Allentown, PA
Census place 4202000 · pop 125,976
The subject of Billy Joel's 1982 song 'Allentown,' an anthem about the decline of American steel and manufacturing.
Source ↗Sales & income are statewide.
The breakdown — worst first
U.S. median 67.2% · worse than most cities
43.2% own their home · Share of occupied homes that are owner-occupied.
U.S. median 0.99% · worse than most cities
1.85% of home value paid in property tax · Median real-estate taxes paid as a share of home value.
U.S. median 12.1% · worse than most cities
21.0% live in poverty · Share of residents living below the federal poverty line.
U.S. median 90.0% · worse than most cities
86.5% of homes have broadband · Share of households with a broadband internet subscription.
U.S. median 24.3% · worse than most cities
19.1% have a bachelor's degree or higher · Share of adults 25+ with a bachelor's degree or higher.
U.S. median $67,857 · worse than most cities
$55,494 median household income · Median household income — a proxy for local economic health.
U.S. median 24 min · worse than most cities
25 min average one-way commute · Average one-way commute to work, in minutes.
U.S. median 3.6% · worse than most cities
3.7% unemployment · Share of the labor force out of work. Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.
U.S. median 0.43 · better than most cities
Gini 0.43 (0 = equal, 1 = unequal) · Gini index of household income (0 = equal, 1 = unequal).
U.S. median $1,756/mo · better than most cities
$1,738/mo typical rent · Typical monthly rent (Zillow Observed Rent Index, all home types).
U.S. median 1 days · better than most cities
2 unhealthy-air days per year · Days per year with unhealthy air (AQI above 100). Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.
U.S. median +2.4% · better than most cities
+4.2% population change (5yr) · 5-year population change — are people moving in, or fleeing?
U.S. median 77/100 · better than most cities
83/100 FEMA risk (higher = riskier) · FEMA National Risk Index — wildfire, flood, earthquake, heat and more. Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.
U.S. median $214,900 · better than most cities
$206,600 median home value · Median home value — how expensive it is to buy in. Higher = less affordable.
U.S. median 42 AQI · better than most cities
39 median AQI · Median air quality index — lower is cleaner air. Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.
Not measured for Allentown: Crime, Obesity, Mental, Inactive, Smoking, Uninsured, Property crime. Not every public source covers every city — EPA air monitors and Zillow rent only reach some places, and national crime data is still being added.
Frequently asked
- Is Allentown, PA a good place to live?
- By the numbers, Allentown scores 43/100 — a D− (Rough) on Shcity, which ranks U.S. cities on public data across 15 metrics like crime, cost, jobs and health. Its strongest area is air quality (aqi) and its weakest is homeownership. Pennsylvania overall ranks #37 of 50 states. Whether it's "good" depends on what you value — re-weight the factors to score it your way.
- Is Allentown, PA expensive to live in?
- Allentown has a median home value of $206,600 and typical rent around $1,738/mo — more affordable than most U.S. cities.
- What's the biggest downside of living in Allentown, PA?
- Its weakest measured area is homeownership (43.2%) — 7/100, worse than most U.S. cities.
- What is Allentown, PA best at?
- Its strongest measured area is air quality (aqi) (39 AQI) — 73/100, better than most U.S. cities. (A county-level figure.) Fun fact: The subject of Billy Joel's 1982 song 'Allentown,' an anthem about the decline of American steel and manufacturing.
Sources: U.S. Census (ACS), CDC PLACES, FBI Crime Data Explorer, BLS, EPA AirData, FEMA National Risk Index, and Zillow.