18103 and 18018 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
18103
18018
Opportunity
56 · Top 47%
vs69 · Top 22%
Growth
62 · Top 30%
vs54 · Top 44%
Climate
64 · Bottom 34%
vs64 · Bottom 34%
Physical resilience
81 · Top 21%
vs76 · Top 29%
Housing affordability
81 · Top 48%
vs88 · Top 37%
Schools
45 · Bottom 42%
vs42 · Bottom 38%
Access
74 · Bottom 15%
vs72 · Bottom 14%
Economic stability
66 · Top 37%
vs58 · Bottom 46%
Measured values
| Metric | 18103 | 18018 | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 48,746 | 32,965 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $72,895 | $75,417 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $40,738 | $48,627 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 2,841/sq mi | 6,374/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $272,700 | $250,900 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,368 | $1,364 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 63.1% | 53.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 5.8% | 4.6% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | 3.3% | 3.3% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 27.6% | 38.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 10.3% | 15.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 135 | 164 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 1.1 | 2.1 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 58.8% | -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 | 50 mi | 53 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 25.7 min | 22.8 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 39.1 | 39.2 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 9 | 8 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 14.27 | 14.40 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 14.8% | 17.1% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 53.8% | 43.5% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 85.3% | 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: 18103 — Allentown, PA · 18018 — Bethlehem, PA · How this is calculated: methodology