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CITY · 2020 ACS

Allentown

Pennsylvania · 125,845 residents · 17.6 sq mi
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The short version

Allentown is a city of 125,845 people in Pennsylvania. 42% of homes are owner-occupied. 17% of adults hold a bachelor's degree, below the 33% national rate. 25.6% of residents live below the federal poverty line. The median age is 34.2, younger than the US median of 38.8. Households here earn about 31% less than in Pennsylvania as a whole.

At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $66,278
Younger
median age 34.2
US median: 38.8
Less educated
17% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 33%
Stable housing
home values roughly flat, inflation adjusted
US median home: $265,253
Section 01

Population & growth

125,845
+18%since 2000
from 106,632 in 2000
1990 – 2025
34.2
−1%since 2000
from 34.5 in 2000
US average: 38.8
Land area
17.6 sq mi
Population, 19902024
103K109K116K122K128K19902000201020202024Allentown
2024126K
1990201020202024
Age distribution, 2020
Under 56.8%(8,553)
US avg: 5.6%
5 to 96.7%(8,489)
US avg: 6.1%
10 to 147%(8,766)
US avg: 6.5%
15 to 197.3%(9,175)
US avg: 6.6%
20 to 248%(10,117)
US avg: 6.7%
25 to 3415.3%(19,219)
US avg: 13.5%
35 to 4412.4%(15,575)
US avg: 12.7%
45 to 5411.5%(14,410)
US avg: 12.3%
55 to 6411.7%(14,670)
US avg: 13.1%
65 to 747.9%(9,883)
US avg: 10%
75 to 843.8%(4,806)
US avg: 4.9%
85 and over1.7%(2,182)
US avg: 1.9%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02

Income & economy

$43,816
−9%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $32,016 in 2000
US average: $66,278
1990 – 2024
$21,144
+30%since 2000
from $16,282 in 2000
US average: $35,364
Households earning $100K+
25.4%
+8.5 ptssince 2009
from 16.9% in 2009
US average: 43.9%
25.6%
+7.1 ptssince 2000
from 18.5% in 2000
US average: 12.8%
Workforce by industry, 2020
Retail trade13.5%
US avg: 10%
Finance & insurance11.5%
US avg: 5.5%
Professional, scientific, technical10.9%
US avg: 4.7%
Information10.7%
US avg: 11.1%
Wholesale trade4.7%
US avg: 6.7%
Transportation & warehousing4.5%
US avg: 2.5%
Other services3.9%
US avg: 6.6%
Public administration2.7%
US avg: 4.7%
Arts, entertainment, food1.7%
US avg: 2%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing0.6%
US avg: 1.7%
Education & health services0.6%
US avg: 0.8%
Construction0.5%
US avg: 1.2%
Manufacturing0.1%
US avg: 0.5%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 03

Housing

$135,800
+17%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $77,000 in 2000
US average: $265,253
1990 – 2024
$1,035
+27%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $541 in 2000
US average: $1,124
42.5%
−10.6 ptssince 2000
from 53.0% in 2000
57.5% rent
2.70 people
+5%since 2009
from 2.56 people in 2009
US average: 2.61
3.1
−18%since 2009
from 3.8 in 2009
2009 – 2024
Years of local income it takes to buy a local home, on a scale of about 0 to 15. Lower is more affordable.
Section 04

Race & ethnicity

2000
White, non-Hispanic64.4%(68,621)
Black6.8%(7,284)
Hispanic / Latino24.4%(26,058)
Asian2.2%(2,375)
Other0%
2020
White, non-Hispanic30.2%(38,033)
Black10.5%(13,193)
Hispanic / Latino54.2%(68,232)
Asian2%(2,498)
Other2.1%(2,691)

No data for the years selected.

Section 04 · Origins

Detailed origins & ancestry

Hispanic origin
Puerto Rican28.7%(34,825)
Dominican15.5%(18,722)
South American3.5%(4,290)
Mexican2.3%(2,817)
Central American1.7%(2,109)
Ecuadorian1.3%(1,570)
Colombian1%(1,228)
Cuban0.7%(822)
Peruvian0.6%(781)
Salvadoran0.6%(778)
Honduran0.6%(711)
Chilean0.4%(432)
+ 7 more hispanic origin groups with data
Nicaraguan0.2%(237)
Guatemalan0.2%(234)
Venezuelan0.1%(80)
Costa Rican0.1%(66)
Spaniard0.1%(63)
Argentine0%(57)
Asian origin
Asian Indian0.9%(1,041)
Chinese0.5%(573)
Korean0.4%(447)
Vietnamese0.3%(364)
Filipino0.2%(259)
Burmese0.2%(250)
Cambodian0.1%(146)
Thai0.1%(90)
Japanese0.1%(81)
Pakistani0.1%(70)
Taiwanese0%(30)
+ 2 more asian origin groups with data
Pacific Islander origin
Samoan0%(8)
Ancestry
German9.9%(12,017)
Irish4.9%(5,944)
Italian4.2%(5,111)
American2.5%(2,973)
English2%(2,382)
West Indian1.8%(2,221)
Polish1.6%(1,949)
Syrian1.6%(1,923)
Dutch0.9%(1,098)
French0.9%(1,088)
Slovak0.8%(934)
+ 45 more ancestry groups with data
Hungarian0.7%(856)
Jamaican0.7%(825)
Austrian0.6%(715)
Russian0.6%(675)
Welsh0.5%(613)
Arab0.5%(554)
Scottish0.4%(539)
Ukrainian0.3%(398)
Haitian0.2%(283)
Swedish0.2%(270)
Lebanese0.2%(248)
Lithuanian0.2%(236)
Egyptian0.2%(214)
Scotch-Irish0.1%(180)
Brazilian0.1%(178)
British0.1%(178)
Greek0.1%(176)
Portuguese0.1%(168)
Czech0.1%(159)
Kenyan0.1%(155)
Swiss0.1%(137)
Moroccan0.1%(118)
Norwegian0.1%(102)
Guyanese0.1%(94)
Romanian0.1%(78)
Nigerian0.1%(61)
Turkish0%(54)
Jordanian0%(53)
Slovene0%(52)
Belgian0%(50)
Ethiopian0%(44)
Canadian0%(42)
Serbian0%(33)
Danish0%(29)
Finnish0%(28)
Armenian0%(26)
Barbadian0%(22)
Iranian0%(15)
Croatian0%(10)
Latvian0%(7)
Israeli0%(5)
Section 05

Education

16.6%
+1.2 ptssince 2000
from 15.4% in 2000
US average: 32.9%
High school or higher
80.6%
+7.8 ptssince 2000
from 72.7% in 2000
US average: 88.5%
5.5%
+0.2 ptssince 2000
from 5.3% in 2000
US average: 12.7%
Section 06

Commute & transportation

23.2 min
+63%since 2000
from 14.3 min in 2000
US average: 26.9
68.5%
−3.5 ptssince 2009
from 72.0% in 2009
US average: 75.1%
17.1%
−1.7 ptssince 2009
from 18.8% in 2009
US average: 8.4%
Section 07

Work & employment

10.0%
−3.4 ptssince 2011
from 13.5% in 2011
US average: 5.4%
63.4%
+1.9 ptssince 2011
from 61.5% in 2011
US average: 63.4%
Women 20-64 in the labor force
71.0%
US average: 73.3%
23.2%
−1.3 ptssince 2009
from 24.5% in 2009
US average: 39.3%
Section 08

People & community

48.4%
−0.3 ptssince 2009
from 48.7% in 2009
51.6%
+0.3 ptssince 2009
from 51.3% in 2009
18.8%
+5.6 ptssince 2009
from 13.2% in 2009
US average: 13.5%
10.6%
−7.7 ptssince 2013
from 18.3% in 2013
US average: 8.8%
Computer in household
89.1%
US average: 91.9%
82.2%
US average: 86.2%
Marital status (2024)
Men 15+
Never married49.3%(23,858)
Married40.6%(19,665)
Widowed2%(978)
Divorced8.1%(3,909)
Women 15+
Never married44.8%(23,399)
Married36.7%(19,186)
Widowed8.8%(4,575)
Divorced9.7%(5,094)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09

Health coverage

10.6%
−7.7 ptssince 2013
from 18.3% in 2013
US average: 8.8%
39.3%
US average: 55.4%
Direct-purchase
8.0%
US average: 13.7%
14.5%
US average: 17.6%
40.7%
US average: 20.0%
VA health care
0.8%
US average: 2.3%
Any private
46.6%
US average: 68.1%
Any public
50.7%
US average: 35.2%

Shares are "alone or in combination": a person with both Medicare and Medicaid counts in each, so categories overlap and do not sum to 100%.

Section 09 · Service history

Veterans

Veterans by period of service, 2020
Gulf War (2001 or later)13.8%(444)
US avg: 20.6%
Gulf War (1990s)10.2%(329)
US avg: 21.4%
Vietnam era38.3%(1,236)
US avg: 35.2%
Korean War10.8%(348)
US avg: 7.6%
World War II5.2%(167)
US avg: 2.9%

Share of the 3,227 veterans here. A veteran who served across eras counts in each, so shares can total more than 100%. Peacetime-only service is included in the total but not shown as an era.

BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
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Frequently asked

How many people live in Allentown, Pennsylvania?

Allentown, Pennsylvania has about 125,845 residents according to the 2020 American Community Survey.

What is the median household income in Allentown, Pennsylvania?

The typical household in Allentown, Pennsylvania earns about $43,816 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.

Is Allentown, Pennsylvania expensive?

In Allentown, Pennsylvania, the median home is worth about $135,800, and the typical rent is about $1,035 a month.

How educated are people in Allentown, Pennsylvania?

About 16.6% of adults age 25 and over in Allentown, Pennsylvania hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

What is the poverty rate in Allentown, Pennsylvania?

About 25.6% of people in Allentown, Pennsylvania live below the federal poverty line.

Has Allentown, Pennsylvania grown since 1990?

Yes, Allentown, Pennsylvania has grown since 1990. The population has added about 20,755 residents, a change of about 20 percent over that period.

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DATA: US CENSUS BUREAU ACS 5-YEAR + DECENNIAL CENSUS · UPDATED 2024

How we source and harmonize this data →