Allentown, PA · standard
ZIP Code 18101
Lehigh County, Pennsylvania - Census ACS demographics, housing tenure, and business patterns, benchmarked against every US ZIP.
- 3,897
- 4,305/sq mi High-density area
- $44,773
- Median income Below-median income area
- $171,300
- Median home value Near-median home value
- 23.2%
- Bachelor's or higher Near-average bachelor's attainment
National ZIP placement
Allentown pairs one of the lowest household incomes in the country with below-median home values, in a suburban-density, renter-heavy area.
- 9th pct
- household income, US ZIPs
- 35th pct
- home value, US ZIPs
- 4,305
- people per sq mi
- 8%
- owner-occupied homes
Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 18101 against every reporting US ZIP.
ZIP code 18101 covers 0.9 square miles in Allentown, Lehigh County, Pennsylvania (a standard USPS delivery area), with a modest 3,897 residents on file, a density of 4,305 people per square mile, in the New York time zone.
ZIP 18101 reports a modest median household income of $44,773 (42% below the average Pennsylvania ZIP), while per-capita income is $28,551. Economic pressure is pronounced: 22.8% of residents are below the poverty line and unemployment is 14.7%. Home values sit below the statewide ZIP benchmark: the median is $171,300 (25% below the average Pennsylvania ZIP), and median rent is $1,430; owner occupancy is 8.3%.
Educational attainment sits below the national norm: 23.2% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 29.1, and the average commute is 29 minutes. The page also surfaces 10 ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles and 6 more in Lehigh County, so 18101 can be compared with both its immediate and county-level context.
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 18101
Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Allentown, PA
Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 18101.
- Professional, scientific, and technical services
Professional, scientific, and technical services
67 establishments
- Accommodation and food services
Accommodation and food services
41 establishments
- Health care and social assistance
Health care and social assistance
36 establishments
- Retail trade
Retail trade
35 establishments
- Finance and insurance
Finance and insurance
33 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, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates + ZIP Code Business Patterns + FHFA HPI ACS demographics and median rent, ZBP business establishments, FHFA HPI for ZIP 18101, Allentown, 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
3,897
Population
0.9
Area (sq mi)
4,305
People / sq mi
New York
Time Zone
standard
ZIP Type
Who lives in ZIP 18101?
29.1
Median Age
52.2%
Male
47.8%
Female
17.3%
Foreign-Born
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?
$44,773
Median Household Income
-42% vs state ZIP avg
$28,551
Per Capita Income
22.8%
Poverty Rate
14.7%
Unemployment Rate
28.8 min
Mean Commute Time
How ZIP 18101 ranks among Pennsylvania ZIPs
Allentown, PA household income vs. every Pennsylvania ZIP code
Median household income among 1,642 reporting Pennsylvania ZIPs (this ZIP's population is too small for a reliable national-corpus placement)
$44,773 5th percentile higher than 5% of 1,642 Pennsylvania ZIPs
Each bar is a $20K-wide band; taller bars hold more Pennsylvania 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?
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)
What does housing look like?
Housing stock: occupied vs vacant
2,786housing units
2,786
Total Housing Units
2,576
Occupied Units
210
Vacant Units
2.00
Avg Household Size
Occupancy Type
$171,300
Median Home Value
-25% vs state ZIP avg
$1,430
Median Rent
1970
Median Year Built
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)
What businesses operate in this ZIP?
Census Bureau data shows 329 business establishments in ZIP 18101, employing approximately 5,736 people with a combined annual payroll of $523,509,000.
329
Businesses
5,736
Employees
$523.5M
Annual Payroll
17
Industry Sectors
| Industry | Establishments | % of Total |
|---|---|---|
| Professional, scientific, and technical services | 67 | 20.4% |
| Accommodation and food services | 41 | 12.5% |
| Health care and social assistance | 36 | 10.9% |
| Retail trade | 35 | 10.6% |
| Finance and insurance | 33 | 10.0% |
| Other services (except public administration) | 25 | 7.6% |
| Real estate and rental and leasing | 16 | 4.9% |
| Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services | 16 | 4.9% |
| Manufacturing | 9 | 2.7% |
| Transportation and warehousing | 9 | 2.7% |
| Construction | 8 | 2.4% |
| Wholesale trade | 7 | 2.1% |
| Arts, entertainment, and recreation | 7 | 2.1% |
| Educational services | 6 | 1.8% |
| Utilities | 5 | 1.5% |
| Information | 5 | 1.5% |
| Management of companies and enterprises | 4 | 1.2% |
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 18101 vs 18102 →
ZIP 18101 vs its nearest neighbors, by population
Resident population of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 18102
Allentown (18102)
49,779 residents
- 18103
Allentown (18103)
45,336 residents
- 18104
Allentown (18104)
43,236 residents
- 18015
Bethlehem (18015)
32,832 residents
- 18018
Bethlehem (18018)
32,413 residents
- 18052
Whitehall (18052)
26,902 residents
- 18109 16,932
Allentown (18109)
16,932 residents
- 18032 9,285
Catasauqua (18032)
9,285 residents
- 18101 3,897
Allentown (18101)
3,897 residents
What this shows Among its immediate neighbors, ZIP 18101 ranks #9 by population - useful context the national average alone can't give.
ZIP 18101 vs its nearest neighbors, by median income
Median household income of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 18104
Allentown (18104)
$94,601 median income
- 18032
Catasauqua (18032)
$81,098 median income
- 18052
Whitehall (18052)
$75,665 median income
- 18018
Bethlehem (18018)
$75,417 median income
- 18103
Allentown (18103)
$72,895 median income
- 18015
Bethlehem (18015)
$60,800 median income
- 18109
Allentown (18109)
$58,031 median income
- 18101
Allentown (18101)
$44,773 median income
- 18102
Allentown (18102)
$43,085 median income
What this shows By household income, ZIP 18101 ranks #8 of 9 neighboring ZIPs, local affluence varies block to block, not just metro to metro.
| ZIP Code | City | Population | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|
| 18102 | Allentown, PA | 49,779 | 0.5 mi |
| 18105 | Allentown, PA | 12 | 1.3 mi |
| 18103 | Allentown, PA | 45,336 | 2.3 mi |
| 18032 | Catasauqua, PA | 9,285 | 3.8 mi |
| 18109 | Allentown, PA | 16,932 | 2.8 mi |
| 18104 | Allentown, PA | 43,236 | 4.1 mi |
| 18052 | Whitehall, PA | 26,902 | 4.2 mi |
| 18018 | Bethlehem, PA | 32,413 | 4.3 mi |
| 18016 | Bethlehem, PA | 0 | 4.5 mi |
| 18015 | Bethlehem, PA | 32,832 | 5.3 mi |
Nationwide ZIPs with similar ACS profiles
Two Census-derived peer sets for ZIP 18101, both outside PA so the neighborhoods are not geographic containment (Nearby and same-county blocks stay local).
Similar population
Nearest cross-state ZIPs by resident population (3,897 here; floor ≥1,000).
Similar median household income
Nearest cross-state ZIPs by ACS median household income.
More ZIP Codes in Lehigh County
Related Areas
Frequently Asked Questions
What county is ZIP code 18101 in?
ZIP code 18101 (Allentown) 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 18101?
ZIP code 18101 in Allentown, PA has a population of 3,897 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 18101?
The median household income in ZIP 18101 is $44,773, which is 41% below the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 18101?
The median home value in ZIP 18101 is $171,300, which is 38% below the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 18101?
The largest racial group in ZIP 18101 is Two or More Ethnicities at 26.7%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 52.0% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 18101?
ZIP code 18101 has 329 business establishments employing approximately 5,736 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 18101?
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 18101 are: Professional, scientific, and technical services (67), Accommodation and food services (41), Health care and social assistance (36). There are 17 industry sectors represented in total.
What is the education level in ZIP code 18101?
In ZIP code 18101, 56.8% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 23.2% 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 18101?
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 18101 is 28.8 minutes according to Census ACS data. The national average is roughly 26 minutes, so commuters here spend more time traveling to work than typical.
What percentage of residents own vs. rent in ZIP 18101?
In ZIP code 18101, approximately 8.3% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 91.7% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 18101?
The poverty rate in ZIP code 18101 is 22.8% according to Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. This measures the percentage of the population living below the federal poverty threshold.
Related
Take this with you
What to do with ZIP 18101's numbers, next.
- See how ZIP 18101 compares to a neighboring ZIP code on the same Census fields Compare this ZIP
- Check where Allentown, PA ranks among every U.S. ZIP code on income, education, or homeownership View national rankings
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ZIP Code Tabulation Areas (ZCTAs) are Census Bureau approximations of USPS ZIP codes; figures describe the ZCTA area, not any single address within it.