ZIP Code 18042: Population, Income, Housing

State: PA
Total population: 45,532 Household income: $77,556 Rent: $1,356

Overview

Total population
45,532
Rent
$1,356
Year built
1938
Household income
$77,556
Per capita income
$35,570
Poverty rate
12.9%
Unemployment rate
N/A
Household size
2.5 persons
Rent over 30% of income
44.4%

Note: Rent, income, and year built are shown as median values, while household size is shown as an average (see explanations below).

ZIP data use Census ZCTAs, which closely match USPS ZIP Codes in most cases (see FAQ for details).

Data are sourced from the American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year Estimates, 2024 release — the latest dataset currently available. New 5-year estimates are published annually, about 6–12 months after the end of each reference year.

Demographics

State
Pennsylvania
County
Northampton County
City
Williams Township
Total population
45,532
Adults over 25
29,100
Total households
16,376
Household size
2.5 persons

Note: Rent, income, and year built are shown as median values, while household size is shown as an average (see explanations below).

ZIP data use Census ZCTAs, which closely match USPS ZIP Codes in most cases (see FAQ for details).

Data are sourced from the American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year Estimates, 2024 release — the latest dataset currently available. New 5-year estimates are published annually, about 6–12 months after the end of each reference year.

Income & Poverty

Household income
$77,556
Per capita income
$35,570
Poverty rate
12.9%
Unemployment rate
N/A
Rent over 30% of income
44.4%

Note: Rent, income, and year built are shown as median values, while household size is shown as an average (see explanations below).

ZIP data use Census ZCTAs, which closely match USPS ZIP Codes in most cases (see FAQ for details).

Data are sourced from the American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year Estimates, 2024 release — the latest dataset currently available. New 5-year estimates are published annually, about 6–12 months after the end of each reference year.

Housing

Rent
$1,356
Year built
1938
Households that rent
45%
Households that own
55%
Rooms per home (all homes)
5.7

Note: Rent, income, and year built are shown as median values, while household size is shown as an average (see explanations below).

ZIP data use Census ZCTAs, which closely match USPS ZIP Codes in most cases (see FAQ for details).

Data are sourced from the American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year Estimates, 2024 release — the latest dataset currently available. New 5-year estimates are published annually, about 6–12 months after the end of each reference year.

Race

White
58.3%
Black
15.4%
Asian
2.8%
Two or more races
11.3%

Note: Rent, income, and year built are shown as median values, while household size is shown as an average (see explanations below).

ZIP data use Census ZCTAs, which closely match USPS ZIP Codes in most cases (see FAQ for details).

Data are sourced from the American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year Estimates, 2024 release — the latest dataset currently available. New 5-year estimates are published annually, about 6–12 months after the end of each reference year.

Ethnicity

Hispanic or Latino
21.9%
Not Hispanic or Latino
78.1%

Note: Rent, income, and year built are shown as median values, while household size is shown as an average (see explanations below).

ZIP data use Census ZCTAs, which closely match USPS ZIP Codes in most cases (see FAQ for details).

Data are sourced from the American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year Estimates, 2024 release — the latest dataset currently available. New 5-year estimates are published annually, about 6–12 months after the end of each reference year.

Commute

Commute rate
18,912 (84.4%)
Commute time to work
28 mins
Work from home
3,493 (15.6%)

Note: Rent, income, and year built are shown as median values, while household size is shown as an average (see explanations below).

ZIP data use Census ZCTAs, which closely match USPS ZIP Codes in most cases (see FAQ for details).

Data are sourced from the American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year Estimates, 2024 release — the latest dataset currently available. New 5-year estimates are published annually, about 6–12 months after the end of each reference year.

Education

Less than high school
26.4%
High school graduate or GED
34.4%
Some college or associate degree
10.6%
Bachelor’s degree or higher
28.6%

Note: Rent, income, and year built are shown as median values, while household size is shown as an average (see explanations below).

ZIP data use Census ZCTAs, which closely match USPS ZIP Codes in most cases (see FAQ for details).

Data are sourced from the American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year Estimates, 2024 release — the latest dataset currently available. New 5-year estimates are published annually, about 6–12 months after the end of each reference year.

 

Comparison of ZIP Code 18042 with: Northampton County, PA Allentown metro area, PA-NJ Pennsylvania United States

ZIP 18042

Total population45,532
Rent$1,356
Year built1938
Household income$77,556
Per capita income$35,570
Poverty rate12.9%
Unemployment rateN/A

Northampton County, PA

Total population318,580
Rent$1,395
Year built1971
Household income$89,184
Per capita income$45,736
Poverty rate8.8%
Unemployment rate3.2%

Allentown Metro Area, PA-NJ

Total population873,603
Rent$1,365
Year built1970
Household income$84,587
Per capita income$44,264
Poverty rate10.2%
Unemployment rate3.9%

Pennsylvania State

Total population13,018,639
Rent$1,209
Year built1965
Household income$77,971
Per capita income$44,355
Poverty rate11.7%
Unemployment rate3.6%

United States

Total population334,922,499
Rent$1,413
Year built1980
Household income$80,734
Per capita income$44,673
Poverty rate12.5%
Unemployment rate4%
Metric ZIP18042 CountyNorthampton, PAMetro AreaAllentown metro area, PA-NJStatePennsylvaniaCountryUnited States
Total population45,532318,580873,60313,018,639334,922,499
Rent$1,356$1,395$1,365$1,209$1,413
Year built19381971197019651980
Household income$77,556$89,184$84,587$77,971$80,734
Per capita income$35,570$45,736$44,264$44,355$44,673
Poverty rate12.9%8.8%10.2%11.7%12.5%
Unemployment rateN/A3.2%3.9%3.6%4%

View the full multi-level comparison →

 

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Summary for 18042

Rent & Income

In 18042, the typical monthly rent is $1,356 and the typical household income is $77,556. Rent here is higher than Pennsylvania, and household income is similar to Pennsylvania. The estimated poverty rate is 12.9%.

Housing & Affordability

Renters make up about 45% of households, indicating a relatively balanced mix of renters and owners. About 44.4% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing, indicating high cost burden.

Education & Employment

Educational attainment is moderate, with about 28.6% of adults holding a bachelor’s degree or higher.

 

ZIP 18042 — Rent vs Household Income

 

 

ZIP 18042 — Poverty

 

 

How ZIP 18042 compares in Pennsylvania (107 ZIP Codes)

Metric This ZIP Rank Starts from State range
Rent $1,356 54 / 107 from lower rent $725 – $2,177
Household income $77,556 56 / 107 from higher income $31,069 – $171,179
Poverty rate 12.9% 65 / 107 from lower poverty 2.5% – 48.2%

Rankings are calculated among ZIP Codes in Pennsylvania with total population > 30,000 (year 2024).

 

Detailed Ranking Explanation for ZIP Code 18042

Rent

Looking at rent levels, ZIP Code 18042 places 54th out of 107 ZIP Codes in Pennsylvania. Throughout Pennsylvania, numbers span from $725 in ZIP 16101 up to $2,177 in ZIP 19087.

Household income

In terms of earnings, this ZIP comes 56th out of 107 ZIP Codes. At the state level, values extend from $31,069 in ZIP 15213 up to $171,179 in ZIP 19087.

Poverty rate

In terms of poverty rate, ZIP Code 18042 comes 65th out of 107 ZIP Codes. In Pennsylvania as a whole, the range goes from 2.5% in ZIP 19335 up to 48.2% in ZIP 15213.

 

💰 Rent in ZIP Code 18042 (with Utilities)

Estimated Monthly Rent: $1,356 ℹ️ What’s Included:
✅ Base rent, electricity, gas, water/sewer, and heating fuels
❌ Not included: internet, cable TV, renter's insurance, parking

💡 What does this rent estimate mean?

Explanation: This estimate shows what renters typically pay each month for housing — including the apartment or home and essential utilities like heat, water, and electricity.

Included in this number: Rent plus electricity, gas, water/sewer, and heating fuel.

Not included: Internet, cable, parking, renter’s insurance, or furniture rental.

Note: This cost does not depend on the number of people living in the home.

👨‍👧‍👦 Household Income in ZIP Code 18042

Annual Household Income: $77,556

💡 What does Household Income mean?

Definition: This represents the middle value of all household incomes in the ZIP code — half of households earn less, and half earn more.

Includes: wages, salaries, self-employment income, Social Security, pensions, investments, unemployment, public assistance, and rental income.

Does NOT include: capital gains, non-cash benefits (like food stamps), or tax refunds.

Household = any group of people (or a single person) living in the same housing unit.

Example: A couple earning $40,000 and $30,000 together have a household income of $70,000. If that's in the middle of all local incomes, it's the value shown here.

📉 Poverty Rate in ZIP Code 18042

Estimated Rate: 12.9%

💡 What does the Poverty Rate represent?

Definition: The percentage of people in this area living below the federal poverty threshold.

How it works: The threshold is a dollar amount set by the U.S. Census Bureau that varies by family size and age. If a household's income is below that level, everyone in it is included in this rate.

Example: In a town of 10,000 people, if 1,500 have incomes below the poverty line, the poverty rate is 15%.

Note: This statistic only includes people living in households; it does not count those in student housing, military barracks, or nursing homes.

🏘️ Renter vs. Owner Households in ZIP Code 18042

In ZIP Code 18042, households that rent: 7,372 (45%)

📊 What does the renter household percentage reveal about this ZIP Code?
Household Type Count Share
Renter-Occupied 7,372 45%
Owner-Occupied 9,004 55%

Definition: This is the percentage of households that rent their home rather than own it. It includes only occupied housing units.

Why it matters: Areas with a high share of renter households often have younger populations, higher mobility, and different housing needs compared to mostly owner-occupied areas.

Example: If 65% of homes in an area are renter-occupied, it means 65 out of every 100 households rent their home.

📉 Renters Spending Over 30% of Income on Rent in ZIP Code 18042

In ZIP Code 18042, cost-burdened renters (households spending over 30% of income on housing): 3,276 (44.4%)

🏚️ What Does It Mean When Renters Spend Over 30% of Their Income on Housing?
Household Group Households Share
Cost-burdened renters (over 30%) 3,276 44.4%
Other renter households 4,096 55.6%
Total renter households 7,372 100%

Shares are calculated as a percentage of renter households.

This shows how many renters in the ZIP code are considered cost-burdened — meaning they spend more than 30% of their income on housing (rent and basic utilities).

It’s a sign that housing might be unaffordable in the area or that lower-income residents may be struggling with rent.

Data comes from the U.S. Census Bureau’s American Community Survey.

📊 Education Levels in ZIP Code 18042

Less than High School: 7,673 people (26.4%)

Includes adults who did not complete high school.

High School Graduate or GED: 10,017 people (34.4%)

Includes adults whose highest education is a high school diploma or GED.

Some College or Associate Degree: 3,082 people (10.6%)

Includes adults who attended college without completing a bachelor’s degree (some college or associate degree).

Bachelor’s Degree or Higher: 8,328 people (28.6%)

Includes adults with a bachelor’s degree or higher (bachelor’s, master’s, professional, or doctoral degree).

👥 Total Adults (25+): 29,100

ℹ️ Have questions about how these statistics are calculated? See our data methodology & FAQs

 

Source: ACS 5-Year Estimates (U.S. Census Bureau) — unemployment rate from BLS. Some values are derived metrics.