18104 receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
18104
18017
Opportunity
65 · Top 29%
vs73 · Top 16%
Growth
62 · Top 30%
vs54 · Top 44%
Climate
64 · Bottom 34%
vs64 · Bottom 34%
Physical resilience
81 · Top 21%
vs66 · Top 42%
Housing affordability
87 · Top 37%
vs85 · Top 41%
Schools
73 · Top 23%
vs70 · Top 26%
Access
72 · Bottom 13%
vs71 · Bottom 13%
Economic stability
66 · Top 38%
vs58 · Bottom 47%
Measured values
| Metric | 18104 | 18017 | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 48,683 | 40,640 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $94,601 | $91,173 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $46,691 | $46,344 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 2,121/sq mi | 2,425/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $336,400 | $336,100 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,637 | $1,597 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 71.0% | 67.0% | 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 | 46.1% | 40.9% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 8.3% | 10.5% | 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 | 54 mi | 55 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 23.2 min | 24.9 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 40.6 | 45.0 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 9 | 10 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 16.78 | 12.37 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 39.4% | 31.8% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 69.4% | 60.2% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 64.8% | 56.6% | 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: 18104 — Allentown, PA · 18017 — Bethlehem, PA · How this is calculated: methodology