Census-designated place · Pennsylvania
Palmer Heights, Pennsylvania
Palmer Heights, census-designated place, in Northampton County, Pennsylvania. Palmer Heights had 3,734 residents in the 2020 Census, a full count; the ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates put it at 3,624 (±618). GEOID 4257680.
Residents, 2020 Census
3,734
Census count or controlled total
ACS 2020-2024 estimate: 3,624 ±618
Median household income
$99,815
±$15,318 (90% margin)
Pennsylvania: $77,971
Median home value
$309,100
±$18,849 (90% margin)
Pennsylvania: $254,500
Median gross rent
not published
Pennsylvania: $1,209
Where is Palmer Heights and what county is it in?
Palmer Heights is a census-designated place: an unincorporated community the Census Bureau draws for counting, with no city government of its own, in Northampton County, Pennsylvania. It covers 1.2 square miles of land, 3,222 residents per square mile in 2020.
Palmer Heights is in the Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ metropolitan statistical area, which takes in 4 counties (Census Bureau delineation, July 2023).
Palmer Heights lies entirely within Palmer Township, a township with its own local government (2020 census blocks).
Source: 2024 Gazetteer and 2020 place-by-county files, U.S. Census Bureau · Census reference files
How many people live in Palmer Heights, and is it growing?
The 2020 Census counted 3,734 residents in Palmer Heights, a full count rather than a sample. The 2020-2024 American Community Survey, a sample, estimates 3,624 (±618).
The Census Bureau publishes yearly population estimates for incorporated places only; Palmer Heights is a census-designated place, so its figures come from the ACS and the 2020 Census.
| Measure | Palmer Heights | Northampton County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total population | 3,624 ±618 | 318,580 | no clear change |
| Households | 1,334 ±178 | 122,624 | no clear change |
| Average household size | 2.54 ±0.26 | 2.49 | no clear change |
| Housing units | 1,383 ±167 | 129,448 | no clear change |
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 Palmer Heights?
The median resident of Palmer Heights is 48.5 years old; 17.7% are under 18 and 31.5% are 65 or older. The largest group is non-Hispanic white residents at 79.6%, then Hispanic or Latino residents (of any race) at 11.1%. 8.5% of residents were born outside the United States.
| Measure | Palmer Heights | Northampton County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 48.5 ±7.3 | 42.0 | no clear change |
| Under 18 years | 17.7% ±7.2 pts | 19.2% | – |
| 65 years and over | 31.5% ±7.1 pts | 20.3% | – |
| Male | 52.8% ±5.2 pts | 49.5% | – |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 11.1% ±3.9 pts | 15.5% | no clear change |
| White alone, not Hispanic | 79.6% ±7.1 pts | 72.0% | no clear change |
| Black or African American alone, not Hispanic | 4.7% ±4.4 pts | 5.7% | – |
| Asian alone, not Hispanic | 0.8% ±0.7 pts | 3.0% | – |
| American Indian and Alaska Native alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±0.9 pts | 0.0% | – |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±0.9 pts | 0.0% | – |
| Two or more races, not Hispanic | 3.7% ±2.7 pts | 3.2% | – |
| Some other race alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±0.9 pts | 0.6% | – |
| Born outside the United States | 8.5% ±4.7 pts | 8.6% | no clear change |
| Speak a language other than English at home (age 5+) | 10.4% ±4.7 pts | 15.0% | – |
| Civilian veterans (age 18+) | 7.1% ±2.9 pts | 6.3% | – |
| With a disability | 11.2% ±3.9 pts | 12.4% | – |
| No health insurance coverage | 1.9% ±1.3 pts | 4.4% | – |
| High school graduate or higher (age 25+) | 95.5% ±2.3 pts | 92.9% | – |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (age 25+) | 37.2% ±8.8 pts | 34.7% | no clear change |
| Graduate or professional degree (age 25+) | 12.2% ±4.9 pts | 13.8% | – |
| Lived in the same house a year earlier | 96.0% ±2.0 pts | 89.9% | – |
| Moved from another state in the past year | 0.9% ±1.0 pts | 2.4% | – |
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 Palmer Heights earn?
Half of Palmer Heights's 1,334 households earn less than $99,815 a year (±$15,318), against $89,184 in Northampton County and $77,971 in Pennsylvania. In 2015-2019 it was $100,804 in 2024 dollars; the margins of error cannot tell the two periods apart.
| Measure | Palmer Heights | Northampton County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $99,815 ±$15,318 | $89,184 | no clear change |
| Mean household income | $114,434 ±$13,248 | $115,853 | – |
| Per capita income | $43,661 ±$4,957 | $45,736 | no clear change |
| People below the poverty line | 4.8% ±3.4 pts | 8.8% | – |
| Children under 18 below the poverty line | 10.4% ±11.9 pts | 11.9% | – |
| Households receiving SNAP | 7.5% ±4.6 pts | 10.3% | – |
| Households with a computer | 96.0% ±3.5 pts | 94.6% | – |
| Households with a broadband subscription | 91.3% ±6.1 pts | 90.8% | – |
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 Palmer Heights?
Owners occupy 98.4% of Palmer Heights's occupied homes and renters 1.6%. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $309,100 by its owner (±$18,849).
| Measure | Palmer Heights | Northampton County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value (owner-occupied) | $309,100 ±$18,849 | $308,600 | +$54,593 |
| Renters paying 35% or more of income on rent | 0.0% ±64.7 pts | 40.7% | – |
| Median monthly owner costs, with a mortgage | $2,060 ±$275 | $1,957 | – |
| Owner-occupied homes | 98.4% ±1.9 pts | 71.1% | no clear change |
| Renter-occupied homes | 1.6% ±1.9 pts | 28.9% | – |
| Housing units | 1,383 ±167 | 129,448 | no clear change |
| Homeowner vacancy rate | 0.0% ±2.4 pts | 0.7% | – |
| Rental vacancy rate | 0.0% ±64.7 pts | 2.5% | – |
| Single-family detached homes | 93.4% ±3.5 pts | 58.1% | – |
| Mobile homes | 0.0% ±2.3 pts | 2.5% | – |
| Built 2020 or later | 0.0% ±2.3 pts | 1.1% | – |
| Built 2010 to 2019 | 0.0% ±2.3 pts | 6.2% | – |
| Built 1939 or earlier | 1.7% ±2.0 pts | 26.2% | – |
| Households with no vehicle | 2.6% ±3.3 pts | 6.5% | – |
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 do people in Palmer Heights work and get to work?
84.0% of Palmer Heights's workers drive alone and 6.8% work from home. The average trip to work takes 22.6 minutes. The unemployment rate in 2020-2024 averaged 4.9%.
| Measure | Palmer Heights | Northampton County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| In the labor force (age 16+) | 59.5% ±6.3 pts | 63.2% | – |
| Unemployment rate | 4.9% ±3.1 pts | 4.6% | no clear change |
| Drove alone to work | 84.0% ±6.8 pts | 74.6% | – |
| Carpooled | 4.8% ±4.3 pts | 6.2% | – |
| Public transportation | 0.0% ±1.9 pts | 1.0% | – |
| Walked | 0.8% ±1.1 pts | 2.0% | – |
| Worked from home | 6.8% ±3.8 pts | 14.4% | no clear change |
| Mean travel time to work | 22.6 min ±4.2 | 27.0 min | −6.2 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 Palmer Heights?
1 census tract lies mostly in Palmer Heights, and 1 more reaches into it (2020 census blocks).
| Tract | Residents, 2020-2024 | Median household income |
|---|---|---|
| Tract 174.02Northampton County | 3,675 | $96,724 |
| Tract 175.01Northampton County | 4,793 | $82,988 |
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 Palmer Heights) · Census block assignment files
How does Palmer Heights compare with other places in Pennsylvania?
Palmer Heights ranks 440th of 2,136 places in Pennsylvania with 1,000 or more residents and a reliable estimate, by median household income.
| Measure | Rank | Of |
|---|---|---|
| Population (ACS 2020-2024) | 902nd | 2,159 |
| Residents per square mile | 359th | 2,159 |
| Median household income | 440th | 2,136 |
| Per capita income | 739th | 2,157 |
| Median home value | 492nd | 2,146 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 513th | 2,129 |
| Median age | 522nd | 2,157 |
| Owner-occupied share | 18th | 2,149 |
| Work from home | 1,526th | 1,710 |
| Travel time to work | 1,585th | 2,156 |
Palmer Heights's figures with every place in Pennsylvania (CSV)
Every place in Pennsylvania, sortable · Compare Palmer Heights 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 Palmer Heights?
22 of the 56 figures for Palmer Heights 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 Palmer Heights 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' school search.