Allentown, PA — Momentum Score, Home Values & Best-For

All states·Pennsylvania·Allentown

Lehigh County · Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton · population 127,138

Investors
Allentown, PA
Image: Wikipedia · Allentown, Pennsylvania
OverviewCost of livingMoving guide
View watchlist →
73
Rising
Momentum score · 0–100

Where Allentown stands

At or near all-time high. averaging 7.3% annual growth over 5 years.

Median home $312,103
1-year +3.7%
5-yr CAGR +7.3%
vs 5-yr peak +0.0%
Population +0.3%/yr

Home value trajectory · last 10 years

Zillow ZHVI · monthly
peak 2026-04$312k$126k$192k$258k$325k201620182020202220242026

Lifestyle scores

🚶
Walkability
64/100
Somewhat walkable
Estimated from population density. Higher = denser, more amenities within walking distance.
🚉
Public transit
30/100
Minimal transit
Curated list of major US transit systems + population-based estimate. Higher = real subway/rail/bus options.
💻
Remote work fit
85/100
Excellent for remote work
Composite of city size, housing cost, state tax structure, and region's remote-work track record.

Scores are heuristic estimates from population density, state, and known transit/walkable cities. Not based on a paid Walk Score / Transit Score API — see methodology for the formula.

Rent trajectory · last 5 years

Zillow ZORI · monthly
$1,734/mo$1,231$1,534$1,838202220242026

Home value vs rent · indexed to 100

Both rebased at first month of ZORI data (~2015)
Home valueRent142132100120140202220242026

Rent vs buy

Price-to-rent ratio: 15.0
Lean buy

At a 15.0 price-to-rent ratio, Allentown is in the 'depends on horizon' zone. Buy if you'll be there 5+ years and value flexibility on the home; rent if you might move, want zero maintenance friction, or expect rates to drop.

How the momentum score breaks down

methodology →
Home YoY
69 · w22%
Home 5-yr CAGR
75 · w22%
Distance from peak
90 · w18%
Population growth
50 · w16%
Rent YoY
73 · w12%
Home 10-yr CAGR
84 · w10%
Long thesis

Allentown has averaged 7.3% annual appreciation over five years and the trend is still live (+3.7% in the last 12 months). When a momentum trade keeps working, the simplest explanation is usually correct: more people want in.

Short thesis

Allentown's bear case is the boring one: the cycle is real and any market that's run hard can stall. Watch for slowing population growth, rising days-on-market, or builder discounts as the early warning signals.

About Allentown

Allentown is a city in Lehigh County, Pennsylvania, with an estimated population of 127,138. It anchors the Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton metro area. The median home value in Allentown is $312,103 as of 2026-04, up 3.7% over the last 12 months. Over the last five years, home values have averaged +7.3% annual growth, with prices at or near the 5-year peak. Rents in Allentown average $1,734 per month, up 4.3% year-over-year. The composite momentum score is 73 of 100 (Rising). The market is healthy with prices supported by underlying demand.

▲ Bull case

●Healthy 5-year run: +7.3% annualized over 5 years, outpacing US inflation.
●Quiet strength: +3.7% over the trailing year — not a melt-up, but the market is bid.
●Held the highs: currently +0.0% from the 5-year peak — this market refused to give back gains.

▼ Bear case

○Local nuance: city-level data smooths over neighborhood differences. School zones, HOA rules, and street-level character matter — visit before deciding.

About Allentown (Wikipedia)

Allentown is a city in eastern Pennsylvania, United States. The county seat of Lehigh County, it is the third-most populous city in Pennsylvania, with a population of 125,845 as of the 2020 census. It is also the most populous city in the Lehigh Valley metropolitan area, which had a population of 861,899 and was the 68th-most populous metropolitan area in the nation as of 2020.

Source: Wikipedia · this summary is contributed and licensed under CC-BY-SA.

City facts

MayorMatthew Tuerk
Area18.01 sq mi
Elevation338 ft
Motto''
Density7164.94/sq mi
Named forWilliam Allen

Extracted from the Wikipedia infobox. Values may be slightly out of date relative to the latest sources.

Things to see in Allentown(Landmarks)

  • Hamilton
  • Union army
  • Lehigh Valley
  • American Civil War
  • Goddess of Liberty
  • Sic semper tyrannis
  • Latin

Extracted from the Wikipedia article. Names linked in the source — open the city’s Wikipedia page for details.

Playbook

Buyer

You're not in a frenzy but you're not getting bargains either. Make a competitive offer with normal inspection terms. Don't lowball — the listing will move with or without you.

Seller

Price at fair market value; expect movement in 30-45 days. Don't get clever with terms (rent-back, contingencies) — buyers in a Rising market have options.

Investor

Appreciation tailwind exists but cash flow requires discipline on price. Run the numbers conservatively and confirm rent comps before committing.

Local safety & alerts

No active National Weather Service alerts for Lehigh County right now.

NWS active alerts (PA)Pennsylvania Emergency ManagementHow to prepare (NWS)

Public-safety links are official .gov sources, not curated by us. Lehigh County routes NWS alerts; check the state EM portal for non-weather emergencies.

Neighborhoods of Allentown

22 tracked · ranked by median home value
1Trexler Park$577,262+0.6%
2West End$369,118+3.1%
3Hamilton Park$336,038+2.3%
4Dutch Hill$328,325+2.6%
5Midway Manor$309,607+5.6%
6Cumberland Gardens$306,193+5.8%
7Alton Park$300,315+4.2%
8Mountainville$278,506+4.2%
9West End Theatre District$265,900+2.8%
10West Walnut/Union Terrace$259,431+3.1%
11Little Lehigh$253,778+5.1%
12West Park Historic District$249,890+2.2%
13Overlook Park$244,506+10.6%
14Fairview$231,420+3.1%
15Downtown$225,782+1.8%
16East Allentown$218,757+5.6%
178th Ward$218,328+8.3%
18Old Allentown Historic District$217,324+7.4%
19Jordan Creek/NOTI$206,174+5.4%
206th Ward$199,783+3.4%
21Jordan Heights/Old Fairgrounds$197,395+11.0%
221st Ward$186,008+8.0%

Cities like Allentown

Reading, PA73 · RisingHarrisburg, PA72 · RisingYork, PA73 · RisingBethlehem, PA72 · Rising

Run the numbers for Allentown

ToolCan I afford Allentown?Income → city shortlistToolROI on a Allentown rentalCap rate, cash-on-cash, DSCRToolCompare Allentown to anywhereSide-by-side up to 3 citiesToolAllentown cost-of-livingEquivalent income elsewhere

Sources: Zillow ZHVI (home values), Zillow ZORI (rents), US Census ACS + place population. Updated when source agencies publish revisions.

Climate & natural-disaster risk

Winter (Jan)
36° / 21°
avg high / low
Summer (Jul)
83° / 63°
avg high / low
Sunny days/yr
186
~51% of year
Annual precip
42″ rain
30″ snow
Disaster risk (1=very low, 5=very high)
Hurricane
Low
Tornado
Low
Wildfire
Very low
Earthquake
Very low
Flood
Moderate

State-level averages from NOAA Climate Normals (1991-2020) and FEMA National Risk Index. City-level conditions can vary significantly within a state.

Current weather

Loading current conditions…

7-day forecast on weather.gov →

Find rentals & listings

Open current Allentown listings on the major real-estate sites.

Links open the live search on the destination site — results are always current.

Local news & community

Updated 2026-05-21 from Google News + Reddit RSS. Headlines link to original sources.

Local sports teams

Major professional teams the Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton area cheers for. Detailed stats, schedules, and player pages on intherafters.com.

Local economy & environment

Humidity
71%
Humid climate
Median household income
$73,800
Pennsylvania state median
Top industries (state-level)
Healthcare (Pittsburgh)Finance (Philly)Manufacturing

Humidity is annual average relative humidity (NOAA). Income is Census ACS 5-year estimate. Industries are largest employment sectors statewide (BLS); the local mix in a given city may vary.

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