1% | 72.7% | 14.0% | 1939 | $1,281 | 13.4% | 87.1% | 13.0% |
| NoTi | 3.22 | 33.7 | 24.8% | 56.6% | 6.6% | 1938 | $1,493 | 8.1% | 69.5% | 14.2% |
| 6th Ward | 2.86 | 31.0 | 32.4% | 55.1% | 6.6% | 1938 | $1,358 | 12.3% | 79.8% | 15.7% |
| West End Theatre District | 2.16 | 44.4 | 10.5% | 35.6% | 5.3% | 1950 | $1,334 | 38.7% | 87.9% | 7.2% |
All figures 2020–24.
Neighborhoods with similar populations: Summerside, Cincinnati, OH · Fort Columbus Airport, Columbus, OH · Florida Shores, Edgewater, FL · South Albany, Albany, OR · South Corvallis Neighbors, Corvallis, OR · South Cottonwood Acres, Murray, UT · Southwood, Old Bridge, NJ · Falcon Landing, Katy, TX · Fairmeadow, Munster, IN · Stanton Heights, Pittsburgh, PA
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 Downtown. 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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