Lehighton, PA · standard
ZIP Code 18235
Carbon County, Pennsylvania - Census ACS demographics, housing tenure, and business patterns, benchmarked against every US ZIP.
- 19,353
- 94/sq mi Moderate-density area
- $72,571
- Median income Near-median income area
- $233,600
- Median home value Near-median home value
- 19.8%
- Bachelor's or higher Near-average bachelor's attainment
National ZIP placement
Lehighton pairs an above-median household income with above-median home values, in a rural, homeowner-dominated area.
- Top 49%
- household income, US ZIPs
- Top 47%
- home value, US ZIPs
- 94
- people per sq mi
- 77%
- owner-occupied homes
Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 18235 against every reporting US ZIP.
FHFA HPI release change
What changed in the latest House Price Index year
- FHFA House Price Index values in ZIP 18235 (Lehighton, PA) fell -1.4% from 2023 to 2024. The all-transactions index moved from 264.6 in 2023 to 260.8 in 2024 (2000 = 100).
ZIP code 18235 is a mid-sized community (a standard USPS delivery area) in Lehighton, Carbon County, Pennsylvania, home to 19,353 residents across 205.0 square miles, a density of 94 people per square mile, in the New York time zone.
ZIP 18235 lands in the middle-income range, with a median household income of $72,571 (7% below the average Pennsylvania ZIP), while per-capita income is $39,723. The poverty rate is 9.6%, with unemployment at 5.6%; those measures add context to the income figure. Median home value is $233,600 (3% above the average Pennsylvania ZIP) and median rent is $1,055; 77.0% of occupied homes are owner-occupied.
Educational attainment sits below the national norm: 19.8% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 45.9, and the average commute is 30 minutes. The page also surfaces 10 ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles and 6 more in Carbon County, so 18235 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 18235
Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Lehighton, PA
Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 18235.
- Health care and social assistance
Health care and social assistance
88 establishments
- Retail trade
Retail trade
84 establishments
- Other services (except public administration)
Other services (except public administration)
66 establishments
- Construction
Construction
44 establishments
- Accommodation and food services
Accommodation and food services
44 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 18235, Lehighton, 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
19,353
Population
205.0
Area (sq mi)
94
People / sq mi
New York
Time Zone
standard
ZIP Type
Who lives in ZIP 18235?
45.9
Median Age
51.2%
Male
48.8%
Female
2.7%
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?
$72,571
Median Household Income
-7% vs state ZIP avg
$39,723
Per Capita Income
9.6%
Poverty Rate
5.6%
Unemployment Rate
30.4 min
Mean Commute Time
How ZIP 18235 ranks among Pennsylvania ZIPs
Lehighton, 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)
$72,571 Top 47% higher than 53% 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
8,565housing units
8,565
Total Housing Units
7,783
Occupied Units
782
Vacant Units
2.43
Avg Household Size
Occupancy Type
$233,600
Median Home Value
+3% vs state ZIP avg
$1,055
Median Rent
1971
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
-1.4%
YoY Change (2024)
261
HPI Index (2000 = 100)
+161%
Total Change Since 2000
Home values in ZIP 18235 have decreased 1.4% over the past year (2024). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +161% cumulative appreciation.
| Year | Annual Change | HPI Index |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 | +1.3% | 172 |
| 2021 | +12.1% | 193 |
| 2022 | +16.7% | 226 |
| 2023 | +17.3% | 265 |
| 2024 | -1.4% | 261 |
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 462 business establishments in ZIP 18235, employing approximately 5,815 people with a combined annual payroll of $261,119,000.
462
Businesses
5,815
Employees
$261.1M
Annual Payroll
15
Industry Sectors
| Industry | Establishments | % of Total |
|---|---|---|
| Health care and social assistance | 88 | 19.1% |
| Retail trade | 84 | 18.2% |
| Other services (except public administration) | 66 | 14.3% |
| Construction | 44 | 9.5% |
| Accommodation and food services | 44 | 9.5% |
| Professional, scientific, and technical services | 29 | 6.3% |
| Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services | 17 | 3.7% |
| Real estate and rental and leasing | 16 | 3.5% |
| Finance and insurance | 15 | 3.3% |
| Manufacturing | 14 | 3.0% |
| Transportation and warehousing | 10 | 2.2% |
| Arts, entertainment, and recreation | 10 | 2.2% |
| Wholesale trade | 8 | 1.7% |
| Information | 8 | 1.7% |
| Educational services | 8 | 1.7% |
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 18235 vs 18030 →
ZIP 18235 vs its nearest neighbors, by population
Resident population of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 18235
Lehighton (18235)
19,353 residents
- 18080
Slatington (18080)
11,456 residents
- 18071
Palmerton (18071)
10,578 residents
- 18229
Jim Thorpe (18229)
8,498 residents
- 18088
Walnutport (18088)
8,375 residents
- 18250 3,034
Summit Hill (18250)
3,034 residents
- 18053 2,375
Germansville (18053)
2,375 residents
- 18030 623
Bowmanstown (18030)
623 residents
- 18079 436
Slatedale (18079)
436 residents
What this shows Among its immediate neighbors, ZIP 18235 ranks the most populous - useful context the national average alone can't give.
ZIP 18235 vs its nearest neighbors, by median income
Median household income of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 18079
Slatedale (18079)
$96,071 median income
- 18053
Germansville (18053)
$83,370 median income
- 18088
Walnutport (18088)
$82,083 median income
- 18080
Slatington (18080)
$74,522 median income
- 18235
Lehighton (18235)
$72,571 median income
- 18071
Palmerton (18071)
$70,217 median income
- 18244
Parryville (18244)
$68,750 median income
- 18030
Bowmanstown (18030)
$68,173 median income
- 18229
Jim Thorpe (18229)
$66,875 median income
What this shows By household income, ZIP 18235 ranks #5 of 9 neighboring ZIPs, local affluence varies block to block, not just metro to metro.
| ZIP Code | City | Population | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|
| 18030 | Bowmanstown, PA | 623 | 2.6 mi |
| 18212 | Ashfield, PA | 131 | 3.8 mi |
| 18244 | Parryville, PA | 402 | 5.0 mi |
| 18071 | Palmerton, PA | 10,578 | 6.1 mi |
| 18229 | Jim Thorpe, PA | 8,498 | 7.0 mi |
| 18053 | Germansville, PA | 2,375 | 7.7 mi |
| 18079 | Slatedale, PA | 436 | 6.3 mi |
| 18250 | Summit Hill, PA | 3,034 | 7.8 mi |
| 18080 | Slatington, PA | 11,456 | 7.3 mi |
| 18088 | Walnutport, PA | 8,375 | 8.6 mi |
Nationwide ZIPs with similar ACS profiles
Two Census-derived peer sets for ZIP 18235, 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 (19,353 here; floor ≥1,000).
Similar median household income
Nearest cross-state ZIPs by ACS median household income.
More ZIP Codes in Carbon County
Related Areas
Frequently Asked Questions
What county is ZIP code 18235 in?
ZIP code 18235 (Lehighton) is located in Carbon County, Pennsylvania. Carbon County contains multiple ZIP codes, see the full list at /counties/carbon-pa.
What is the population of ZIP code 18235?
ZIP code 18235 in Lehighton, PA has a population of 19,353 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 18235?
The median household income in ZIP 18235 is $72,571, which is 5% below the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 18235?
The median home value in ZIP 18235 is $233,600, which is 16% below the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 18235?
The largest racial group in ZIP 18235 is White at 93.4%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 3.4% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 18235?
ZIP code 18235 has 462 business establishments employing approximately 5,815 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 18235?
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 18235 are: Health care and social assistance (88), Retail trade (84), Other services (except public administration) (66). There are 15 industry sectors represented in total.
How have home values changed in ZIP code 18235?
According to the FHFA House Price Index, home values in ZIP 18235 decreased by 1.4% in 2024. Since 2000, home values in this ZIP have appreciated by approximately 161%. 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 18235?
In ZIP code 18235, 63.4% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 19.8% 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 18235?
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 18235 is 30.4 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 18235?
In ZIP code 18235, approximately 77.0% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 23.0% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 18235?
The poverty rate in ZIP code 18235 is 9.6% 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 18235's numbers, next.
- See how ZIP 18235 compares to a neighboring ZIP code on the same Census fields Compare this ZIP
- Check where Lehighton, 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.