ZIP Code · PA

ZIP 18103

Part of Allentown, PA

Pop. 48,746·Lehigh County·105th most expensive ZIP in Pennsylvania

Median rent (all units)

$1,683/mo

Year-over-Year

+4.5%

Month-over-Month

+0.1%

vs US Median

-$249

Reported rents

Stable (Monthly)

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Most AffordableMost Expensive

ZIP 18103 · $1,683

More affordable than 59% of US ZIP codes · National median $1,932/mo

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Compare your rent to the local median.

Medians by bedroom

Rent by unit size

Studio

$1,140

1 BR

$1,350

2 BR

$1,650

3 BR

$2,110

4 BR+

$2,220

Research median

$1,650/mo

Bedroom estimates are gross rents that include essential utilities (electricity, water, gas, sewer, trash).

Rent trends

12-month history

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Last updated: October 17, 2026

From the history

What the numbers show

Cheapest month to sign

March. Asking rents in ZIP 18103 usually run 1.2% below trend in March and 1% above it in November, about $37 a month apart at today's median. Based on 5 years of data.

Compared with the peak

Rent in ZIP 18103 is at its highest level since Zillow's records here began in October 2021.

Past year vs. the rest of Pennsylvania

Rent in ZIP 18103 changed +4.5% over the year to September 2026. Across the 205 Pennsylvania ZIP codes Zillow tracks, the typical change was +3.8%.

Recent direction

Rent has risen 4 months in a row, and rose in 10 of the last 12 months.

What a typical income covers

30% of the median household income ($72,895) is $1,822 a month. That covers HUD's Fair Market Rent for up to a 2-bedroom ($1,650); a 3-bedroom is $2,110.

Rank in Allentown

4th cheapest of 5 ZIP codes in Allentown.

From Zillow's monthly rent index (ZORI) for ZIP 18103. 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.

Annual cost

$20,196/yr

At $1,683/mo median

Location

CityAllentown

StatePA

CountyLehigh County

Rent Market Meter

Landlord's Market

Renter's MarketBalancedLandlord's Market

Rents are climbing (4.5% YoY), so leverage tilts toward landlords. Act sooner rather than later.

Based on rent-price momentum (+4.5% YoY, +0.1% MoM), not inventory.

Demographics

Who lives here

ZIP 18103 (Allentown, PA) is majority owner-occupied, 27.6% of residents hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

Population

48,746

Median income

$72,895

Median age

39.1

Renters

36.9%

Age distribution

22.5%

23.6%

23.3%

13.3%

17.3%

Under 1822.5%

18–3423.6%

35–5423.3%

55–6413.3%

65+17.3%

Gender

49.4%

50.6%

Male49.4%

Female50.6%

Race & ethnicity

48.9%

40.6%

White48.9%

Black7.5%

Hispanic40.6%

Asian3.7%

Education (25+)

12.5%

35%

24.9%

27.6%

No HS diploma12.5%

HS diploma35%

Some college24.9%

Bachelor's+27.6%

Housing tenure

63.1%

36.9%

Owner63.1%

Renter36.9%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2024 5-Year Estimates

2022 vs 2026

How ZIP 18103 in Allentown, PA has changed in 5 years

Rent

$1,400 → $1,683

up 20.2%

Income

$66,400 → $72,895

up 9.8%

Population

49,023 → 48,746

down 0.6%

Renter share

37.9% → 36.9%

-1.0 pts

Bachelor's+

25% → 27.6%

+2.6 pts

Median age

38.3 → 39.1

+0.8 yrs

Compared with 2022, rent in ZIP 18103 in Allentown, PA has increased by $283 per month, settling near $1,683 after starting the period at $1,400. Household income in the area moved from $66,400 to $72,895 across the same window, up 9.8% versus 2021. Rent outpaced income growth by roughly 10.4 percentage points, which means renters are spending a larger slice of each paycheck on housing than they did in 2021. Educational attainment has shifted as well, with the share of adults holding a bachelor's degree or higher climbed from 25% to 27.6%. Reading these numbers side by side helps frame whether current listings in ZIP 18103 in Allentown, PA look reasonable against where the market sat half a decade ago.

Community

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Local insights

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About renting in ZIP 18103

Last updated: October 17, 2026

ZIP code 18103 covers Allentown, PA. The median rent here is $1,683/mo as of October 2026. A 1-bedroom rents for a median of $1,350/mo. A 2-bedroom rents for a median of $1,650/mo.

At 28% of local median household income ($72,895/yr), ZIP 18103 ranks as affordable compared to the national benchmark of 30%. Rents have increased 4.5% over the past year.

FAQ

Frequently asked questions

How much income do you need to rent in ZIP 18103?

To keep rent at or below 30% of gross income, you would need to earn at least $67,000/year (about $32/hour full-time) to afford the median rent of $1,683/mo in ZIP 18103. The local median household income is $72,895/yr, so the typical household meets that bar.

Is rent going up or down in ZIP 18103?

Rent in ZIP 18103 has risen 4.5% over the past year as of September 2026. That is the highest level since Zillow's records here began in October 2021.

When is the cheapest time to rent in ZIP 18103?

Asking rents in ZIP 18103 are usually lowest in March, about 1.2% below their yearly trend, and highest in November, about 1% above it. At today's median that is a gap of roughly $37 a month. This pattern comes from 5 years of Zillow rent data.

How does ZIP 18103 compare to other ZIPs in Pennsylvania?

ZIP 18103 is in the middle among Pennsylvania ZIP codes for rent, ranking #105 of 261 at $1,683/mo. Over the year to September 2026, rent in ZIP 18103 changed +4.5%, against a typical +3.8% across the 205 Pennsylvania ZIP codes Zillow tracks.