HousingPermits

Metro area in Pennsylvania, New Jersey · part of the Allentown-Bethlehem-East Stroudsburg, PA-NJ combined area

Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ

The Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton metro area authorized 1,974 new housing units in 2025. Its busiest year since 2004 was 2005, with 4,848 units; 2025 came to 41% of that. Per 1,000 residents it authorized 2.5 units a year in 2021–2025, 54% of the national rate of 4.7.

01,5003,0004,5006,0002004: 4,612 units (4,461 single-family, 58 in 2–4 unit, 93 in 5+ unit buildings)2005: 4,848 units (4,319 single-family, 126 in 2–4 unit, 403 in 5+ unit buildings)2006: 4,144 units (3,860 single-family, 78 in 2–4 unit, 206 in 5+ unit buildings)2007: 2,789 units (2,640 single-family, 34 in 2–4 unit, 115 in 5+ unit buildings)2008: 1,694 units (1,508 single-family, 12 in 2–4 unit, 174 in 5+ unit buildings)2009: 1,648 units (1,401 single-family, 15 in 2–4 unit, 232 in 5+ unit buildings)2010: 1,388 units (1,177 single-family, 51 in 2–4 unit, 160 in 5+ unit buildings)2011: 1,133 units (1,059 single-family, 20 in 2–4 unit, 54 in 5+ unit buildings)2012: 1,069 units (829 single-family, 37 in 2–4 unit, 203 in 5+ unit buildings)2013: 1,350 units (1,139 single-family, 47 in 2–4 unit, 164 in 5+ unit buildings)2014: 1,801 units (1,051 single-family, 16 in 2–4 unit, 734 in 5+ unit buildings)2015: 1,356 units (943 single-family, 7 in 2–4 unit, 406 in 5+ unit buildings)2016: 1,263 units (1,059 single-family, 41 in 2–4 unit, 163 in 5+ unit buildings)2017: 1,118 units (938 single-family, 22 in 2–4 unit, 158 in 5+ unit buildings)2018: 1,246 units (1,082 single-family, 2 in 2–4 unit, 162 in 5+ unit buildings)2019: 1,345 units (1,078 single-family, 28 in 2–4 unit, 239 in 5+ unit buildings)2020: 1,688 units (1,110 single-family, 30 in 2–4 unit, 548 in 5+ unit buildings)2021: 2,606 units (1,716 single-family, 32 in 2–4 unit, 858 in 5+ unit buildings)2022: 2,232 units (1,576 single-family, 48 in 2–4 unit, 608 in 5+ unit buildings)2023: 1,735 units (1,329 single-family, 28 in 2–4 unit, 378 in 5+ unit buildings)2024: 2,485 units (1,368 single-family, 67 in 2–4 unit, 1,050 in 5+ unit buildings)2025: 1,974 units (1,202 single-family, 61 in 2–4 unit, 711 in 5+ unit buildings)200420072010201320162019202220252005 high · 4,8482012 low · 1,06902,0004,0006,0002004: 4,612 units (4,461 single-family, 58 in 2–4 unit, 93 in 5+ unit buildings)2005: 4,848 units (4,319 single-family, 126 in 2–4 unit, 403 in 5+ unit buildings)2006: 4,144 units (3,860 single-family, 78 in 2–4 unit, 206 in 5+ unit buildings)2007: 2,789 units (2,640 single-family, 34 in 2–4 unit, 115 in 5+ unit buildings)2008: 1,694 units (1,508 single-family, 12 in 2–4 unit, 174 in 5+ unit buildings)2009: 1,648 units (1,401 single-family, 15 in 2–4 unit, 232 in 5+ unit buildings)2010: 1,388 units (1,177 single-family, 51 in 2–4 unit, 160 in 5+ unit buildings)2011: 1,133 units (1,059 single-family, 20 in 2–4 unit, 54 in 5+ unit buildings)2012: 1,069 units (829 single-family, 37 in 2–4 unit, 203 in 5+ unit buildings)2013: 1,350 units (1,139 single-family, 47 in 2–4 unit, 164 in 5+ unit buildings)2014: 1,801 units (1,051 single-family, 16 in 2–4 unit, 734 in 5+ unit buildings)2015: 1,356 units (943 single-family, 7 in 2–4 unit, 406 in 5+ unit buildings)2016: 1,263 units (1,059 single-family, 41 in 2–4 unit, 163 in 5+ unit buildings)2017: 1,118 units (938 single-family, 22 in 2–4 unit, 158 in 5+ unit buildings)2018: 1,246 units (1,082 single-family, 2 in 2–4 unit, 162 in 5+ unit buildings)2019: 1,345 units (1,078 single-family, 28 in 2–4 unit, 239 in 5+ unit buildings)2020: 1,688 units (1,110 single-family, 30 in 2–4 unit, 548 in 5+ unit buildings)2021: 2,606 units (1,716 single-family, 32 in 2–4 unit, 858 in 5+ unit buildings)2022: 2,232 units (1,576 single-family, 48 in 2–4 unit, 608 in 5+ unit buildings)2023: 1,735 units (1,329 single-family, 28 in 2–4 unit, 378 in 5+ unit buildings)2024: 2,485 units (1,368 single-family, 67 in 2–4 unit, 1,050 in 5+ unit buildings)2025: 1,974 units (1,202 single-family, 61 in 2–4 unit, 711 in 5+ unit buildings)2004200820122016202020252005 high · 4,848

Single-family2–4 units5+ units

Boom, bust and since

Its peak year is shared by 105 other metro areas, among them Charleston, SC, El Paso, Cape Coral. Annual permits fell from 4,848 during the mid-2000s boom to 1,069 in 2012, a drop of 78%. The nearest bust profile in the Middle Atlantic states was Gettysburg's (78%). The 2021–2025 pace of 2,206 units a year is 51% below the 2004–2006 pace. From 2024 to 2025 the count fell 21%.

Where in the metro

Northampton County accounted for 41% of the metro area's units in 2021–2025, Lehigh County for 34%. The part in New Jersey supplied 17%.

  • Northampton County, PA41% (1,050 in 2025)
  • Lehigh County, PA34% (394 in 2025)
  • Warren County, NJ17% (335 in 2025)
  • Carbon County, PA7.4% (195 in 2025)

Busiest permit offices

Across the metro area, 93 permit offices authorized new housing in 2021–2025. The busiest was Upper Macungie township, with 1,195 units or 11% of the total, followed by Bethlehem with 965. Among the three largest, Bethlehem put 91% of its units in five-plus buildings, Upper Macungie township 23%.

  • Upper Macungie township11% (1,195 units)
  • Bethlehem8.7% (965 units)
  • Forks township5% (557 units)
  • Upper Saucon township4.2% (461 units)
  • Allen township3.7% (405 units)
  • Emmaus borough3.6% (396 units)
  • Penn Forest township3.5% (383 units)
  • Bethlehem township3.5% (381 units)

Share of the units authorized in the metro area, 2021–2025.

Houses or apartments

In Allentown, 65% of the units authorized in 2021–2025 were single-family houses and 33% were in buildings of five or more units, against 34% nationally. The closest match in building mix among the 386 other metro areas is Duluth (33% in five-plus buildings). That share has risen sharply since 2004–2006, when it stood at 5.2%. Units in five-plus buildings peaked in 2024 (1,050), single-family houses in 2004 (4,461).

2021–202565.2%65%2.1%32.7%33%2004–200692.9%93%1.9%5.2%US, 2021–202562.6%63%3.5%34.0%34%2021–202565.2%65%2.1%32.7%33%2004–200692.9%93%1.9%5.2%US, 2021–202562.6%63%3.5%34.0%34%

Similar in size

Metro area2004–20252025 unitsPer 1,000 a year5+ share
Charleston-North Charleston, SC7,2879.924%
Baton Rouge, LA4,3144.513%
Worcester, MA1,6902.245%
Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ1,9742.533%
El Paso, TX2,0502.87.4%

Rates and shares: 2021–2025.

Put Allentown beside Worcester

Every yearly figure behind the chart, split by building size: yearly-units.csv. State view: Pennsylvania. Counting rules.