1st Advantage MortgageIn Lehigh County, Pennsylvania, the typical household earns $80,079 a year and the typical rent is $1,383. A loan makes sense only if its total cost beats your alternatives and the payment fits your budget. Check the lender's Pennsylvania license first.
On this page
- Lehigh County, PA: the basics
- Income in Lehigh County compared with Pennsylvania
- Rent, home values and ownership in Lehigh County
- Employment and commuting in Lehigh County
- The communities that make up Lehigh County
- How Lehigh County compares with nearby counties
- Lehigh County residents: age, schooling, coverage
- Reading the Lehigh County data as a borrower
- Room for a loan payment in Lehigh County
- A Lehigh County borrower's checklist
- Lender oversight for Lehigh County
- More guides for Lehigh County
- Frequently asked questions
Lehigh County, PA: the basics
The latest five-year Census estimate puts Lehigh County's population at 378,792; only 9 of Pennsylvania's 67 county-level areas are larger. It covers 345 square miles of land, or about 1,097 people per square mile. It is one of the counties that make up the Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ metropolitan statistical area (OMB, 2023). The Census Bureau counts 25 places in the county (9 incorporated, 16 census-designated); the largest is Allentown, with about 125,976 residents, or 33% of the county.
Income in Lehigh County compared with Pennsylvania
At $80,079, the typical Lehigh County household income is 22% above the median U.S. county ($65,681). Only 12 Pennsylvania counties post a higher median.
| Yearly household income | Lehigh County | Gap to Pennsylvania |
|---|---|---|
| Under $35,000 | 20.4% | -1.6 pts |
| $35,000 to $99,999 | 39.7% | +0.6 pts |
| $100,000 to $199,999 | 27.5% | +0.4 pts |
| $200,000 or more | 12.4% | +0.6 pts |
Some 20% of households here live on less than $35,000 a year; 40% have six-figure incomes. Census counts 11.6% of Lehigh County residents in poverty, against 11.7% across Pennsylvania. A household earning below the $80,079 median should test any payment carefully; one earning above it should still pick the shortest term it can manage.
Rent, home values and ownership in Lehigh County
Median gross rent, utilities included, comes to $1,383 in Lehigh County versus $1,209 statewide. Rent takes 30% or more of income for 55% of renter households here. With a median value of $300,400, a typical Lehigh County house costs 3.8 times what the median household earns in a year. The ownership rate is 66%. Median construction year: 1968.
| Measure | Lehigh County | Pennsylvania | Median U.S. county |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median gross rent | $1,383/mo | $1,209/mo | $877/mo |
| Median home value | $300,400 | $254,500 | $185,300 |
| Owners | 66% | 69% | 75% |
| Rent-burdened renters | 55% | 48% | 45% |
| Burdened owners | 25% | 24% | n/a |
High rent burdens leave little slack. If you are borrowing to consolidate, make sure the new payment is lower than the ones it replaces.
Employment and commuting in Lehigh County
The biggest employer of Lehigh County residents, by industry, is education and health care at 26% of workers, followed by manufacturing (14%). The sharpest difference from the state is in transportation, warehousing and utilities, at 9% locally and 6% for Pennsylvania. ACS puts five-year average unemployment at 5.9% in Lehigh County. About 73% drive to work alone and 12% have trips of 45 minutes or more. Only 8.3% of homes here go without a vehicle.
| Where residents work | Lehigh County | Difference from Pennsylvania |
|---|---|---|
| Education and health care | 26.1% | -0.5 pts |
| Manufacturing | 14.2% | +2.8 pts |
| Retail trade | 11.4% | +0.4 pts |
| Professional and administrative services | 10.3% | -1.1 pts |
| Transportation, warehousing and utilities | 9.1% | +3.0 pts |
| Arts, lodging and food service | 7.2% | -0.3 pts |
Shorter commutes usually mean lower vehicle costs, which can leave more room for a payment, or for paying a loan off early.
The communities that make up Lehigh County
Here are the 14 most populous of the county's 25 Census places, with income and rent from the same 2020 to 2024 survey. About 61% of Lehigh County residents live in one of the 25. Incomes vary by place: $167,961 at the median in Laurys Station, $49,625 in Slatington. Rent is cheapest in New Tripoli ($872) and steepest in Breinigsville ($2,420). One of them, Allentown, has a separate city guide (linked); for the rest, this is the local guide.
| Community | Type | Residents | Household income (median) | Rent (median) | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Allentown | city | 125,976 | $55,494 | $1,317 | 6 mi |
| Fullerton | CDP | 16,724 | $69,317 | $1,428 | 6 mi |
| Emmaus | borough | 11,889 | $83,917 | $1,389 | 7 mi |
| Ancient Oaks | CDP | 7,777 | $134,375 | $1,842 | 5 mi |
| Breinigsville | CDP | 7,769 | $120,749 | $2,420 | 6 mi |
| Wescosville | CDP | 7,148 | $139,826 | $1,602 | 4 mi |
| Catasauqua | borough | 6,541 | $85,049 | $1,031 | 7 mi |
| Dorneyville | CDP | 5,211 | $128,732 | $1,934 | 5 mi |
| Fountain Hill | borough | 4,834 | $64,107 | $1,275 | 10 mi |
| Slatington | borough | 4,290 | $49,625 | $882 | 10 mi |
| Schnecksville | CDP | 3,922 | $114,375 | $1,223 | 4 mi |
| Coplay | borough | 3,466 | $61,906 | $1,234 | 6 mi |
| Macungie | borough | 3,274 | $75,677 | $1,806 | 7 mi |
| Hokendauqua | CDP | 3,145 | $84,350 | $1,476 | 6 mi |
CDPs are unincorporated communities the Census Bureau defines for counting.
How Lehigh County compares with nearby counties
Nearest neighbors first, measured between county centers (18 to 33 miles). 3 of the six report a higher median household income than Lehigh County; Bucks County is highest at $114,764 and Carbon County lowest at $67,554.
| County | Miles | Median household income | Median rent | Homeownership |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lehigh County | - | $80,079 | $1,383/mo | 66% |
| Northampton County, PA | 18 mi | $89,184 | $1,395/mo | 71% |
| Carbon County, PA | 22 mi | $67,554 | $994/mo | 76% |
| Berks County, PA | 22 mi | $79,777 | $1,181/mo | 71% |
| Montgomery County, PA | 30 mi | $113,915 | $1,683/mo | 71% |
| Bucks County, PA | 32 mi | $114,764 | $1,605/mo | 78% |
| Schuylkill County, PA | 33 mi | $68,313 | $876/mo | 76% |
Lehigh County residents: age, schooling, coverage
34% of Lehigh County adults 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or more. 6.4% of residents have no health coverage.
| Indicator | Lehigh County | All of Pennsylvania | U.S. county median |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 39.6 | 40.9 | 41.5 |
| Bachelor's or higher | 34.2% | 35.2% | 22.2% |
| No high school diploma | 9.5% | 7.9% | n/a |
| No health insurance | 6.4% | 5.6% | 7.8% |
| No vehicle | 8.3% | 10.4% | 5.4% |
| Work from home | 14.0% | 15.6% | 8.7% |
| Poverty rate | 11.6% | 11.7% | 13.2% |
| Unemployment (ACS) | 5.9% | 5.3% | 4.4% |
| Travel time to work | Workers |
|---|---|
| Under 15 min | 24.8% |
| 15 to 29 min | 45.0% |
| 30 to 44 min | 18.3% |
| 45 to 59 min | 4.7% |
| 60+ min | 7.2% |
Reading the Lehigh County data as a borrower
What the Lehigh County figures suggest, and what to check first:
- Tight rental budgets. With 55% of Lehigh County renters cost-burdened, test a new payment against a lean month.
- Credit reports. Pull free reports at AnnualCreditReport.com and dispute errors before applying.
- Advance-fee offers. No legitimate lender asks a Lehigh County borrower to pay first (scam signs).
Room for a loan payment in Lehigh County
Here is the Lehigh County median household run through a simple DTI check. Your numbers will differ.
- Start: $6,673 gross per month ($80,079 / 12)
- Rent at the median, $1,383, takes 21% of that
- 36% debt-to-income limit: $1,019 left for all other debt payments
- 43% debt-to-income limit: $1,486 left for all other debt payments
If your rent is above $1,383, the room shrinks dollar for dollar.
A Lehigh County borrower's checklist
A short checklist for Lehigh County borrowers:
- Price the Lehigh County expense first and borrow that amount, no more.
- Prequalify with soft pulls where offered, then compare in writing.
- A Pennsylvania license check takes minutes; do it first.
- Never pay a fee up front to get a loan.
Lender oversight for Lehigh County
Lehigh County borrowers fall under statewide rules, enforced by the Pennsylvania Department of Banking and Securities. The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau accepts complaints nationwide. More on Pennsylvania: Pennsylvania personal loans.
More guides for Lehigh County
More local guides:
Frequently asked questions
How much do households in Lehigh County earn?
The median is $80,079; 40% earn $100,000 or more and 20% under $35,000. A lender uses your own documented income, not this figure.
How much is rent in Lehigh County?
Median gross rent, utilities included, is $1,383 a month; 55% of renters spend 30% or more of income on it.
Does this page cover Allentown?
Yes, along with the other 24 Census places in Lehigh County, such as Fullerton, Emmaus, Ancient Oaks.
Will a Lehigh County address affect my match?
Beyond confirming Pennsylvania as your state, no. Your answers about amount, credit, income and payments are all that count.
Who do I complain to about a lender in Lehigh County?
Start with the Pennsylvania Department of Banking and Securities, then the CFPB complaint portal. Keep copies of every message.