Palmerton is home to 5,622 people in Pennsylvania. At a median age of 48.3, this is an older place than the country as a whole. 18% of adults hold a bachelor's degree, below the 36% national rate. Home values have more than doubled since 2000, reaching $180,000. The foreign-born share is 3%. There are 2,262 people per square mile.
At a glance
Lower income
median household income $68,143, below the US median
US median: $82,259
Older
median age 48.3
US median: 38.9
Less educated
18% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 36%
Less affordable
home values up 35%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $376,019
Unique to this place
What stands out about Palmerton
What changed most since 1990
Homes owned by their occupants73.0% → 57.9%(−15.1 pts)US over the same years: +0.9 pts
White share97.8% → 93.8%(−3.9 pts)US over the same years: −17.8 pts
Median age36.6 → 48.3(+11.7 years)US over the same years: +6.0 years
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, 2024
Gulf War (2001 or later)31.6%(65)
US avg: 26.4%
Gulf War (1990s)18%(37)
US avg: 24.3%
Vietnam era47.6%(98)
US avg: 33.1%
Korean War6.8%(14)
US avg: 4.5%
World War II0%(0)
US avg: 1%
Share of the 206 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
Over time
Palmerton, decade by decade
Palmerton population, inflation-adjusted income and home value, education, and diversity by year
Year
Population
Median household income
Median home value
Bachelor's degree+
Diversity score
1990
5,394
$58,180
$146,884
11.9%
5.5
2000
5,248
$57,422
$133,163
11.8%
8.2
2010
5,414
$62,552
$167,162
13.7%
13.7
2020
5,593
$80,111
$144,111
19.8%
24.0
2024
5,622
$68,143
$180,000
18.3%
14.6
Census years come from the decennial census and the latest year from the American Community Survey, so part of any change between those two rows can reflect the different surveys. Dollar figures are adjusted for inflation to 2024 dollars; a figure ending in "+" was at the Census Bureau's reporting cap that year. The diversity score runs from 0 to 100; see how it's calculated.
