HomePennsylvaniaLehigh County
Lehigh County, Pennsylvania: commercial real estate data.
Lehigh County, Pennsylvania has a population of 378,792 across 345 square miles, up 3.0 percent since the 2020 census base. County output reached $31.74 bn in 2024, 8,681 establishments operate here, and the SBA record carries 350 7(a) approvals worth $151.5 m.
128 sourced county values · tier FULL · 12 sections
Lehigh County
How many people live in Lehigh County
- Population378,792
- Households144,386
- Average household size2.62
- Median household income$80,079
- Median age39.6
- Median gross rent$1,383 per month
- Median owner-occupied home value$300,400
- Home value to household income3.8 times
- Annual rent as a share of median income20.7 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a bachelor degree or higher34.2 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a graduate degree13.2 percent
- Adults 25 and over260,701
- Population under 1884,498
- Share under 1822.3 percent
- Population 65 and over67,008
- Share 65 and over17.7 percent
- Working age population, 18 to 64227,286
- Civilian labor force197,194
- Unemployment rate5.9 percent
- Labor force participation, adults 18 and over67.0 percent
- Rank by population among Pennsylvania counties10th of 67
- Rank by population among US county-equivalents196th
Lehigh County is the 10th largest of 67 Pennsylvania counties by population. A median home costs 3.8 times median household income, which is an affordable ownership market by national standards. Residents under 18 outnumber those 65 and over, at 22.3 percent against 17.7 percent, a household formation profile rather than a retirement one.
US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Lehigh County
Is Lehigh County growing
- Population change since the 2020 census base2.96 percent
- Census 2020 base population374,552
- Births, 20243,802
- Deaths, 20243,568
- Natural change, 2024234
- Net domestic migration, 2024-564
- Net international migration, 20245,104
- Total net migration, 20244,540
- Cumulative net domestic migration, 2021 to 2024-2,152
- Rank by growth among US county-equivalents882nd
The county has grown 2.96 percent since the 2020 census base. Migration contributed more to 2024 change than births over deaths, so demand here follows people arriving rather than families forming.
US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024, Vintage 2024, estimates 2020 to 2024.
Lehigh County
Where people moving to Lehigh County come from
- Tax returns filed by households arriving9,813
- People arriving, from those returns16,501
- Adjusted gross income arriving$606.9 m
- Net adjusted gross income movement$0
- Average income of an arriving household$61,849
- Largest single originLehigh County Non-migrants (153,636 households)
- Largest single destination (153,636 households)
| Origin | Households | People | Adjusted gross income |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lehigh County Non-migrants | 153,636 | 298,598 | $13.70 bn |
| Northampton County | 2,549 | 4,183 | $139.7 m |
| Other flows - Different State | 1,657 | 2,764 | $128.7 m |
| Other flows - South | 867 | 1,456 | $68.9 m |
| Bronx County | 456 | 868 | $15.9 m |
| Berks County | 446 | 682 | $28.4 m |
| Montgomery County | 372 | 578 | $28.9 m |
| Bucks County | 360 | 611 | $26.2 m |
The largest single source of arrivals is Lehigh County Non-migrants, which is the catchment a retail or multifamily study should look at first.
US Internal Revenue Service, Statistics of Income county migration flows, 2021 to 2022 filing years.
Lehigh County
What the Lehigh County economy runs on
- County GDP, 2024$31.74 bn
- County GDP, 2023$30.41 bn
- GDP change, 2023 to 20244.4 percent
- GDP change over five years29.9 percent
- Rank by GDP among Pennsylvania counties8th
- Rank by GDP among US county-equivalents186th
- GDP per resident$83,789
Output grew 4.4 percent in the latest year and 29.9 percent over five, which is the trend line a lender will read behind any single year figure.
US Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional, table CAGDP2, CAGDP2, through 2024.
Lehigh County
Who employs people in Lehigh County
- Covered employment, annual average200,548
- Establishments reporting8,954
- Average annual pay$70,311
- Average weekly wage$1,352
- Sector 62, employment50,249
- Sector 62, average annual pay$76,972
- Sector 31-33, employment20,118
- Sector 31-33, average annual pay$82,231
- Sector 44-45, employment18,500
- Sector 44-45, average annual pay$35,685
- Sector 48-49, employment16,477
- Sector 48-49, average annual pay$63,865
- Sector 72, employment12,934
- Sector 56, employment12,643
| Sector | Employment | Establishments | Average annual pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sector 62 | 50,249 | 1,288 | $76,972 |
| Sector 31-33 | 20,118 | 379 | $82,231 |
| Sector 44-45 | 18,500 | 1,105 | $35,685 |
| Sector 48-49 | 16,477 | 424 | $63,865 |
| Sector 72 | 12,934 | 794 | $25,050 |
| Sector 56 | 12,643 | 483 | $53,545 |
| Sector 54 | 9,798 | 918 | $98,616 |
| Sector 23 | 6,664 | 667 | $79,633 |
The largest sector is the biggest private employer group at 50,249 jobs, 25.1 percent of covered employment. Average pay per job sits below median household income, so households here typically need more than one earner.
US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
Lehigh County
What businesses operate in Lehigh County
- Establishments, all industries8,681
- Employment at those establishments201,146
- Annual payroll$12.78 bn
- Establishments per 1,000 residents22.9
These are counts of establishments physically operating in the county, not listings, so they are the supply side a feasibility study measures demand against.
US Census Bureau, County Business Patterns, 2023.
Lehigh County
What is being built in Lehigh County
- Housing units authorised by permit, 20241,062
- Declared construction value permitted$245.9 m
- Single family units authorised541
- Multifamily units authorised521
- Multifamily share of units49.1 percent
- Average declared value per unit$231,569
- Units authorised per 1,000 households7.4
Multifamily is 49.1 percent of units authorised, so the pipeline is being built for renters rather than buyers.
US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
Lehigh County
How much SBA lending happens in Lehigh County
- 7(a) approvals recorded350
- 7(a) gross approval dollars$151.5 m
- Average 7(a) approval$432,821
- Median 7(a) approval$150,000
- 10th percentile approval$20,000
- 90th percentile approval$1,231,500
- Largest single approval$5,000,000
- Jobs reported supported, 7(a)2,703
- Jobs per approval7.7
- Distinct 7(a) lenders active62
- Distinct industries receiving approvals150
- Median 7(a) term120 months
- Share of loans on real estate terms, 240 months or longer16.6 percent
- Loans on real estate terms58
- Loans on working capital terms, 120 months or shorter270
- Franchise loans46
- Franchise share of approvals13.1 percent
- Leading industry by approval countGeneral Freight Trucking, Local (18)
- Most active lenderTD Bank, National Association (77)
- 504 approvals recorded53
- 504 gross approval dollars$54.7 m
- Average 504 approval$1,031,811
- Median 504 approval$657,000
- Distinct CDCs active8
- 504 jobs per approval12.0
- 504 jobs per million dollars approved11.6
- Most active CDCSouth Eastern Economic Development Company of Pennsylvania (24)
- 7(a) share of SBA approvals86.8 percent
- Combined SBA approval dollars$206.2 m
The average approval of $432,821 sits well above the median of $150,000, so a small number of large deals is pulling the mean up. The median is the better guide to what a typical borrower here actually gets. Only 16.6 percent of approvals run on real estate terms, so SBA credit here is mostly working capital and equipment rather than property acquisition.
US Small Business Administration, 7(a) FOIA release, FY2020 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30. US Small Business Administration, 504 FOIA release, FY2010 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30.
Lehigh County
Do SBA loans in Lehigh County get paid back
- Loans with a final outcome recorded53
- Paid in full43
- Charged off10
- Charge off rate on resolved loans18.9 percent
- Status: Exempt from disclosure219
- Status: Cancelled52
- Status: Paid in full43
- Status: Charged off10
- Status: Committed, not yet disbursed26
Of the 53 loans that have reached a final outcome, 18.9 percent were charged off. This is computed only over resolved loans, because a loan still running has not yet succeeded or failed and counting it either way would be wrong.
US Small Business Administration, 7(a) FOIA release, FY2020 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30.
Lehigh County
Which parts of Lehigh County get the lending
- Places in the county with recorded lending23
- ALLENTOWN, approvals198
- Whitehall, approvals39
- Emmaus, approvals14
- MACUNGIE, approvals11
- Slatington, approvals10
- CENTER VALLEY, approvals9
| Place | Approvals | Gross approval dollars |
|---|---|---|
| ALLENTOWN | 198 | $98,037,300 |
| Whitehall | 39 | $11,286,800 |
| Emmaus | 14 | $5,610,800 |
| MACUNGIE | 11 | $1,881,200 |
| Slatington | 10 | $4,559,300 |
| CENTER VALLEY | 9 | $3,366,000 |
| COOPERSBURG | 9 | $4,787,000 |
| Trexlertown | 8 | $1,293,700 |
ALLENTOWN accounts for 198 approvals against 39 in Whitehall. County level figures average over that gap, which is why a site decision is made at the submarket rather than the county.
US Small Business Administration, 7(a) FOIA release, FY2020 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30.
Lehigh County
How big is Lehigh County
- Land area345 sq mi
- Rank by land area among Pennsylvania counties62nd of 67
- Width, east to west29.3 mi
- Height, north to south25.5 mi
- Geographies sharing a boundary6
- Residents per square mile of land1,098
- Establishments per square mile25.16
US Census Bureau county boundary geometry, TIGER, adjacency computed from shared boundary vertices, TIGER county boundaries. US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year. US Census Bureau, County Business Patterns, 2023.
Lehigh County
What hazards affect Lehigh County
- EPA radon zone predicted average indoor radon screening level greater than 4 pCi/LZone 1
- Communities in the NFIP Community Status Book25
- Of those, participating in the NFIP25
- NFIP participation rate100.0 percent
- Communities carrying a CRS class0
The EPA places the county in radon zone 1, a predicted average indoor radon screening level greater than 4 pCi/L.
US EPA, Map of Radon Zones, county spreadsheet, 2024-05 publication, EPA 402/A-16/001. FEMA OpenFEMA, NFIP Community Status Book, Community Status Book, as retrieved.
Coverage
What this page does not hold.
Every item below could be filled with a plausible figure. None of them is. On a page a lender may read, a number that cannot be traced is worse than an absence, so the absences are named.
- Flood zone record counts are not held. The flood coverage export has not landed, so no count is shown rather than an estimated one.
- Traffic counts resolve in the platform, not in this dataset, so no AADT figure is printed here.
- Zoning is in build. Parcel level zoning is not published on this page.
Feasibility studies
When a Lehigh County site needs a document a lender will accept.
The same data layer behind this page is the one the studies are written from. A study for a Lehigh County site starts with the figures you are reading, carrying the same source and period into the credit file.
- Population378,792
- Households144,386
- Average household size2.62
- Median household income$80,079
- Median age39.6
Common questions
Lehigh County questions, answered from the record.
How many people live in Lehigh County, Pennsylvania?
378,792, in 144,386 households, ranking 10th of 67 Pennsylvania counties. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Is Lehigh County growing?
The population has grown 2.96 percent since the 2020 census base. In 2024 there were 3,802 births against 3,568 deaths, with net migration of 4,540. Source: US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024, Vintage 2024, estimates 2020 to 2024.
What is the median household income in Lehigh County?
$80,079. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $300,400, which is 3.8 times income, and median gross rent is $1,383 per month. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
How many businesses are there in Lehigh County?
8,681 establishments, employing 201,146 people with an annual payroll of $12.78 bn. These are establishments physically operating in the county, not listings. Source: US Census Bureau, County Business Patterns, 2023.
What is the average wage in Lehigh County?
Average annual pay is $70,311, or $1,352 a week, across 200,548 covered jobs. Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
How much SBA lending happens in Lehigh County?
350 7(a) approvals totalling $151.5 m since FY2020, across 62 lenders, with a median approval of $150,000, plus 53 504 approvals worth $54.7 m. These are approvals recorded in the release, not loans disbursed.
Do SBA loans in Lehigh County get paid back?
Of the 53 loans that have reached a final outcome, 43 were paid in full and 10 charged off, a charge off rate of 18.9 percent. Loans still running are excluded, because they have not yet succeeded or failed.
What is being built in Lehigh County?
1,062 housing units were authorised by permit in 2024, with a declared construction value of $245.9 m. Multifamily was 49.1 percent of units. Source: US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
What is the radon zone for Lehigh County?
Zone 1, a predicted average indoor radon screening level greater than 4 pCi/L. Source: US EPA, Map of Radon Zones, county spreadsheet, 2024-05 publication, EPA 402/A-16/001.
Where do people moving to Lehigh County come from?
The largest single origin is Lehigh County Non-migrants, with 153,636 households. Arriving households report an average income of $61,849 against null for those leaving. Source: US Internal Revenue Service, Statistics of Income county migration flows, 2021 to 2022 filing years.
Are traffic counts available for Lehigh County on this page?
No. Annual average daily traffic resolves in the platform rather than in this dataset, so no AADT figure is printed here. It is a gap we know about rather than a figure we estimated.
Is zoning published for Lehigh County?
Not yet. The zoning layer is in build. Nothing on this page presents parcel level zoning, and where a statutory framework applies it is marked as the statewide frame with confirm locally attached.