18018 and 18103 receive effectively the same standardized Area Score. Which fits you better depends on which dimensions you weight — the differences below are where they actually diverge.
Signals
18018
18103
Opportunity
69 · Top 22%
vs56 · Top 47%
Growth
54 · Top 44%
vs62 · Top 30%
Climate
64 · Bottom 34%
vs64 · Bottom 34%
Physical resilience
76 · Top 29%
vs81 · Top 21%
Housing affordability
88 · Top 37%
vs81 · Top 48%
Schools
42 · Bottom 38%
vs45 · Bottom 42%
Access
72 · Bottom 14%
vs74 · Bottom 15%
Economic stability
58 · Bottom 46%
vs66 · Top 37%
Measured values
| Metric | 18018 | 18103 | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 32,965 | 48,746 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $75,417 | $72,895 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $48,627 | $40,738 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 6,374/sq mi | 2,841/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $250,900 | $272,700 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,364 | $1,368 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 53.2% | 63.1% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.6% | 5.8% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | 3.3% | 3.3% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 38.8% | 27.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 15.2% | 10.3% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 164 | 135 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 2.1 | 1.1 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -1.8% | 58.8% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 86°F | 86°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 22°F | 22°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 47.4" | 47.4" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 53 mi | 50 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 22.8 min | 25.7 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 39.2 | 39.1 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 8 | 9 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 14.40 | 14.27 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 17.1% | 14.8% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 43.5% | 53.8% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 68.0% | 85.3% | 2024-25 school year |
A bolded value is the more favorable of the two where the metric has a clear direction. Metrics like population and density have no inherent better or worse and are shown unweighted.
Full profiles: 18018 — Bethlehem, PA · 18103 — Allentown, PA · How this is calculated: methodology