City · Pennsylvania
Allentown, Pennsylvania
Allentown, city, in Lehigh County, Pennsylvania. Allentown had 126,044 residents on July 1, 2025 by the Census Bureau's estimate, up 0.1% since 2020; the 2020 Census counted 125,845 and the ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates put it at 125,976 (±76). GEOID 4202000.
Residents, July 2025 estimate
126,044
Census Bureau estimate (no margin published)
2020 Census count: 125,845 · ACS 2020-2024: 125,976 ±76
Median household income
$55,494
±$2,358 (90% margin)
Pennsylvania: $77,971
Median home value
$206,600
±$6,302 (90% margin)
Pennsylvania: $254,500
Median gross rent
$1,317
±$39 (90% margin)
Pennsylvania: $1,209
Where is Allentown and what county is it in?
Allentown is a city in Lehigh County, Pennsylvania. It covers 17.6 square miles of land, 7,165 residents per square mile in 2020.
Allentown is in the Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ metropolitan statistical area, which takes in 4 counties (Census Bureau delineation, July 2023).
Source: 2024 Gazetteer and 2020 place-by-county files, U.S. Census Bureau · Census reference files
How many people live in Allentown, and is it growing?
The Census Bureau estimates that 126,044 people lived in Allentown on July 1, 2025, up 0.1% since 2020, in line with Pennsylvania (+0.4%). The 2020 Census counted 125,845 residents. The 2020-2024 American Community Survey, a five-year sample, puts the population at 125,976 (±76).
| Measure | Allentown | Lehigh County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total population | 125,976 ±76 | 378,792 | +5,061 |
| Households | 46,374 ±913 | 144,386 | +4,129 |
| Average household size | 2.60 ±0.05 | 2.56 | −0.13 |
| Housing units | 49,502 ±929 | 151,220 | +3,678 |
Allentown's population since 2000
From 106,632 in 2000 to 126,044 in 2025: up 18.2%. The 2000, 2010 and 2020 figures are census counts, each for Allentown as it was drawn that year: a place that annexed land, or a community that has since incorporated, covered a different area then. The 2005 figure is the Census Bureau's intercensal estimate, revised to fit the 2000 and 2010 counts and drawn on 2010 boundaries; 2015 and 2025 are July 1 estimates made from the census before them.
Source: The 2000, 2010 and 2020 Census counts and the Census Bureau's population estimates (intercensal 2000-2010, Vintage 2020, Vintage 2025) · Census population estimates
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026); Census PEP Vintage 2025 (SUB-EST2025, CO-EST2025); 2020 Census P.L. 94-171 · Check it at data.census.gov
Who lives in Allentown?
The median resident of Allentown is 33.1 years old; 24.4% are under 18 and 13.5% are 65 or older. The largest group is Hispanic or Latino residents (of any race) at 56.3%, then non-Hispanic white residents at 28.9%. 24.0% of residents were born outside the United States.
| Measure | Allentown | Lehigh County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 33.1 ±0.7 | 39.6 | +1.5 |
| Under 18 years | 24.4% ±0.8 pts | 22.3% | – |
| 65 years and over | 13.5% ±0.6 pts | 17.7% | – |
| Male | 48.6% ±0.8 pts | 49.2% | – |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 56.3% ±1.4 pts | 28.0% | +3.8 pts |
| White alone, not Hispanic | 28.9% ±1.3 pts | 59.1% | −3.5 pts |
| Black or African American alone, not Hispanic | 9.8% ±1.0 pts | 5.9% | no clear change |
| Asian alone, not Hispanic | 1.9% ±0.5 pts | 3.5% | −0.9 pts |
| American Indian and Alaska Native alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±0.1 pts | 0.0% | – |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±0.1 pts | 0.0% | – |
| Two or more races, not Hispanic | 2.5% ±0.6 pts | 2.9% | – |
| Some other race alone, not Hispanic | 0.6% ±0.3 pts | 0.5% | – |
| Born outside the United States | 24.0% ±1.7 pts | 14.4% | +4.8 pts |
| Speak a language other than English at home (age 5+) | 48.2% ±1.9 pts | 26.2% | – |
| Civilian veterans (age 18+) | 3.8% ±0.5 pts | 5.6% | – |
| With a disability | 16.2% ±1.0 pts | 13.2% | – |
| No health insurance coverage | 11.4% ±1.1 pts | 6.4% | no clear change |
| High school graduate or higher (age 25+) | 81.1% ±1.5 pts | 90.5% | – |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (age 25+) | 19.1% ±1.5 pts | 34.2% | +3.8 pts |
| Graduate or professional degree (age 25+) | 5.7% ±0.6 pts | 13.2% | – |
| Lived in the same house a year earlier | 87.8% ±1.4 pts | 89.7% | – |
| Moved from another state in the past year | 1.6% ±0.4 pts | 1.9% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profiles DP02, DP05) · Check it at data.census.gov
What do households in Allentown earn?
Half of Allentown's 46,374 households earn less than $55,494 a year (±$2,358), against $80,079 in Lehigh County and $77,971 in Pennsylvania. In 2015-2019 the median was $50,664 in 2024 dollars, so it rose by $4,830 after inflation. 21.0% of residents live below the poverty line.
| Measure | Allentown | Lehigh County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $55,494 ±$2,358 | $80,079 | +$4,830 |
| Mean household income | $70,457 ±$2,232 | $110,753 | – |
| Per capita income | $26,892 ±$868 | $43,088 | no clear change |
| People below the poverty line | 21.0% ±1.8 pts | 11.6% | −4.7 pts |
| Children under 18 below the poverty line | 30.4% ±4.2 pts | 17.4% | −7.0 pts |
| Households receiving SNAP | 30.6% ±1.7 pts | 15.4% | – |
| Households with a computer | 93.2% ±1.0 pts | 94.7% | – |
| Households with a broadband subscription | 86.5% ±1.5 pts | 90.0% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP03) · Check it at data.census.gov
What does housing cost in Allentown?
Owners occupy 43.2% of Allentown's occupied homes and renters 56.8%. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $206,600 by its owner (±$6,302). The median renter pays $1,317 a month including utilities, and 50.0% of renters pay 35% or more of their income on rent.
| Measure | Allentown | Lehigh County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value (owner-occupied) | $206,600 ±$6,302 | $300,400 | +$45,010 |
| Median gross rent | $1,317 ±$39 | $1,383 | +$81 |
| Renters paying 35% or more of income on rent | 50.0% ±3.3 pts | 44.9% | no clear change |
| Median monthly owner costs, with a mortgage | $1,550 ±$65 | $1,885 | – |
| Owner-occupied homes | 43.2% ±1.7 pts | 65.6% | +2.4 pts |
| Renter-occupied homes | 56.8% ±1.7 pts | 34.4% | – |
| Housing units | 49,502 ±929 | 151,220 | +3,678 |
| Homeowner vacancy rate | 0.4% ±0.3 pts | 0.3% | – |
| Rental vacancy rate | 3.7% ±1.1 pts | 3.7% | – |
| Single-family detached homes | 25.9% ±1.4 pts | 49.6% | – |
| Mobile homes | 0.3% ±0.2 pts | 1.7% | – |
| Built 2020 or later | 0.7% ±0.4 pts | 1.1% | – |
| Built 2010 to 2019 | 3.8% ±0.9 pts | 5.5% | – |
| Built 1939 or earlier | 37.9% ±1.8 pts | 24.2% | – |
| Households with no vehicle | 16.5% ±1.7 pts | 8.3% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP04) · Check it at data.census.gov
How many new homes is Allentown building?
Builders took permits for 1 new housing units in Allentown in 2025 (1 in single-family houses), 0.0 per 1,000 residents against 2.0 across Pennsylvania.
Counts of units in permits a local office issued; not every permitted unit is built. A year marked with months was reported for part of the year.
Source: Building Permits Survey, annual place files 2019-2025, U.S. Census Bureau · Census Building Permits Survey
How do people in Allentown work and get to work?
69.7% of Allentown's workers drive alone and 9.0% work from home. The average trip to work takes 24.6 minutes. The unemployment rate in 2020-2024 averaged 9.0%.
| Measure | Allentown | Lehigh County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| In the labor force (age 16+) | 63.0% ±1.5 pts | 64.8% | – |
| Unemployment rate | 9.0% ±1.3 pts | 5.9% | no clear change |
| Drove alone to work | 69.7% ±2.0 pts | 72.8% | – |
| Carpooled | 11.1% ±1.4 pts | 8.0% | – |
| Public transportation | 3.3% ±0.7 pts | 1.4% | – |
| Walked | 3.7% ±0.8 pts | 2.1% | – |
| Worked from home | 9.0% ±1.3 pts | 14.0% | +5.1 pts |
| Mean travel time to work | 24.6 min ±1.1 | 24.9 min | +1.6 min |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP03) · Check it at data.census.gov
What census tracts are in Allentown?
28 census tracts lie mostly in Allentown (2020 census blocks). Their median household incomes run from $30,405 (Tract 19) to $105,682 (Tract 23.04).
| Tract | Residents, 2020-2024 | Median household income |
|---|---|---|
| Tract 14.01Lehigh County | 7,675 | $50,608 |
| Tract 15.01Lehigh County | 7,548 | $63,482 |
| Tract 21Lehigh County | 7,283 | $41,296 |
| Tract 15.02Lehigh County | 7,218 | $64,157 |
| Tract 6Lehigh County | 6,119 | $46,926 |
| Tract 20Lehigh County | 5,889 | $52,177 |
| Tract 17Lehigh County | 5,163 | $50,500 |
| Tract 18Lehigh County | 4,999 | $44,570 |
| Tract 1.01Lehigh County | 4,767 | $48,456 |
| Tract 23.04Lehigh County | 4,723 | $105,682 |
| Tract 96.02Lehigh County | 4,691 | $60,647 |
| Tract 22.02Lehigh County | 4,604 | $39,632 |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026); 2020 block assignment files (tract share = share of the tract's census blocks in Allentown) · Census block assignment files
How does Allentown compare with other places in Pennsylvania?
By the Census Bureau's July 2025 estimates, Allentown is the 231st-most populous of the 19,476 U.S. incorporated places that have one and the 3rd-most populous of 1,012 in Pennsylvania.
Allentown ranks 1,859th of 2,136 places in Pennsylvania with 1,000 or more residents and a reliable estimate, by median household income.
| Measure | Rank | Of |
|---|---|---|
| Population, July 2025 estimate | 3rd | 1,012 |
| Growth 2020-2025 (PEP) | 781st | 1,764 |
| Residents per square mile | 50th | 2,159 |
| Median household income | 1,859th | 2,136 |
| Per capita income | 2,022nd | 2,157 |
| Median home value | 1,246th | 2,146 |
| Median gross rent | 517th | 1,963 |
| Poverty rate | 147th | 1,606 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 1,574th | 2,129 |
| Median age | 2,039th | 2,157 |
| Owner-occupied share | 2,088th | 2,149 |
| Work from home | 1,272nd | 1,710 |
| Travel time to work | 1,273rd | 2,156 |
Allentown's figures with every place in Pennsylvania (CSV)
Every place in Pennsylvania, sortable · Compare Allentown with other places
Source: PlainCities ranks computed from the American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) and PEP Vintage 2025 · How ranks are computed
How reliable are the figures for Allentown?
4 of the 57 figures for Allentown on this page carry a coefficient of variation over 40% and are marked with a ring: they come from a small sample, so read them as rough.
The American Community Survey samples about one household in eight over five years, so every figure is an estimate with a 90% margin of error (shown under each value). A ring marks an estimate whose coefficient of variation is over 40%. A change is called only when the gap between the two periods is larger than their combined 90% margin (the square root of the sum of the two squared margins), the Census Bureau's test. How to read a margin of error.
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026): margins of error as published · ACS technical documentation
How these figures are made: methodology and release checks · reading a margin of error · every state · corrections
Not on this page: crime, weather and schools for Allentown are other agencies' records. Crime: the FBI's Crime Data Explorer · climate: NOAA's U.S. Climate Normals · schools: the National Center for Education Statistics' public schools in Allentown.