18018 receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
18042
18018
Opportunity
66 · Top 27%
vs69 · Top 22%
Growth
35 · Bottom 26%
vs54 · Top 44%
Climate
64 · Bottom 34%
vs64 · Bottom 34%
Physical resilience
65 · Top 42%
vs76 · Top 29%
Housing affordability
93 · Top 25%
vs88 · Top 37%
Schools
49 · Bottom 46%
vs42 · Bottom 38%
Access
72 · Bottom 13%
vs72 · Bottom 14%
Economic stability
53 · Bottom 37%
vs58 · Bottom 46%
Measured values
| Metric | 18042 | 18018 | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 45,532 | 32,965 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $77,556 | $75,417 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $35,570 | $48,627 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 2,059/sq mi | 6,374/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $230,200 | $250,900 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,356 | $1,364 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 55.0% | 53.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.7% | 4.6% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | 3.3% | 3.3% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 28.6% | 38.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 12.9% | 15.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 1 | 164 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 0.0 | 2.1 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -50.0% | -1.8% | 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 | 53 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 29.0 min | 22.8 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 34.7 | 39.2 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 9 | 8 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 12.74 | 14.40 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 21.9% | 17.1% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 42.4% | 43.5% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 71.7% | 68.0% | 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: 18042 — Easton, PA · 18018 — Bethlehem, PA · How this is calculated: methodology