Allentown, Pennsylvania

Profile:

Allentown, county seat of Lehigh County, stands on 5,000 acres that William Allen bought in 1735 from the sons of William Penn, founder of Pennsylvania. First known informally as “Allen’s little town,” it was incorporated as Northamptontown, then officially changed its name to Allentown in 1838.

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When the Lehigh Canal was opened in 1829, Allentown gained access to outside markets for the first time. America’s first commercially successful iron furnace was built there, powered by anthracite coal, and Allentown is often considered the birthplace of the American Industrial Revolution.

Allentown became a manufacturing center, producing silk in the 1880s and moving on to the making of trucks when Mack Trucks located there in the early 1900s. After the ups and downs of most industrial cities in the 20th century, Allentown still manufactures steel products, industrial equipment, textiles, clothing, and other things. The city’s prosperity has been enhanced by the completion of an interstate highway in 1989, bringing more commerce and new residents, escaping the higher prices of New York, Philadelphia, and other cities.

Population:

City population: 107,000 in 2005 (estimated); 240th-largest city in the U.S. in 2000
Metro area: 638,000 in 2000, 65th-most populous in the U.S. in 2000
Change in Allentown’s population in the 1990s: +968 (+0.9%)

Interesting Facts:

Elevation: 350 feet
Median value of a Allentown house/condo in 2005: $111,500
Median real estate property taxes paid for housing units with mortgages in 2005: $2,230
Number of single-family new-home construction permits issued in 2005: 57 buildings, average cost: $110,900
The average annual temperature in Allentown is 49º F
When the British captured Philadelphia in 1777, the Liberty Bell was taken to Allentown and hidden in a local church

Demographic:

The racial makeup of Allentown:
- White (64.4%)
- Hispanic (24.4%)
- Other race (13.4%)
- Black (7.8%)
- Two or more races (3.6%)
- Vietnamese (0.9%)
- American Indian (0.7%)
- Asian Indian (0.5%)
Median age: 34.5
Ancestries: German (21.3%), Irish (8.4%), Italian (6.1%), United States (4.3%), English (3.5%), Polish (2.9%)
Among people in Allentown age 25 and above, 15.4% have a college degree
Average household size: 2.42

Avg. Family Income:

Median household income in 2005: $33,358

Transportation:

The Pennsylvania Turnpike's Northeast Extension, Interstate 78, Interstate 476, and U.S. Routes 22, 222, 309, and 33 provide easy access by car to Allentown from the East Coast
The Lehigh and Northampton Transit Authority (LANTA) operates a fleet of buses serving the city and its environs
Lehigh Valley International Airport is a full-service facility located minutes from downtown Allentown providing coast-to-coast service by major airlines