1st Advantage MortgageThe median Northampton County household earns $89,184, and 9% of residents live below the poverty line. Your income, debts and credit decide what you qualify for. Get offers in writing, compare the total repaid, and never pay a fee up front.
On this page
- A quick profile of Northampton County
- How much Northampton County households make
- The Northampton County job picture
- What it costs to live in Northampton County
- Places inside Northampton County
- Neighboring counties at a glance
- What a median Northampton County budget can carry
- Who lives in Northampton County, in numbers
- What the numbers mean for Northampton County borrowers
- Checking a lender's license in Pennsylvania
- A Northampton County borrower's checklist
- Nearby and statewide guides
- Frequently asked questions
A quick profile of Northampton County
The latest five-year Census estimate puts Northampton County's population at 318,580; only 12 of Pennsylvania's 67 county-level areas are larger. Packed into 370 square miles, that is close to 862 residents for every square mile of land. The federal metro definitions (OMB, July 2023) place it in the Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ metropolitan area. The Census Bureau counts 32 places in the county (21 incorporated, 11 census-designated); the largest is Bethlehem, with about 77,956 residents, or 24% of the county.
How much Northampton County households make
Northampton County households have a median income of $89,184 (ACS 2020 to 2024), which ranks 6th of 67 in Pennsylvania.
| Household income | Northampton County | vs Pennsylvania |
|---|---|---|
| Under $35,000 | 17.0% | -5.0 pts |
| $35,000 to $99,999 | 38.0% | -1.1 pts |
| $100,000 to $199,999 | 32.2% | +5.2 pts |
| $200,000 or more | 12.8% | +0.9 pts |
About 17% of households earn under $35,000, while 45% clear $100,000. 8.8% of residents fall below the federal poverty line (statewide: 11.7%). The Gini index of income inequality is 0.441 (0 is perfect equality). A household earning below the $89,184 median should test any payment carefully; one earning above it should still pick the shortest term it can manage.
The Northampton County job picture
Education and health care employs 28% of working residents, the largest share; manufacturing is next with 13%. Averaged over the five survey years, 4.6% of the labor force was out of work and looking. Long commutes are common here: 15% of workers spend 45 minutes or longer getting to work. Households without a car make up 6.5% of the total (10.4% statewide).
| Top industries | Northampton County share | +/- vs Pennsylvania |
|---|---|---|
| Education and health care | 28.0% | +1.3 pts |
| Manufacturing | 12.5% | +1.1 pts |
| Retail trade | 11.7% | +0.7 pts |
| Professional and administrative services | 10.2% | -1.1 pts |
| Arts, lodging and food service | 7.4% | -0.1 pts |
| Transportation, warehousing and utilities | 7.2% | +1.2 pts |
Industry shapes paperwork. Salaried and public jobs are easy to verify, while hourly, tipped, commission or contract earners in Northampton County should have bank statements and tax returns ready.
What it costs to live in Northampton County
Renters in Northampton County pay a median of $1,395 a month, 15% above the Pennsylvania figure of $1,209. By the Census definition, 50% of Northampton County renters are cost-burdened. With a median value of $308,600, a typical Northampton County house costs 3.5 times what the median household earns in a year. The ownership rate is 71%. Median construction year: 1971.
| Housing | Northampton County | Pennsylvania statewide | Typical U.S. county |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median gross rent | $1,395/mo | $1,209/mo | $877/mo |
| Median home value | $308,600 | $254,500 | $185,300 |
| Owners | 71% | 69% | 75% |
| Rent-burdened renters | 50% | 48% | 45% |
| Burdened owners | 23% | 24% | n/a |
| Mobile homes | 2.5% | 3.5% | n/a |
Rent pressure is real here, so run any payment through the debt-to-income calculator before you apply.
Places inside Northampton County
Here are the 14 most populous of the county's 32 Census places, with income and rent from the same 2020 to 2024 survey. About 62% of Northampton County residents live in one of the 32. Incomes vary by place: $131,950 at the median in Morgan Hill, $52,679 in Portland. Rent is cheapest in North Catasauqua ($924) and steepest in Old Orchard ($2,524). Names with links open a city guide. The other 31 places are covered here.
| Place | Type | Population | Median income | Median rent | From county center |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bethlehem | city | 77,956 | $68,879 | $1,382 | 9 mi |
| Easton | city | 29,739 | $69,348 | $1,325 | 7 mi |
| Northampton | borough | 10,400 | $90,762 | $1,174 | 10 mi |
| Wilson | borough | 8,183 | $82,902 | $1,370 | 6 mi |
| Middletown | CDP | 7,628 | $97,607 | $1,545 | 8 mi |
| Chestnut Hill | CDP | 7,086 | $124,089 | $1,876 | 6 mi |
| Hellertown | borough | 6,118 | $72,813 | $1,372 | 12 mi |
| Nazareth | borough | 6,043 | $56,855 | $1,168 | 1 mi |
| Bangor | borough | 5,163 | $70,076 | $1,134 | 9 mi |
| Eastlawn Gardens | CDP | 3,722 | $112,281 | $1,291 | 1 mi |
| Palmer Heights | CDP | 3,624 | $99,815 | n/a | 5 mi |
| Pen Argyl | borough | 3,495 | $76,096 | $1,233 | 8 mi |
| Wind Gap | borough | 3,360 | $71,375 | $1,249 | 7 mi |
| North Catasauqua | borough | 3,014 | $77,396 | $924 | 11 mi |
CDP: census-designated place, an unincorporated community mapped for statistics.
Neighboring counties at a glance
Distances run center to center, from Warren County at 17 miles out to Bucks County at 31. 3 of the six report a higher median household income than Northampton County; Hunterdon County is highest at $141,715 and Carbon County lowest at $67,554. Some neighbors are in New Jersey. Lender licensing is state by state, so a loan for a Northampton County resident follows Pennsylvania rules.
| Nearby county | Center to center | Household income | Gross rent | Owner-occupied |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Northampton County | - | $89,184 | $1,395/mo | 71% |
| Warren County, NJ | 17 mi | $100,869 | $1,409/mo | 75% |
| Lehigh County, PA | 18 mi | $80,079 | $1,383/mo | 66% |
| Monroe County, PA | 21 mi | $83,565 | $1,393/mo | 80% |
| Carbon County, PA | 24 mi | $67,554 | $994/mo | 76% |
| Hunterdon County, NJ | 24 mi | $141,715 | $1,687/mo | 85% |
| Bucks County, PA | 31 mi | $114,764 | $1,605/mo | 78% |
What a median Northampton County budget can carry
How much room does a median Northampton County budget have? Take median income, subtract median rent, and check what is left under a few common debt-to-income limits.
- Median income divided by twelve: $7,432 before taxes
- Median rent: $1,395, or 19 cents of every gross dollar
- Under a 43% cap, $3,196 total minus rent leaves $1,801
Two-income households and single earners in Northampton County land in very different places on this math, so run it for your own budget.
Who lives in Northampton County, in numbers
35% of Northampton County adults 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or more. About 4% go without health insurance.
| Northampton County | Pennsylvania | U.S. county median | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 42.0 | 40.9 | 41.5 |
| Bachelor's or higher | 34.7% | 35.2% | 22.2% |
| No high school diploma | 7.1% | 7.9% | n/a |
| No health insurance | 4.4% | 5.6% | 7.8% |
| No vehicle | 6.5% | 10.4% | 5.4% |
| Work from home | 14.4% | 15.6% | 8.7% |
| Poverty rate | 8.8% | 11.7% | 13.2% |
| Unemployment (ACS) | 4.6% | 5.3% | 4.4% |
| Commute length | Northampton County |
|---|---|
| Under 15 min | 26.0% |
| 15 to 29 min | 40.0% |
| 30 to 44 min | 18.7% |
| 45 to 59 min | 5.4% |
| 60+ min | 9.9% |
What the numbers mean for Northampton County borrowers
What the Northampton County figures suggest, and what to check first:
- Six-figure budgets. For the 45% earning $100,000 or more, lifestyle creep, not approval, is the usual problem.
- 50% rent-burdened. A payment on top of high rent needs a cushion; size it with the calculator.
- Getting ready. Gather pay stubs or benefit letters before you apply (checklist).
Checking a lender's license in Pennsylvania
The Pennsylvania Department of Banking and Securities is the place to verify any lender's Pennsylvania license. A CFPB complaint gets forwarded to the company for a response. Statewide data and rules: Pennsylvania guide.
A Northampton County borrower's checklist
Four checks before you sign anything:
- Get a written quote for whatever you are paying for in Northampton County.
- Line up offers side by side: APR, fees in dollars, total cost.
- Look the lender up with the state regulator first.
- Never pay a fee up front to get a loan.
Nearby and statewide guides
City guides inside Northampton County, and the statewide guide:
Frequently asked questions
What does a typical Northampton County household make?
About $89,184 a year at the median (ACS 2020-24), 14% above the Pennsylvania median.
How much is rent in Northampton County?
Median gross rent, utilities included, is $1,395 a month; 50% of renters spend 30% or more of income on it.
What are the biggest places in Northampton County?
By population: Bethlehem, Easton, Northampton, Wilson, Middletown. The county has 32 Census places in all.
Does my county matter to the questionnaire?
Only your state does. Whether you live in Northampton County or elsewhere in Pennsylvania, the same rules apply.
Who do I complain to about a lender in Northampton County?
Start with the Pennsylvania Department of Banking and Securities, then the CFPB complaint portal. Keep copies of every message.