PlainZIP

Emmaus, PA · standard

ZIP Code 18049

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

17,341
447/sq mi
$93,694
Median income
$315,700
Median home value
39.8%
Bachelor's or higher

The verdict

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

Top 24%
household income, US ZIPs
Top 31%
home value, US ZIPs
447
people per sq mi
72%
owner-occupied homes

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 18049 against every reporting US ZIP.

ZIP code 18049 is a mid-sized community (a standard USPS delivery area) in Emmaus, Lehigh County, Pennsylvania, home to 17,341 residents across 38.8 square miles, a density of 447 people per square mile, in the New York time zone.

ZIP 18049 lands in the middle-income range, with a median household income of $93,694 (20% above the Pennsylvania average), while per-capita income is $48,795. 6.3% of residents live below the poverty line, and the unemployment rate reads 2.6%. Housing costs here run $315,700 for a typical home value (39% above the state average), with rent averaging $1,360 a month; 71.8% of homes are owner-occupied.

A solid share of residents have a four-year degree: 39.8% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 41.8, and the average commute is 26 minutes. We also surface 10 nearby ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles and 6 additional ZIPs sharing Lehigh County, so you can benchmark 18049 against its immediate geography rather than a national average alone.

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 18049

Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Emmaus, PA

Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 18049.

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 18049, Emmaus, 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

17,341

Population

38.8

Area (sq mi)

447

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 18049?

41.8

Median Age

50.8%

Male

49.2%

Female

5.3%

Foreign-Born

White 87.4%
African American 1.9%
Asian 3.1%
American Indian or Alaska Native 0.0%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander 0.0%
Two or More Ethnicities 5.3%
Hispanic or Latino 6.4%

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?

$93,694

Median Household Income

+20% vs state

$48,795

Per Capita Income

6.3%

Poverty Rate

2.6%

Unemployment Rate

26.0 min

Mean Commute Time

How ZIP 18049 ranks nationally

Emmaus, PA household income vs. every US ZIP code

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

$93,694 Top 24% higher than 76% 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 69.2%
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 39.8%

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

What does housing look like?

7,851

Total Housing Units

7,702

Occupied Units

149

Vacant Units

2.46

Avg Household Size

Occupancy Type

Owner 71.8%
Renter 28.2%

$315,700

Median Home Value

+39% vs state

$1,360

Median Rent

1961

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

+6.2%

YoY Change (2024)

257

HPI Index (2000 = 100)

+157%

Total Change Since 2000

Home values in ZIP 18049 have increased 6.2% over the past year (2024). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +157% cumulative appreciation.

Year Annual Change HPI Index
2020 +4.1% 173
2021 +10.3% 191
2022 +12.3% 215
2023 +12.8% 242
2024 +6.2% 257

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 430 business establishments in ZIP 18049, employing approximately 4,816 people with a combined annual payroll of $231,575,000.

430

Businesses

4,816

Employees

$231.6M

Annual Payroll

16

Industry Sectors

Industry Establishments % of Total
Other services (except public administration) 64 14.9%
Retail trade 61 14.2%
Construction 53 12.3%
Professional, scientific, and technical services 42 9.8%
Health care and social assistance 41 9.5%
Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services 40 9.3%
Accommodation and food services 35 8.1%
Finance and insurance 18 4.2%
Manufacturing 16 3.7%
Wholesale trade 16 3.7%
Real estate and rental and leasing 12 2.8%
Arts, entertainment, and recreation 9 2.1%
Transportation and warehousing 7 1.6%
Information 7 1.6%
Educational services 4 0.9%
Management of companies and enterprises 3 0.7%

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 18049 vs 18068 →

ZIP 18049 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 18049 ranks #4 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 18049 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 18049 ranks #5 of 8 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
18068 Old Zionsville, PA 42 2.5 mi
18092 Zionsville, PA 3,223 3.3 mi
18103 Allentown, PA 45,336 3.8 mi
18046 East Texas, PA 64 3.8 mi
18105 Allentown, PA 12 5.8 mi
18062 Macungie, PA 24,351 4.4 mi
18034 Center Valley, PA 8,256 4.8 mi
18041 East Greenville, PA 5,424 6.8 mi
18102 Allentown, PA 49,779 6.4 mi
18101 Allentown, PA 3,897 6.1 mi

More ZIP Codes in Lehigh County

18102 standard
Allentown, PA
Pop: 49,779
18103 standard
Allentown, PA
Pop: 45,336
18104 standard
Allentown, PA
Pop: 43,236
18018 standard
Bethlehem, PA
Pop: 32,413
18052 standard
Whitehall, PA
Pop: 26,902
18062 standard
Macungie, PA
Pop: 24,351

Related Areas

Lehigh County Emmaus, PA Pennsylvania

Frequently Asked Questions

What county is ZIP code 18049 in? ▼
ZIP code 18049 (Emmaus) is located in Lehigh County, Pennsylvania. Lehigh County contains multiple ZIP codes, see the full list at /counties/lehigh-pa.
What is the population of ZIP code 18049? ▼
ZIP code 18049 in Emmaus, PA has a population of 17,341 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 18049? ▼
The median household income in ZIP 18049 is $93,694, which is 23% above the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 18049? ▼
The median home value in ZIP 18049 is $315,700, which is 13% above the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 18049? ▼
The largest racial group in ZIP 18049 is White at 87.4%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 6.4% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 18049? ▼
ZIP code 18049 has 430 business establishments employing approximately 4,816 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 18049? ▼
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 18049 are: Other services (except public administration) (64), Retail trade (61), Construction (53). There are 16 industry sectors represented in total.
How have home values changed in ZIP code 18049? ▼
According to the FHFA House Price Index, home values in ZIP 18049 increased by 6.2% in 2024. Since 2000, home values in this ZIP have appreciated by approximately 157%. 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 18049? ▼
In ZIP code 18049, 69.2% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 39.8% 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 18049? ▼
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 18049 is 26.0 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 18049? ▼
In ZIP code 18049, approximately 71.8% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 28.2% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 18049? ▼
The poverty rate in ZIP code 18049 is 6.3% 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.