PlainZIP

Allentown, PA · standard

ZIP Code 18102

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

49,779
6,414/sq mi
$43,085
Median income
$163,400
Median home value
11.6%
Bachelor's or higher

The verdict

Allentown pairs one of the lowest household incomes in the country with below-median home values, in a suburban-density, renter-heavy area.

8th pct
household income, US ZIPs
31th pct
home value, US ZIPs
6,414
people per sq mi
32%
owner-occupied homes

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 18102 against every reporting US ZIP.

ZIP code 18102 is a densely settled ZIP (a standard USPS delivery area) in Allentown, Lehigh County, Pennsylvania, with 49,779 residents across 7.8 square miles, a density of 6,414 people per square mile, in the New York time zone.

ZIP 18102 reports a modest median household income of $43,085 (45% below the Pennsylvania average), while per-capita income is $19,885. Poverty here runs at 29.2%, with unemployment measured at 10.9%. Housing costs here run $163,400 for a typical home value (28% below the state average), with rent averaging $1,248 a month; 32.1% of homes are owner-occupied.

Formal educational attainment runs low here: just 11.6% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 31.9, and the average commute is 25 minutes. To put 18102 in local context, 10 ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles appear further down this page alongside 6 additional ZIPs in Lehigh 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 18102

Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Allentown, PA

Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 18102.

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 18102, 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

49,779

Population

7.8

Area (sq mi)

6,414

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 18102?

31.9

Median Age

48.8%

Male

51.2%

Female

26.2%

Foreign-Born

White 22.4%
African American 10.8%
Asian 0.3%
American Indian or Alaska Native 0.6%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander 0.0%
Two or More Ethnicities 32.8%
Hispanic or Latino 71.2%

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?

$43,085

Median Household Income

-45% vs state

$19,885

Per Capita Income

29.2%

Poverty Rate

10.9%

Unemployment Rate

24.9 min

Mean Commute Time

How ZIP 18102 ranks nationally

Allentown, PA household income vs. every US ZIP code

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

$43,085 8th percentile higher than 8% 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%). This entry sits in this band. $60,000–$80,000: 9,980 US ZIPs (33%). Above this entry. $80,000–$100,000: 5,778 US ZIPs (19%). Above this entry. $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 53.7%
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 11.6%

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

What does housing look like?

18,849

Total Housing Units

17,289

Occupied Units

1,560

Vacant Units

2.92

Avg Household Size

Occupancy Type

Owner 32.1%
Renter 67.9%

$163,400

Median Home Value

-28% vs state

$1,248

Median Rent

1938

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

+7.3%

YoY Change (2024)

380

HPI Index (2000 = 100)

+280%

Total Change Since 2000

Home values in ZIP 18102 have increased 7.3% over the past year (2024). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +280% cumulative appreciation.

Year Annual Change HPI Index
2020 +11.4% 209
2021 +20.4% 252
2022 +18.7% 299
2023 +18.3% 354
2024 +7.3% 380

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 588 business establishments in ZIP 18102, employing approximately 6,588 people with a combined annual payroll of $321,936,000.

588

Businesses

6,588

Employees

$321.9M

Annual Payroll

15

Industry Sectors

Industry Establishments % of Total
Retail trade 108 18.4%
Health care and social assistance 91 15.5%
Other services (except public administration) 90 15.3%
Accommodation and food services 49 8.3%
Professional, scientific, and technical services 42 7.1%
Construction 37 6.3%
Transportation and warehousing 36 6.1%
Wholesale trade 27 4.6%
Manufacturing 24 4.1%
Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services 22 3.7%
Real estate and rental and leasing 20 3.4%
Finance and insurance 16 2.7%
Educational services 13 2.2%
Arts, entertainment, and recreation 6 1.0%
Information 5 0.8%

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 18102 vs 18101 →

ZIP 18102 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 18102 ranks the most populous - useful context the national average alone can't give.

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

ZIP 18102 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 18102 ranks #9 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
18101 Allentown, PA 3,897 0.5 mi
18105 Allentown, PA 12 1.0 mi
18103 Allentown, PA 45,336 2.6 mi
18032 Catasauqua, PA 9,285 3.4 mi
18109 Allentown, PA 16,932 2.7 mi
18104 Allentown, PA 43,236 3.7 mi
18052 Whitehall, PA 26,902 3.7 mi
18018 Bethlehem, PA 32,413 4.5 mi
18016 Bethlehem, PA 0 4.7 mi
18067 Northampton, PA 17,852 7.5 mi

More ZIP Codes in Lehigh County

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
18049 standard
Emmaus, PA
Pop: 17,341

Related Areas

Lehigh County Allentown, PA Pennsylvania

Frequently Asked Questions

What county is ZIP code 18102 in? ▼
ZIP code 18102 (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 18102? ▼
ZIP code 18102 in Allentown, PA has a population of 49,779 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 18102? ▼
The median household income in ZIP 18102 is $43,085, which is 44% below the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 18102? ▼
The median home value in ZIP 18102 is $163,400, which is 41% below the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 18102? ▼
The largest racial group in ZIP 18102 is Two or More Ethnicities at 32.8%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 71.2% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 18102? ▼
ZIP code 18102 has 588 business establishments employing approximately 6,588 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 18102? ▼
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 18102 are: Retail trade (108), Health care and social assistance (91), Other services (except public administration) (90). There are 15 industry sectors represented in total.
How have home values changed in ZIP code 18102? ▼
According to the FHFA House Price Index, home values in ZIP 18102 increased by 7.3% in 2024. Since 2000, home values in this ZIP have appreciated by approximately 280%. 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 18102? ▼
In ZIP code 18102, 53.7% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 11.6% 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 18102? ▼
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 18102 is 24.9 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 18102? ▼
In ZIP code 18102, approximately 32.1% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 67.9% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 18102? ▼
The poverty rate in ZIP code 18102 is 29.2% 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.