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COUNTY · 1990 CENSUS

Lehigh County

Pennsylvania · 291,130 residents · 345 sq mi
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The short version

With 291,130 people, Lehigh County is a county in Pennsylvania. Poverty is uncommon here, at 7.3% of locals. Owners hold 69% of the housing stock. Headcount has barely moved since 2000. Median household income is $32,455, close to the national figure. Median home value sits at $97,200.

At a glance
Wealthier
above the US median
US median: $30,130
Older
median age 35.7
US median: 33.0
Average education
20% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 20%
Stable housing
home values roughly flat, inflation adjusted
US median home: $93,722
Section 01

Population & growth

Total population
291,130
−7%vs 2000
vs 312,090 in 2000
1990 – 2025
Median age
35.7
−7%vs 2000
vs 38.3 in 2000
US average: 33.0
Land area
345 sq mi
Population, 1990 – 2024
282K309K335K361K388K19902000201020202024Lehigh County
2024379K
1990201020202024
Age distribution, 1990
Under 56.6%(19,302)
US avg: 7.3%
5 to 96.5%(18,956)
US avg: 7.3%
10 to 146%(17,410)
US avg: 6.9%
15 to 196.2%(17,930)
US avg: 7.1%
20 to 246.7%(19,398)
US avg: 7.5%
25 to 3416.9%(49,216)
US avg: 17.5%
35 to 4415.4%(44,844)
US avg: 15.1%
45 to 5410.4%(30,230)
US avg: 10.2%
55 to 649.9%(28,966)
US avg: 8.5%
65 to 749%(26,096)
US avg: 7.3%
75 to 844.9%(14,374)
US avg: 4%
85 and over1.5%(4,408)
US avg: 1.2%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02

Income & economy

Median household income
$32,455
−2%inflation adjusted, since 2000
vs $43,449 in 2000
US average: $30,130
1990 – 2024
Per capita income
$15,458
−29%vs 2000
vs $21,897 in 2000
US average: $14,340
Poverty rate
7.3%
−2.0 ptsvs 2000
vs 9.3% in 2000
US average: 13.2%
Section 03

Housing

Median home value
$97,200
+14%inflation adjusted, since 2000
vs $112,100 in 2000
US average: $93,722
1990 – 2024
Median gross rent
$461
+4%inflation adjusted, since 2000
vs $586 in 2000
US average: $450
Owner-occupied
69.3%
+0.5 ptsvs 2000
vs 68.8% in 2000
30.7% rent
Section 04

Race & ethnicity

2000
White, non-Hispanic83.2%(259,811)
Black3.1%(9,798)
Hispanic / Latino10.2%(31,881)
Asian2.1%(6,488)
Other0%
1990
White, non-Hispanic93.2%(271,394)
Black2.4%(6,977)
Hispanic / Latino5.1%(14,954)
Asian1.4%(3,991)
Other3%(8,768)

No data for the years selected.

Section 04 · Origins

Detailed origins & ancestry

Detailed origin tables are available for 2024; showing 2024 data.

Hispanic origin
Puerto Rican12.7%(48,080)
Dominican8.9%(33,813)
Mexican1.7%(6,357)
Central American1.2%(4,631)
Ecuadorian0.8%(3,051)
Colombian0.7%(2,713)
Honduran0.5%(1,857)
Cuban0.4%(1,354)
Guatemalan0.3%(1,182)
Salvadoran0.2%(817)
Peruvian0.1%(518)
+ 9 more hispanic origin groups with data
Spaniard0.1%(494)
Venezuelan0.1%(463)
Chilean0.1%(381)
Panamanian0.1%(358)
Argentine0.1%(256)
Costa Rican0.1%(239)
Nicaraguan0%(178)
Uruguayan0%(76)
Bolivian0%(43)
Asian origin
Asian Indian1.6%(6,008)
Chinese0.6%(2,145)
Pakistani0.4%(1,641)
Vietnamese0.2%(800)
Korean0.2%(680)
Filipino0.2%(611)
Cambodian0.1%(197)
Japanese0%(169)
Thai0%(126)
Nepalese0%(89)
Kazakh0%(32)
+ 4 more asian origin groups with data
Laotian0%(28)
Burmese0%(27)
Taiwanese0%(14)
Pacific Islander origin
Samoan0%(41)
Chamorro0%(24)
Guamanian0%(12)
Ancestry
German21.4%(81,154)
Irish10%(37,984)
Italian7.6%(28,747)
English5.8%(21,993)
American4.2%(15,839)
Polish3.5%(13,227)
Arab2.1%(8,022)
Hungarian1.6%(6,165)
Slovak1.6%(6,144)
Syrian1.2%(4,395)
French1.2%(4,374)
West Indian1.1%(4,229)
+ 49 more ancestry groups with data
Ukrainian1.1%(3,995)
Welsh1%(3,766)
Austrian0.9%(3,412)
Scottish0.9%(3,376)
Dutch0.8%(3,193)
Russian0.7%(2,647)
Swedish0.5%(1,995)
Haitian0.5%(1,851)
Greek0.4%(1,670)
Lithuanian0.4%(1,591)
Jamaican0.4%(1,508)
Lebanese0.4%(1,451)
Scotch-Irish0.3%(1,267)
Egyptian0.3%(1,184)
Czech0.3%(1,071)
British0.2%(918)
Portuguese0.2%(791)
Norwegian0.2%(678)
Swiss0.2%(640)
Brazilian0.2%(638)
Romanian0.2%(583)
Canadian0.1%(422)
Croatian0.1%(343)
Danish0.1%(303)
Serbian0.1%(282)
Nigerian0.1%(247)
Belgian0.1%(241)
Finnish0.1%(230)
Ghanaian0.1%(214)
Kenyan0.1%(212)
Slovene0.1%(201)
Guyanese0%(176)
Ethiopian0%(173)
Moroccan0%(161)
Iranian0%(156)
Armenian0%(140)
Jordanian0%(131)
Barbadian0%(86)
Turkish0%(64)
Israeli0%(61)
Bulgarian0%(23)
Latvian0%(18)
Section 05

Education

Bachelor's degree or higher
19.6%
−3.7 ptsvs 2000
vs 23.3% in 2000
US average: 20.3%
High school or higher
74.6%
−6.5 ptsvs 2000
vs 81.1% in 2000
US average: 75.2%
Graduate degree
7.1%
−1.7 ptsvs 2000
vs 8.7% in 2000
US average: 7.1%
Section 06

Commute & transportation

Average commute
17.9 min
+23%vs 2000
vs 14.5 min in 2000
US average: 21.9
Section 07

Work & employment

No data for the years selected.

Section 08

People & community

No data for the years selected.

Marital status (2024)
Men 15+
Never married37.4%(56,400)
Married52.4%(79,088)
Widowed2.5%(3,717)
Divorced7.8%(11,719)
Women 15+
Never married32.2%(51,084)
Married48.4%(76,693)
Widowed9.1%(14,363)
Divorced10.3%(16,336)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09

Health coverage

Showing 2024 (the nearest year with coverage data).

Uninsured
6.4%
−4.7 ptssince 2013
from 11.1% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
Employer-based
56.4%
−1.4 ptssince 2020
from 57.8% in 2020
US average: 54.8%
Direct-purchase
12.8%
+0.1 ptssince 2020
from 12.7% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
Medicare
18.8%
+0.5 ptssince 2020
from 18.3% in 2020
US average: 18.4%
Medicaid
23.2%
+1.2 ptssince 2020
from 22.0% in 2020
US average: 20.9%
VA health care
1.4%
+0.1 ptssince 2020
from 1.3% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
67.1%
−1.6 ptssince 2020
from 68.7% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
39.1%
+1.7 ptssince 2020
from 37.4% in 2020
US average: 36.7%

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)17.1%(2,830)
US avg: 26.4%
Gulf War (1990s)19.8%(3,278)
US avg: 24.3%
Vietnam era37.3%(6,159)
US avg: 33.1%
Korean War5.6%(917)
US avg: 4.5%
World War II0.9%(142)
US avg: 1%

Share of the 16,518 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
Drill deeper

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Head to head

Compare Lehigh County to nearby counties

LEHIGH COUNTY VS
Northampton County
Income$89,184+175%
Home value$308,600+217%
Population324,411−16%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
LEHIGH COUNTY VS
Carbon County
Income$67,554+108%
Home value$211,400+117%
Population65,868−83%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
LEHIGH COUNTY VS
Berks County
Income$79,777+146%
Home value$257,300+165%
Population440,072+14%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
LEHIGH COUNTY VS
Montgomery County
Income$113,915+251%
Home value$436,700+349%
Population877,643+128%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
Frequently asked

How many people live in Lehigh County, Pennsylvania?

Lehigh County, Pennsylvania has about 291,130 residents according to the 1990 Census.

What is the median household income in Lehigh County, Pennsylvania?

The typical household in Lehigh County, Pennsylvania earns about $32,455 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.

Is Lehigh County, Pennsylvania expensive?

In Lehigh County, Pennsylvania, the median home is worth about $97,200, and the typical rent is about $461 a month.

How educated are people in Lehigh County, Pennsylvania?

About 19.6% of adults age 25 and over in Lehigh County, Pennsylvania hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

What is the poverty rate in Lehigh County, Pennsylvania?

About 7.3% of people in Lehigh County, Pennsylvania live below the federal poverty line.

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

How we source and harmonize this data →