Population 10,231 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Palmerton
Household size in Palmerton
| Period | Palmerton | Allentown area | Pennsylvania | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.42 | 2.55 | 2.51 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.45 | 2.60 | 2.53 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.60 | 2.57 | 2.50 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.25 | 2.56 | 2.46 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.16 | +0.01 | −0.05 | −0.03 |
Palmerton is a place of small households, averaging 2.25 people against 2.65 for the U.S., which points to many singles, couples and roommates and relatively few children. Since 2006–10, household size has dropped from 2.42, a much bigger shift than nationally. The biggest households, usually families with children, are concentrated in the northeast.
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 Palmerton
| Period | Palmerton | Allentown area | Pennsylvania | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 41.4 | 40.7 | 40.3 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 43.6 | 41.6 | 41.0 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 43.3 | 42.3 | 41.8 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 47.5 | 42.3 | 42.0 | 40.1 |
| Change | +6.1 | +1.6 | +1.7 | +2.3 |
Palmerton skews older: half of its residents are older than 47.5, well above the national median of 40.1. That usually means more empty nesters and retirees, and fewer young families. Since 2006–10, the median age has climbed from 41.4, as it has nationally.
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 Palmerton
| Period | Palmerton | Allentown area | Pennsylvania | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 6.0% | 10.8% | 10.5% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 6.9% | 11.0% | 10.6% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 7.8% | 11.4% | 10.5% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 10.9% | 11.5% | 10.7% | 11.6% |
| Change | +4.9 pts | +0.7 pts | +0.2 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single parents head just over one in ten households in Palmerton (10.9%), close to the national share of 11.6%. The single-parent share has risen 4.9 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 Palmerton
Renters in Palmerton
| Period | Palmerton | Allentown area | Pennsylvania | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 18.9% | 26.9% | 29.0% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 18.5% | 29.3% | 30.5% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 24.4% | 31.2% | 31.1% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 32.1% | 30.3% | 30.7% | 34.8% |
| Change | +13.2 pts | +3.4 pts | +1.7 pts | +1.5 pts |
Renting in Palmerton is about as common as it is nationally: 32.1% of households rent, against 34.8%. About four in ten owners (39.2%) have paid off their mortgages, about the same as nationally. Renting is most common in the southwest and least common in the northeast. Since 2006–10, the renter share has risen 13.2 points, 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 Palmerton
| Period | Palmerton | Allentown area | Pennsylvania | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 10.0% | 8.0% | 10.3% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 9.6% | 8.6% | 10.5% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 8.7% | 8.3% | 10.7% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 7.8% | 6.5% | 9.1% | 9.6% |
| Change | −2.2 pts | −1.5 pts | −1.2 pts | −1.8 pts |
Fewer homes sit empty in Palmerton than nationally: 7.8%, against 9.6% for the U.S. That is in line with the rest of the Allentown area. Vacancy has fallen 2.2 points since 2006–10, as it has nationally.
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 Palmerton
| Period | Palmerton | Allentown area | Pennsylvania | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1957 | 1965 | 1963 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1958 | 1967 | 1964 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1956 | 1967 | 1965 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1963 | 1969 | 1967 | 1980 |
| Change | +6 | +3 | +4 | +6 |
Palmerton is a place of older homes: half were built before 1963, while the national median is 1980. That means established neighborhoods, and more houses that may need updating. The median year built has moved up from 1957 in 2006–10, a sign of steady new building. Newer construction is concentrated in the northeast, while the south 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 Palmerton
| Period | Palmerton | Allentown area | Pennsylvania | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $676 | $928 | $829 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $801 | $1,020 | $923 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $841 | $1,170 | $1,039 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $1,008 | $1,504 | $1,323 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$333 | +$576 | +$494 | +$606 |
Rent in Palmerton runs $1,008 a month at the median, utilities included, well below the U.S. median of $1,571. Rents are up $333 a month from 2006–10, a 49% rise, a slower climb than the nation's. Rent takes 32.1% 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 Palmerton
Bachelor's degrees in Palmerton
| Period | Palmerton | Allentown area | Pennsylvania | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 14.9% | 26.0% | 27.2% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 13.8% | 26.7% | 28.7% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 20.8% | 29.5% | 31.8% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 15.6% | 33.3% | 35.6% | 35.6% |
| Change | +0.7 pts | +7.3 pts | +8.3 pts | +7.2 pts |
College degrees are relatively uncommon in Palmerton: 15.6% of adults 25 and older hold a bachelor's or higher, well below the national share of 35.6%. Since 2006–10, the share with a degree has edged up 0.7 points, a smaller shift than nationally. Only 20 of the 496 Pennsylvania cities 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 Palmerton
| Period | Palmerton | Allentown area | Pennsylvania | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 84.6% | 86.4% | 87.3% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 85.2% | 88.0% | 88.8% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 87.8% | 89.7% | 90.3% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 89.3% | 91.4% | 91.8% | 89.3% |
| Change | +4.6 pts | +5.0 pts | +4.5 pts | +4.3 pts |
Just as many adults in Palmerton have finished high school as nationally: 89.3%. The rate is lower than in the Allentown area as a whole (91.4%). The share with a diploma has risen 4.6 points since 2006–10, 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 Palmerton
| Period | Palmerton | Allentown area | Pennsylvania | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 5.6% | 7.3% | 7.5% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 6.5% | 9.4% | 8.8% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 2.6% | 5.5% | 5.5% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 2.6% | 5.5% | 5.4% | 5.4% |
| Change | −3.1 pts | −1.8 pts | −2.1 pts | −2.7 pts |
Unemployment in Palmerton has been low: just 2.6% of the labor force was out of work and looking, well below the national rate of 5.4%. Unemployment has fallen 3.1 points since 2006–10, mirroring the country. 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).
Palmerton compared with nearby cities
| City | Household size | Median age | Single parents | Renters | Vacant homes | Median year built | Median rent | Bachelor's degree | High school diploma | Unemployment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Palmerton | 2.25 | 47.5 | 10.9% | 32.1% | 7.8% | 1963 | $1,008 | 15.6% | 89.3% | 2.6% |
| Bowmanstown | 2.51 | 39.8 | 7.4% | 38.0% | 7.0% | 1954 | $1,082 | 23.1% | 86.3% | 12.4% |
| Walnutport | 2.56 | 50.0 | 5.8% | 11.8% | 5.2% | 1973 | $1,403 | 18.5% | 93.9% | 4.2% |
| Parryville | 2.55 | 48.1 | 4.2% | 17.5% | 11.4% | 1987 | $1,139 | 19.3% | 94.4% | 3.2% |
| Cherryville | 2.24 | 52.7 | 2.4% | 5.1% | 5.1% | 1977 | $1,437 | 30.6% | 98.1% | 2.0% |
| Weissport | 2.39 | 37.9 | 18.8% | 36.3% | 10.0% | 1938 | $1,098 | 7.1% | 87.6% | 3.2% |
| Danielsville | 2.60 | 48.7 | 2.1% | 7.7% | 5.1% | 1971 | $1,200 | 20.9% | 94.0% | 3.9% |
| Slatington | 2.55 | 41.3 | 15.6% | 18.9% | 7.2% | 1964 | $986 | 22.6% | 92.0% | 3.3% |
| Walcksville | 2.42 | 48.8 | 9.2% | 4.9% | 23.1% | 1988 | $1,211 | 30.5% | 86.0% | 4.0% |
| Lehighton | 2.47 | 45.1 | 11.5% | 23.9% | 11.4% | 1966 | $1,036 | 18.4% | 90.6% | 7.0% |
| Slatedale | 3.23 | 28.5 | 28.7% | 9.1% | 6.2% | 1940 | $1,063 | 14.0% | 71.7% | 0.0% |
All figures 2020–24.
Cities with similar populations: Progress, PA · Lancaster, KY · Leesville, SC · Lighthouse Point, FL · Lincoln City, OR · Linthicum, MD · Littlestown, PA · Livingston, MT · Louisville, MS · Lovejoy, GA
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 Palmerton. 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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