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CITY · 2020 ACS

Allentown

Pennsylvania · 125,845 residents · 17.564 sq mi
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The short version

Allentown has notably lower household income than the US average, with a median household income of $43,816. Population has grown 18% since 2000. 17% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, below the national rate of 33%. Median home value has risen by half since 2000, reaching $135,800. At a median age of 34.2, residents skew younger than the country as a whole. Households here earn about 31% less than the Pennsylvania median.

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

Total population
125,845
+18%since 2000
from 106,632 in 2000
1990 – 2025
Median age
34.2
−1%since 2000
from 34.5 in 2000
US average: 38.8
Population, 1990 – 2024
103K109K116K122K128K1990201020202024Allentown
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

Median household income
$43,816
−9%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $32,016 in 2000
US average: $66,278
1990 – 2024
Per capita income
$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%
Poverty rate
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

Median home value
$135,800
+17%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $77,000 in 2000
US average: $265,253
1990 – 2024
Median gross rent
$1,035
+27%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $541 in 2000
US average: $1,124
Owner-occupied
42.5%
−10.6 ptssince 2000
from 53.0% in 2000
57.5% rent
Afford Score
3.1
−18%since 2009
from 3.8 in 2009
2009 – 2024
Our index: median home value divided by median household income. Lower is more affordable.
RELATED:See current rent listings in Allentown on RentDataNow
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)
RANKED:Largest Puerto Rican population · Largest Dominican population · Largest German population · Largest Irish population · Largest Italian population
Section 05

Education

Bachelor's degree or higher
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%
Graduate degree
5.5%
+0.2 ptssince 2000
from 5.3% in 2000
US average: 12.7%
Section 06

Commute & transportation

Average commute
23.2 min
+63%since 2000
from 14.3 min in 2000
US average: 26.9
Drive alone to work
68.5%
−3.5 ptssince 2009
from 72.0% in 2009
US average: 75.1%
No vehicle available
17.1%
−1.7 ptssince 2009
from 18.8% in 2009
US average: 8.4%
Section 07

Work & employment

Unemployment rate
10.0%
−3.4 ptssince 2011
from 13.5% in 2011
US average: 5.4%
Labor force participation
63.4%
+1.9 ptssince 2011
from 61.5% in 2011
US average: 63.4%
Management & professional
23.2%
−36.0 ptssince 2009
from 59.2% in 2009
US average: 39.3%
Section 08

People & community

Male
48.4%
−0.3 ptssince 2009
from 48.7% in 2009
Female
51.6%
+0.3 ptssince 2009
from 51.3% in 2009
Foreign born
18.8%
+5.6 ptssince 2009
from 13.2% in 2009
US average: 13.5%
Uninsured
10.6%
−71.1 ptssince 2013
from 81.7% in 2013
US average: 8.8%
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
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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 →