What is the median rent in Allentown, PA?
The median gross rent in Allentown, PA is $1,317 (±$39) a month, according to the US Census Bureau’s 2020–2024 American Community Survey.
That is across 25,368 rented homes; gross rent is the contract rent plus the utilities and fuels a renter pays separately.
In Allentown, the median gross rent went from $1,004 in 2015–2019 to $1,317 in 2020–2024 (+31.2%).
Prices (CPI-U) rose 22.7% over the same years, so it rose faster than prices: a measurable increase after inflation.
Figures last updated on .
- Median gross rent
- $1,317 (±$39)
- Rented homes
- 25,368 (±956)
- $2,000 or more
- 8.7%
- Since 2015–2019
- +31.2%
How much rent costs in Allentown
| Monthly gross rent | Allentown | Lehigh County | Pennsylvania | United States |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Less than $500 | 6.7% (±1.2 points) | 5.9% | 8.3% | 6.3% |
| $500 to $999 | 14.8% (±2.3 points) | 14.2% | 26.4% | 20.2% |
| $1,000 to $1,499 | 43.0% (±3.3 points) | 38.6% | 32.9% | 28.1% |
| $1,500 to $1,999 | 26.8% (±3.4 points) | 26.6% | 19.3% | 21.1% |
| $2,000 to $2,499 | 6.8% (±1.4 points) | 11.0% | 7.7% | 12.0% |
| $2,500 to $2,999 | 1.0% (±0.5 points) | 2.3% | 2.6% | 5.5% |
| $3,000 or more | 0.9% (±0.5 points) | 1.4% | 2.8% | 6.8% |
The most common range is $1,000 to $1,499, paid by 43.0% of renting households.
8.7% of rented homes in Allentown cost $2,000 or more a month.
Allentown against Lehigh County, its state and the nation
| Allentown | Lehigh County | Pennsylvania | United States | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Median gross rent | $1,317 (±$39) | $1,383 (±$27) | $1,209 (±$5) | $1,413 |
| Rented homes paying rent | 25,368 (±956) | 47,616 (±1,288) | 1,530,443 (±10,042) | 42,849,984 |
In Allentown, median gross rent is lower than in Lehigh County ($1,383).
It is also higher than in Pennsylvania ($1,209).
It is lower than the national figure ($1,413).
In Lehigh County, Allentown ranks 14 of 24 places with a published estimate, from highest to lowest median gross rent.
Statewide, it ranks 424 of 2,369.
Rankings use the estimates alone; where margins of error overlap, neighboring ranks may not truly differ.
How rent in Allentown has changed since 2015–2019
| 2015–2019 | 2020–2024 | Amount of change | Verdict | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Median gross rent | $1,004 (±$21) | $1,317 (±$39) | +31.2% | Up after inflation |
| Households that rent | 59.2% (±1.5 points) | 56.8% (±1.7 points) | −2.4 percentage points | Measurable decrease |
| Rental vacancy rate | 5.8% (±0.9 points) | 3.7% (±1.1 points) | −2.1 percentage points | Measurable decrease |
The Census Bureau publishes 2015–2019 dollars in 2019 dollars and 2020–2024 dollars in 2024 dollars.
Prices (the CPI-U, US Bureau of Labor Statistics) rose 22.7% between 2019 and 2024, so a dollar figure’s verdict compares the two after raising the earlier one by that much, using the Census Bureau’s test for a difference.
The two periods do not overlap, as the Census Bureau recommends for 5-year estimates.
Median gross rent in places near Allentown
| Place | Distance | Median gross rent | Compared with this place |
|---|---|---|---|
| Allentown | — | $1,317 (±$39) | — |
| Dorneyville | 2.5 mi | $1,934 (±$574) | Higher |
| Fullerton | 2.6 mi | $1,428 (±$49) | Higher |
| Salisbury Township (Lehigh County) | 2.6 mi | $1,502 (±$201) | Not measurably different |
| Cetronia | 3.5 mi | $1,098 (±$577) | Not measurably different |
| South Whitehall Township | 3.9 mi | $1,865 (±$178) | Higher |
| Emmaus | 4.2 mi | $1,389 (±$89) | Not measurably different |
| Catasauqua | 4.3 mi | $1,031 (±$384) | Not measurably different |
| Fountain Hill | 4.4 mi | $1,275 (±$250) | Not measurably different |
Nearby places with a measurably higher figure: Dorneyville, PA ($1,934), Fullerton, PA ($1,428), South Whitehall Township, PA ($1,865).
Distance is measured in a straight line between the Census Bureau’s internal points for each place.
Median gross rent across Lehigh County, place by place
| Rank | Place | Median gross rent |
|---|---|---|
| 8 | Alburtis | $1,732 (±$97) |
| 9 | Hanover Township (Lehigh County) | $1,543 (±$110) |
| 10 | Lower Milford Township | $1,512 (±$296) |
| 11 | Salisbury Township (Lehigh County) | $1,502 (±$201) |
| 12 | Whitehall Township | $1,444 (±$50) |
| 13 | Emmaus | $1,389 (±$89) |
| 14 | Allentown | $1,317 (±$39) |
| 15 | Fountain Hill | $1,275 (±$250) |
| 16 | Coplay | $1,234 (±$125) |
| 17 | North Whitehall Township | $1,230 (±$102) |
| 18 | Upper Milford Township | $1,190 (±$81) |
| 19 | Lynn Township | $1,179 (±$302) |
| 20 | Washington Township (Lehigh County) | $1,063 (±$643) |
Showing 13 of 24 places in Lehigh County, ranked from highest to lowest.
Survey years: 2020–2024 (American Community Survey 5-year estimates), compared with 2015–2019.
Margins of error are at the 90% confidence level.
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Questions about Allentown
What is the average rent in Allentown, PA?
The Census Bureau publishes the median rather than the average: the median gross rent in Allentown is $1,317 (±$39) a month (2020–2024 American Community Survey), so half of renting households pay less and half pay more.
How much has rent gone up in Allentown?
In Allentown, the median gross rent went from $1,004 in 2015–2019 to $1,317 in 2020–2024 (+31.2%).
Prices (CPI-U) rose 22.7% over the same years, so it rose faster than prices: a measurable increase after inflation.
How many rentals in Allentown cost more than $2,000 a month?
8.7% of rented homes in Allentown have a gross rent of $2,000 or more a month, and 6.7% cost less than $500.
Is rent in Allentown higher than in Lehigh County?
In Allentown, median gross rent is lower than in Lehigh County ($1,383).
It is also higher than in Pennsylvania ($1,209).
It is lower than the national figure ($1,413).
Is this the rent for an apartment listed today?
No: these are rents households reported paying across 2020–2024, not asking rents for vacant homes, which usually run higher.
Sources
- Selected Housing Characteristics (DP04), 2020–2024 ACS 5-year estimates — Allentown city, Pennsylvania
- Median Gross Rent (B25064), 2015–2019 ACS 5-year estimates — Allentown city, Pennsylvania
- Selected Housing Characteristics (DP04), 2015–2019 ACS 5-year estimates — Allentown city, Pennsylvania
- Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U), US city average, all items, US Bureau of Labor Statistics: annual averages 2019 and 2024
To check these figures in the Census Bureau’s own API, request the variables below from the 2024 ACS 5-year data profile (acs/acs5/profile) for Allentown city, Pennsylvania (place:02000, in state:42).
Each estimate (E or PE) has a margin of error beside it (M or PM).
The 2015–2019 figures are B25064_001E, B25064_001M, DP04_0047PE, DP04_0047PM, DP04_0005E, DP04_0005M from the 2019 release.
The API needs a free key.
DP04_0134E, DP04_0134M, DP04_0126E, DP04_0126M, DP04_0127PE, DP04_0127PM, DP04_0128PE, DP04_0128PM, DP04_0129PE, DP04_0129PM, DP04_0130PE, DP04_0130PM, DP04_0131PE, DP04_0131PM, DP04_0132PE, DP04_0132PM, DP04_0133PE, DP04_0133PM
This product uses the Census Bureau Data API but is not endorsed or certified by the Census Bureau.
Figures are published by the US Census Bureau, HUD, the Bureau of Labor Statistics and the FBI; Seayora reproduces them and does not adjust them, except where a sentence says it compares dollar figures after inflation. They describe the whole place, not any one building or street, and are not an appraisal, a rent determination, a tax bill, a safety rating or legal advice.
Figures last updated on .
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