Rents are 5% below what Allentown's 10-year trend predicts — a better deal than its own history suggests.
Rent by unit size
These are HUD Fair Market Rents, the payment standard for a Housing Choice Voucher (Section 8). They often differ from the $1,710 market median above, and that is expected: FMR is the 40th percentile of standard-quality units and counts gross rent, so it includes essential utilities such as electricity, water, gas, sewer, and trash. The market median is asking rent, which usually excludes utilities. HUD sets FMR once a year; market rent here updates monthly.
Source: HUD Small Area Fair Market Rents. Read the methodology →
12-month history
Last updated: September 25, 2026
What the numbers show
December. Asking rents in Allentown usually run 0.6% below trend in December and 0.7% above it in July, about $22 a month apart at today's median. Based on 11 years of data.
Rent in Allentown is at its highest level since Zillow's records here began in January 2015.
Rent in Allentown changed +3.8% over the year to August 2026. Across the 113 Pennsylvania cities Zillow tracks, the typical change was +3.5%.
From 2019 to 2024, rent in Allentown rose 44.9% while median household income rose 34.8% ($41,167 to $55,494). Rent outpaced income.
Rent in Allentown is 50.5% higher than in March 2020. Across the US, rent is up 36.8% over the same stretch.
Rent has risen 12 months in a row, and rose in 12 of the last 12 months.
30% of the median household income ($55,494) is $1,387 a month. That covers HUD's Fair Market Rent for up to a 1-bedroom ($1,220); a 2-bedroom is $1,518.
The priciest of 5 ZIP codes in Allentown, 18104 ($2,284/mo), costs 1.5 times the cheapest, 18102 ($1,561/mo).
Hatfield, 24 miles away, rents for 10% less ($1,539/mo), about $2,100 a year in savings.
From Zillow's monthly rent index (ZORI) for Allentown. The seasonal pattern compares Zillow’s seasonally adjusted and unadjusted series. Income is the Census median household income (5-year estimates). Fair Market Rents are HUD’s, which include utilities.
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Who lives here
Allentown, PA is majority renter-occupied, has a median income below the national average, 19.1% of residents hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2024 5-Year Estimates
How Allentown, PA has changed in 5 years
Across the past five years, the going rent in Allentown, PA has shifted from $1,263 to $1,710, up 35.4% since 2021. On the earnings side, the typical household in Allentown, PA now reports about $55,494, up from $47,703 in 2021. Because rent grew faster than wages over the same span, the affordability picture has tightened relative to 2021. The renter share has eased from 58.5% to 56.8%, with owner-occupied housing accounting for the remainder. For context, the 2021 to 2026 window covers an unusually volatile run for US rents nationally, and Allentown, PA reflects that arc in its own way.
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Can you afford rent in Allentown on your salary?
At $1,710/mo, how Allentown rent compares to typical pay (30% rule).
Allentown rent by bedroom count
Median rent for each apartment size in Allentown. Click any size for full breakdown.
Tips for renters in Allentown
Last updated: September 25, 2026
The median rent in Allentown is $1,710/mo as of September 2026. A studio apartment averages $1,038/mo while a 2-bedroom runs $1,518/mo. One-bedroom apartments average $1,220/mo and 3-bedroom units go for $1,938/mo.
At 37% of local median household income ($55,494/yr), Allentown ranks as moderate compared to the national benchmark of 30%. Rents have increased 3.8% over the past year.
Frequently asked questions
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Which nearby cities are cheaper to rent in than Allentown?
At $1,710/mo, rent takes ~37% of Allentown's median household income ($55,494/yr). The standard benchmark is 30%.
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Estimated from ZIP-level data
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