PlainZIP

Bethlehem, PA · standard

ZIP Code 18017

Northampton County, Pennsylvania - Census ACS demographics, housing tenure, and business patterns, benchmarked against every US ZIP.

37,549
897/sq mi
$91,173
Median income
$336,100
Median home value
40.9%
Bachelor's or higher

The verdict

Bethlehem pairs an above-median household income with above-median home values, in a low-density, homeowner-dominated area.

Top 26%
household income, US ZIPs
Top 28%
home value, US ZIPs
897
people per sq mi
67%
owner-occupied homes

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 18017 against every reporting US ZIP.

ZIP code 18017 is a densely settled ZIP (a standard USPS delivery area) in Bethlehem, Northampton County, Pennsylvania, with 37,549 residents across 41.9 square miles, a density of 897 people per square mile, in the New York time zone.

ZIP 18017 lands in the middle-income range, with a median household income of $91,173 (17% above the Pennsylvania average), while per-capita income is $46,344. Local economic indicators show a 10.5% poverty rate alongside 5.3% unemployment. Housing costs here run $336,100 for a typical home value (48% above the state average), with rent averaging $1,597 a month; 67.0% of homes are owner-occupied.

A solid share of residents have a four-year degree: 40.9% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 45, and the average commute is 23 minutes. To put 18017 in local context, 10 ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles appear further down this page alongside 6 additional ZIPs in Northampton County, for a geography-aware comparison.

Every figure on this page is sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates (including median rent) and the FHFA House Price Index, no estimates, no proprietary scoring. Verify with Census →

Top industries in ZIP 18017

Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Bethlehem, PA

Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 18017.

establishments

What this shows Establishment counts come from the Census ZIP Code Business Patterns program, which counts physical business locations rather than employees or revenue.

Source U.S. Census Bureau · ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) As of 2023

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates + ZIP Code Business Patterns + FHFA HPI ACS demographics and median rent, ZBP business establishments, FHFA HPI for ZIP 18017, Bethlehem, PA · 2023 Census ACS 5-Year Estimates use a rolling 60-month sample for stable small-geography estimates; ZBP updated annually; FHFA HPI updated quarterly/annually.

Quick Facts

37,549

Population

41.9

Area (sq mi)

897

People / sq mi

New York

Time Zone

standard

ZIP Type

Neighborhood Scorecard
Get an A-F grade across income, safety, housing, rent, education, commute, and childcare for this ZIP code.
View Scorecard →

Who lives in ZIP 18017?

45.0

Median Age

47.8%

Male

52.2%

Female

8.6%

Foreign-Born

White 67.7%
African American 5.0%
Asian 3.5%
American Indian or Alaska Native 0.0%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander 0.1%
Two or More Ethnicities 16.1%
Hispanic or Latino 24.6%

Hispanic or Latino is an ethnicity category from the Census Bureau and may overlap with other categories above.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)

How much do residents earn?

$91,173

Median Household Income

+17% vs state

$46,344

Per Capita Income

10.5%

Poverty Rate

5.3%

Unemployment Rate

23.3 min

Mean Commute Time

How ZIP 18017 ranks nationally

Bethlehem, PA household income vs. every US ZIP code

Median household income, the full national distribution, with this ZIP marked

$91,173 Top 26% higher than 74% of 30,318 US ZIPs

$0–$20,000: 118 US ZIPs (0%). Below this entry. $20,000–$40,000: 1,573 US ZIPs (5%). Below this entry. $40,000–$60,000: 7,092 US ZIPs (23%). Below this entry. $60,000–$80,000: 9,980 US ZIPs (33%). Below this entry. $80,000–$100,000: 5,778 US ZIPs (19%). This entry sits in this band. $100,000–$120,000: 2,855 US ZIPs (9%). Above this entry. $120,000–$140,000: 1,362 US ZIPs (4%). Above this entry. $140,000–$160,000: 686 US ZIPs (2%). Above this entry. $160,000–$180,000: 364 US ZIPs (1%). Above this entry. $180,000–$200,000: 186 US ZIPs (1%). Above this entry. $200,000–$220,000: 324 US ZIPs (1%). Above this entry. This ZIP $0 $200K+ every reporting US ZIP, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $20K-wide band; taller bars hold more US ZIPs. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates · 2019–2023

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)

What is the education profile here?

High School Graduate or Higher 67.7%
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 40.9%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)

What does housing look like?

17,092

Total Housing Units

16,597

Occupied Units

495

Vacant Units

2.41

Avg Household Size

Occupancy Type

Owner 67.0%
Renter 33.0%

$336,100

Median Home Value

+48% vs state

$1,597

Median Rent

1973

Median Year Built

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)

How have home values changed over time?

FHFA House Price Index, annual appreciation data based on repeat sales and appraisals

+4.1%

YoY Change (2024)

256

HPI Index (2000 = 100)

+156%

Total Change Since 2000

Home values in ZIP 18017 have increased 4.1% over the past year (2024). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +156% cumulative appreciation.

Year Annual Change HPI Index
2020 +4.5% 174
2021 +11.9% 195
2022 +14.8% 224
2023 +9.8% 245
2024 +4.1% 256

Source: Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) House Price Index, All-Transactions, Five-Digit ZIP Codes (Developmental Index). Index base = 100 in year 2000. Data through 2024. ZIP codes with few transactions may show missing values.

What businesses operate in this ZIP?

Census Bureau data shows 985 business establishments in ZIP 18017, employing approximately 28,324 people with a combined annual payroll of $1,855,288,000.

985

Businesses

28,324

Employees

$1.9B

Annual Payroll

16

Industry Sectors

Industry Establishments % of Total
Health care and social assistance 187 19.0%
Other services (except public administration) 91 9.2%
Retail trade 90 9.1%
Accommodation and food services 83 8.4%
Professional, scientific, and technical services 76 7.7%
Wholesale trade 74 7.5%
Finance and insurance 59 6.0%
Manufacturing 57 5.8%
Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services 56 5.7%
Real estate and rental and leasing 53 5.4%
Construction 50 5.1%
Transportation and warehousing 41 4.2%
Information 25 2.5%
Management of companies and enterprises 14 1.4%
Educational services 14 1.4%
Arts, entertainment, and recreation 11 1.1%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP), 2023. Employment figures may include noise for disclosure avoidance.

Nearby ZIP Codes

Want a side-by-side? Compare 18017 vs 18016 →

ZIP 18017 vs its nearest neighbors, by population

Resident population of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.

residents

What this shows Among its immediate neighbors, ZIP 18017 ranks #2 by population - useful context the national average alone can't give.

Source U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 5-Year Estimates As of 2019–2023

ZIP 18017 vs its nearest neighbors, by median income

Median household income of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.

median income

What this shows By household income, ZIP 18017 ranks #2 of 9 neighboring ZIPs, local affluence varies block to block, not just metro to metro.

Source U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 5-Year Estimates As of 2019–2023
ZIP Code City Population Distance
18016 Bethlehem, PA 0 1.9 mi
18018 Bethlehem, PA 32,413 2.3 mi
18020 Bethlehem, PA 20,447 3.3 mi
18109 Allentown, PA 16,932 3.2 mi
18032 Catasauqua, PA 9,285 4.2 mi
18015 Bethlehem, PA 32,832 4.9 mi
18052 Whitehall, PA 26,902 6.2 mi
18014 Bath, PA 11,387 7.4 mi
18101 Allentown, PA 3,897 5.9 mi
18102 Allentown, PA 49,779 5.9 mi

More ZIP Codes in Northampton County

18042 standard
Easton, PA
Pop: 41,570
18015 standard
Bethlehem, PA
Pop: 32,832
18045 standard
Easton, PA
Pop: 26,391
18064 standard
Nazareth, PA
Pop: 24,073
18020 standard
Bethlehem, PA
Pop: 20,447
18067 standard
Northampton, PA
Pop: 17,852

Related Areas

Northampton County Bethlehem, PA Pennsylvania

Frequently Asked Questions

What county is ZIP code 18017 in? ▼
ZIP code 18017 (Bethlehem) is located in Northampton County, Pennsylvania. Northampton County contains multiple ZIP codes, see the full list at /counties/northampton-pa.
What is the population of ZIP code 18017? ▼
ZIP code 18017 in Bethlehem, PA has a population of 37,549 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 18017? ▼
The median household income in ZIP 18017 is $91,173, which is 20% above the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 18017? ▼
The median home value in ZIP 18017 is $336,100, which is 21% above the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 18017? ▼
The largest racial group in ZIP 18017 is White at 67.7%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 24.6% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 18017? ▼
ZIP code 18017 has 985 business establishments employing approximately 28,324 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 18017? ▼
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 18017 are: Health care and social assistance (187), Other services (except public administration) (91), Retail trade (90). There are 16 industry sectors represented in total.
How have home values changed in ZIP code 18017? ▼
According to the FHFA House Price Index, home values in ZIP 18017 increased by 4.1% in 2024. Since 2000, home values in this ZIP have appreciated by approximately 156%. This is a developmental index based on repeat sales and appraisal data from Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.
What is the education level in ZIP code 18017? ▼
In ZIP code 18017, 67.7% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 40.9% hold a bachelor's degree or higher. These figures come from the Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023).
What is the average commute time in ZIP 18017? ▼
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 18017 is 23.3 minutes according to Census ACS data. The national average is roughly 26 minutes, so commuters here spend less time traveling to work than typical.
What percentage of residents own vs. rent in ZIP 18017? ▼
In ZIP code 18017, approximately 67.0% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 33.0% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 18017? ▼
The poverty rate in ZIP code 18017 is 10.5% according to Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. This measures the percentage of the population living below the federal poverty threshold.

Read our methodology to see how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.