Borough · Pennsylvania
Palmerton, Pennsylvania
Palmerton, borough, in Carbon County, Pennsylvania. Palmerton had 5,615 residents on July 1, 2025 by the Census Bureau's estimate, up 0.4% since 2020; the 2020 Census counted 5,593 and the ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates put it at 5,622 (±21). GEOID 4257696.
Residents, July 2025 estimate
5,615
Census Bureau estimate (no margin published)
2020 Census count: 5,593 · ACS 2020-2024: 5,622 ±21
Median household income
$68,143
±$16,780 (90% margin)
Pennsylvania: $77,971
Median home value
$180,000
±$14,186 (90% margin)
Pennsylvania: $254,500
Median gross rent
$931
±$87 (90% margin)
Pennsylvania: $1,209
Where is Palmerton and what county is it in?
Palmerton is a borough in Carbon County, Pennsylvania. It covers 2.5 square miles of land, 2,251 residents per square mile in 2020.
Palmerton is in the Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ metropolitan statistical area, which takes in 4 counties (Census Bureau delineation, July 2023).
Palmerton is the same area as Census Tract 209 of Carbon County: the tract's figures are Palmerton's own.
Source: 2024 Gazetteer and 2020 place-by-county files, U.S. Census Bureau · Census reference files
How many people live in Palmerton, and is it growing?
The Census Bureau estimates that 5,615 people lived in Palmerton on July 1, 2025, up 0.4% since 2020, in line with Pennsylvania (+0.4%). The 2020 Census counted 5,593 residents. The 2020-2024 American Community Survey, a five-year sample, puts the population at 5,622 (±21).
| Measure | Palmerton | Carbon County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total population | 5,622 ±21 | 65,382 | +309 |
| Households | 2,802 ±226 | 27,255 | +821 |
| Average household size | 1.99 ±0.16 | 2.37 | −0.69 |
| Housing units | 2,870 ±226 | 34,417 | +625 |
Palmerton's population since 2000
From 5,248 in 2000 to 5,615 in 2025: up 7.0%. The 2000, 2010 and 2020 figures are census counts, each for Palmerton 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 Palmerton?
The median resident of Palmerton is 48.3 years old; 13.0% are under 18 and 26.7% are 65 or older. The largest group is non-Hispanic white residents at 93.8%, then Hispanic or Latino residents (of any race) at 5.5%.
| Measure | Palmerton | Carbon County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 48.3 ±4.9 | 46.3 | +7.3 |
| Under 18 years | 13.0% ±3.5 pts | 18.9% | – |
| 65 years and over | 26.7% ±5.3 pts | 22.6% | – |
| Male | 47.0% ±4.3 pts | 50.2% | – |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 5.5% ±3.2 pts | 6.9% | – |
| White alone, not Hispanic | 93.8% ±3.4 pts | 87.9% | −5.6 pts |
| Black or African American alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±0.6 pts | 1.9% | – |
| Asian alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±0.6 pts | 0.6% | – |
| American Indian and Alaska Native alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±0.6 pts | 0.0% | – |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±0.6 pts | 0.0% | – |
| Two or more races, not Hispanic | 0.7% ±0.8 pts | 2.6% | – |
| Some other race alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±0.6 pts | 0.1% | – |
| Born outside the United States | 3.4% ±2.6 pts | 3.7% | – |
| Speak a language other than English at home (age 5+) | 6.8% ±3.8 pts | 6.3% | – |
| Civilian veterans (age 18+) | 4.2% ±1.8 pts | 8.0% | – |
| With a disability | 14.6% ±4.2 pts | 17.1% | – |
| No health insurance coverage | 4.9% ±3.6 pts | 5.8% | – |
| High school graduate or higher (age 25+) | 90.3% ±4.5 pts | 90.5% | – |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (age 25+) | 18.3% ±6.1 pts | 19.2% | no clear change |
| Graduate or professional degree (age 25+) | 7.2% ±3.9 pts | 6.0% | – |
| Lived in the same house a year earlier | 90.4% ±4.3 pts | 91.7% | – |
| Moved from another state in the past year | 3.2% ±2.5 pts | 1.5% | – |
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 Palmerton earn?
Half of Palmerton's 2,802 households earn less than $68,143 a year (±$16,780), against $67,554 in Carbon County and $77,971 in Pennsylvania. In 2015-2019 it was $81,660 in 2024 dollars; the margins of error cannot tell the two periods apart. 15.9% of residents live below the poverty line.
| Measure | Palmerton | Carbon County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $68,143 ±$16,780 | $67,554 | no clear change |
| Mean household income | $84,529 ±$12,576 | $85,706 | – |
| Per capita income | $41,909 ±$5,971 | $36,548 | no clear change |
| People below the poverty line | 15.9% ±6.1 pts | 12.3% | – |
| Children under 18 below the poverty line | 23.5% ±15.3 pts | 20.1% | – |
| Households receiving SNAP | 15.3% ±8.3 pts | 15.6% | – |
| Households with a computer | 78.4% ±9.7 pts | 91.4% | – |
| Households with a broadband subscription | 77.8% ±9.2 pts | 88.7% | – |
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 Palmerton?
Owners occupy 57.9% of Palmerton's occupied homes and renters 42.1%. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $180,000 by its owner (±$14,186). The median renter pays $931 a month including utilities, and 39.7% of renters pay 35% or more of their income on rent.
| Measure | Palmerton | Carbon County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value (owner-occupied) | $180,000 ±$14,186 | $211,400 | +$35,270 |
| Median gross rent | $931 ±$87 | $994 | −$131 |
| Renters paying 35% or more of income on rent | 39.7% ±16.1 pts | 36.7% | no clear change |
| Median monthly owner costs, with a mortgage | $1,419 ±$170 | $1,535 | – |
| Owner-occupied homes | 57.9% ±9.8 pts | 76.4% | no clear change |
| Renter-occupied homes | 42.1% ±9.8 pts | 23.6% | – |
| Housing units | 2,870 ±226 | 34,417 | +625 |
| Homeowner vacancy rate | 0.0% ±1.9 pts | 1.4% | – |
| Rental vacancy rate | 0.0% ±2.7 pts | 13.3% | – |
| Single-family detached homes | 47.6% ±9.0 pts | 68.8% | – |
| Mobile homes | 0.0% ±1.1 pts | 4.2% | – |
| Built 2020 or later | 0.0% ±1.1 pts | 0.2% | – |
| Built 2010 to 2019 | 4.0% ±2.3 pts | 3.4% | – |
| Built 1939 or earlier | 43.0% ±8.0 pts | 29.6% | – |
| Households with no vehicle | 19.1% ±9.3 pts | 6.4% | – |
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 Palmerton building?
Builders took permits for 2 new housing units in Palmerton in 2025 (2 in single-family houses), 0.4 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 Palmerton work and get to work?
83.9% of Palmerton's workers drive alone. The average trip to work takes 30.0 minutes.
| Measure | Palmerton | Carbon County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| In the labor force (age 16+) | 63.0% ±6.9 pts | 60.9% | – |
| Unemployment rate | 1.8% ±1.9 pts | 7.5% | – |
| Drove alone to work | 83.9% ±5.6 pts | 76.5% | – |
| Carpooled | 5.5% ±2.7 pts | 10.5% | – |
| Public transportation | 0.6% ±0.9 pts | 0.3% | – |
| Walked | 4.8% ±3.9 pts | 2.1% | – |
| Worked from home | 5.2% ±3.9 pts | 10.1% | – |
| Mean travel time to work | 30.0 min ±3.5 | 32.5 min | no clear change |
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 Palmerton?
1 census tract lies mostly in Palmerton (2020 census blocks).
| Tract | Residents, 2020-2024 | Median household income |
|---|---|---|
| Tract 209Carbon County | 5,622 | $68,143 |
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 Palmerton) · Census block assignment files
How does Palmerton compare with other places in Pennsylvania?
By the Census Bureau's July 2025 estimates, Palmerton is the 4,584th-most populous of the 19,476 U.S. incorporated places that have one and the 163rd-most populous of 1,012 in Pennsylvania.
Palmerton ranks 1,443rd 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 | 163rd | 1,012 |
| Growth 2020-2025 (PEP) | 729th | 1,764 |
| Residents per square mile | 555th | 2,159 |
| Median household income | 1,443rd | 2,136 |
| Per capita income | 860th | 2,157 |
| Median home value | 1,462nd | 2,146 |
| Median gross rent | 1,245th | 1,963 |
| Poverty rate | 316th | 1,606 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 1,632nd | 2,129 |
| Median age | 537th | 2,157 |
| Owner-occupied share | 1,873rd | 2,149 |
| Travel time to work | 453rd | 2,156 |
Palmerton's figures with every place in Pennsylvania (CSV)
Every place in Pennsylvania, sortable · Compare Palmerton 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 Palmerton?
17 of the 57 figures for Palmerton 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 Palmerton 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 Palmerton.