ZIP Code 18102: Population, Income, Housing

State: PA

Total population: 51,001 Household income: $43,085 Rent: $1,248

Overview

Total population

51,001

Rent

$1,248

Year built

1938

Household income

$43,085

Per capita income

$19,885

Poverty rate

29.2%

Unemployment rate

N/A

Household size

2.9 persons

Rent over 30% of income

63.5%

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

Lehigh County

City

Allentown

Total population

51,001

Adults over 25

30,835

Total households

17,289

Household size

2.9 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).

Income & Poverty

Household income

$43,085

Per capita income

$19,885

Poverty rate

29.2%

Unemployment rate

N/A

Rent over 30% of income

63.5%

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).

Housing

Rent

$1,248

Year built

1938

Households that rent

67.9%

Households that own

32.1%

Rooms per home (all homes)

5.3

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).

Race

White

22.4%

Black

10.8%

Asian

0.3%

Two or more races

32.8%

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).

Ethnicity

Hispanic or Latino

71.2%

Not Hispanic or Latino

28.8%

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).

Commute

Commute rate

18,678 (93.5%)

Commute time to work

25 mins

Work from home

1,305 (6.5%)

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).

Education

Less than high school

35.2%

High school graduate or GED

42.2%

Some college or associate degree

11%

Bachelor’s degree or higher

11.6%

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).

Comparison of ZIP Code 18102 with: Lehigh County, PA Allentown, PA Allentown metro area, PA-NJ Pennsylvania United States

ZIP 18102

Total population51,001

Rent$1,248

Year built1938

Household income$43,085

Per capita income$19,885

Poverty rate29.2%

Unemployment rateN/A

Lehigh County, PA

Total population378,792

Rent$1,383

Year built1968

Household income$80,079

Per capita income$43,088

Poverty rate11.6%

Unemployment rate3.4%

Allentown, PA

Total population125,976

Rent$1,317

Year built1952

Household income$55,494

Per capita income$26,892

Poverty rate21%

Unemployment rate3.6%

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	ZIP18102	CountyLehigh, PA	CityAllentown, PA	Metro AreaAllentown metro area, PA-NJ	StatePennsylvania	CountryUnited States
Total population	51,001	378,792	125,976	873,603	13,018,639	334,922,499
Rent	$1,248	$1,383	$1,317	$1,365	$1,209	$1,413
Year built	1938	1968	1952	1970	1965	1980
Household income	$43,085	$80,079	$55,494	$84,587	$77,971	$80,734
Per capita income	$19,885	$43,088	$26,892	$44,264	$44,355	$44,673
Poverty rate	29.2%	11.6%	21%	10.2%	11.7%	12.5%
Unemployment rate	N/A	3.4%	3.6%	3.9%	3.6%	4%

View the full multi-level comparison →

Summary for 18102

Rent & Income

In 18102, the typical monthly rent is $1,248 and the typical household income is $43,085. Rent here is lower than Allentown and similar to Pennsylvania, and household income is lower than both Allentown and Pennsylvania. The estimated poverty rate is 29.2%, which is higher than in both Allentown and Pennsylvania.

Housing & Affordability

Renters make up about 67.9% of households, making this a predominantly renter area. About 63.5% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing, indicating high cost burden.

Education & Employment

Only about 11.6% of adults have a bachelor’s degree or higher, indicating lower levels of formal education.

ZIP 18102 — Rent vs Household Income

ZIP 18102 — Poverty

How ZIP 18102 compares in Pennsylvania (107 ZIP Codes)

Metric	This ZIP	Rank	Starts from	State range
Rent	$1,248	40 / 107	from lower rent	$725 – $2,177
Household income	$43,085	100 / 107	from higher income	$31,069 – $171,179
Poverty rate	29.2%	99 / 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 18102

Rent

Looking at rent levels, ZIP Code 18102 places 40th 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 100th 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 18102 comes 99th 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 18102 (with Utilities)

Estimated Monthly Rent: $1,248 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 18102

Annual Household Income: $43,085

💡 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 18102

Estimated Rate: 29.2%

💡 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 18102

In ZIP Code 18102, households that rent: 11,735 (67.9%)

📊 What does the renter household percentage reveal about this ZIP Code?

Household Type	Count	Share
Renter-Occupied	11,735	67.9%
Owner-Occupied	5,554	32.1%

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 18102

In ZIP Code 18102, cost-burdened renters (households spending over 30% of income on housing): 7,451 (63.5%)

🏚️ What Does It Mean When Renters Spend Over 30% of Their Income on Housing?

Household Group	Households	Share
Cost-burdened renters (over 30%)	7,451	63.5%
Other renter households	4,284	36.5%
Total renter households	11,735	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 18102

Less than High School: 10,857 people (35.2%)

Includes adults who did not complete high school.

High School Graduate or GED: 13,000 people (42.2%)

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

Some College or Associate Degree: 3,407 people (11%)

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

Bachelor’s Degree or Higher: 3,571 people (11.6%)

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

👥 Total Adults (25+): 30,835

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.