Markets  ›  PA  ›  Allentown

Allentown, PA housing market

Allentown, PA metro median sale price $380K in Jul–Sep 2026, up 6.7% year over year. Also days on market, price cuts, affordability and ZIP-code figures.

The median sale price in the Allentown, PA metro is $380K over Jul–Sep 2026, up 6.7% from the same 3 months a year earlier. The gain is larger than in most of the 383 U.S. metros Pecan Street ranks on this measure. FHFA's repeat-sales index for the metro agrees within 1.8 points (up 5.0% through Q2 2026).

On median sale price, Allentown ($380K) ranks 3rd of the 16 Pennsylvania metros Pecan Street tracks, between State College ($389K) and Lancaster ($379K). On median days on market, Allentown (38 days) ranks 13th of the 16 Pennsylvania metros, between York (43 days) and Erie (38 days). On share of listings with a price cut, Allentown (36%) ranks 14th of the 16 Pennsylvania metros, between Scranton / Wilkes-Barre (37%) and Gettysburg (35%).

Listings spent a median 38 days on market in Oct 2026, the 22nd-fewest of the 385 metros. 36% of active listings carry a price cut; the 3-month average vs a year earlier is 2.9 points higher. Median asking prices sit about 7% above the median sale price. Building permits authorized 145 new housing units in Sep 2026.

At the 7.12% 30-year fixed rate with 20% down, principal and interest on a median-priced home come to $2,045 a month; at 28% of gross income, that takes about $88K a year. The median sale price equals about 14 years of HUD Fair Market Rent, a ratio down 3.4% from a year earlier. That ratio is lower than in most of the 373 metros. Active listings ask a median $208 per square foot; the 3-month average vs a year earlier is up 0.3%.

In eight of the 12 ZIP codes in the table below, median list prices are higher than a year earlier; four are lower.

Headline

Median sale price

Jul–Sep 2026

$380K

+6.7% year-over-year

How it’s calculated

Average of the last three monthly median sale prices vs. the same three months a year earlier.

Mortgage rate

Nov 4, 2026

7.12%

30-year fixed

Where it comes from

National benchmark: Optimal Blue OBMMI 30-year conforming, via FRED. An average of rates borrowers have actually locked, updated daily.

The same rate appears on every market page.

Monthly payment

Principal & interest

$2,045/mo

$88K/yr income needed

How it’s calculated

Payment — this market’s median sale price with 20% down, on a 30-year fixed loan at the rate shown. Principal and interest only — no property tax, insurance, PMI or HOA.

Income needed — that payment at 28% of gross income. A rule of thumb, not a lending decision.

How Allentown compares to other U.S. metros

Days on market↓364th of 385
Home-price growth↑52nd of 383 (top 14%)
Price-to-rent↓284th of 373
Asking-vs-sale gap124th of 300 (top 42%)
Price cuts168th of 385 (top 44%)

Rank across the U.S. metros Pecan Street tracks, on market data alone — a higher rank means more of that measure (more price cuts, faster price growth, a wider asking-vs-sale gap, a higher price-to-rent ratio, or more days on market). The bar shows where this metro sits within that metric’s own cohort (left is more, right is less); ↑ and ↓ mark the positions furthest from the middle, and rows are ordered the same way. Metrics without data for this metro are omitted.

Affordability

Price-to-rent ratio≈ 14 -3.4% YoY
↓284th of 373
Asking price / sq ft$208 +0.3% 3-month average vs a year earlier

Price-to-rent divides the median sale price by the annual HUD Fair Market Rent (a 3-bedroom, 40th-percentile benchmark), so it is a directional rent-vs-buy read, not a cap rate; its year-over-year change is directional in the same way. Asking price per square foot is the median across active for-sale listings (Realtor.com), as of Oct 2026. The bar under a figure places this metro among the U.S. metros we track on that measure, highest first.

Market pressure

Listings with a price cut≈ 36% +2.9 pts 3-month average vs a year earlier
168th of 385 (top 44%)
New housing units permitted145

The median asking price $405K runs about 7% above the median sale price $380K.

Price-cut share is the portion of active for-sale listings that have taken a price reduction (Realtor.com), as of Oct 2026. New housing units authorized by residential building permits in the metro that month — new supply in the pipeline, which counts of existing listings don't capture (US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey), as of Sep 2026. Asking is the median list price of active listings (Realtor.com, Oct 2026); sale is the headline median of recent closings (Redfin, Jul–Sep 2026) — distinct sources and windows, so the gap is a directional read, not a like-for-like difference. The bar under a figure places this metro among the U.S. metros we track on that measure, highest first.

Market facts

ZIPs with listing data12 shown of 69
MLS board of recordBright MLS
Price methodologyRedfin vs FHFA HPI
Sale-price windowJul–Sep 2026

Recent signals

No signals flagged for this market right now.

Housing Economy

Allentown · ConstructionCOPIED

Allentown builders pulled 6.7% fewer single-family permits than a year earlier

Single-family building permits in the Allentown metro area, by month, one line per year, units

AprJulOct357010514017520252026
AprJulOct357010514017520252026
2024
Chart data
Month202420252026
Dec9293—
Nov7270—
Oct109127—
Sep118121101
Aug11596110
Jul107132140
Jun125124140
May145151101
Apr85110103
Mar11011491
Feb1259651
Jan1286266

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey · data through September 2026

Builders in the Allentown metro area pulled 1,193 single-family permits in the twelve months through September 2026, 6.7% fewer than in the twelve months before. So far in 2026, permits are running 10.2% below the same months of 2025.

Why it matters. Permits come before starts, and starts come before new homes for sale, so this is the earliest read on how much new building is planned in the Allentown area. When the permit pipeline shrinks, buyers see fewer new-build options later; when it grows, sellers of existing homes face more competition from builders.

Allentown · Home pricesCOPIED

Allentown home prices are 4.9% higher than a year ago, the weakest gain since the second quarter of 2020

Home prices in the Allentown metro area, change from a year earlier, FHFA all-transactions index, quarterly, percent; shaded bars mark recessions

1990200020102020-12%0%12%24%36%Allentown
1990200020102020-12%0%12%24%36%Allentown
No changeRecession
Chart data
DateAllentown
Jun 20265%
Mar 20265.4%
Dec 20257.3%
Sep 20257.8%
Jun 20256.2%
Mar 20256%
Dec 20246%
Sep 20245.4%
Jun 20248.8%
Mar 202410.4%
Dec 20239.6%
Sep 20237.9%
Jun 20237.5%
Mar 20239.5%
Dec 202211%
Sep 202215.8%
Jun 202217.6%
Mar 202217.3%
Dec 202117.1%
Sep 202116.6%
Jun 202113.6%
Mar 20219.6%
Dec 20207.7%
Sep 20205.5%
Jun 20204.2%
Mar 20204.8%
Dec 20194.5%
Sep 20194.1%
Jun 20194%
Mar 20194.1%
Dec 20183%
Sep 20183.9%
Jun 20184.3%
Mar 20183.7%
Dec 20174%
Sep 20173.4%
Jun 20173.3%
Mar 20173.1%
Dec 20162.4%
Sep 20162.4%
Jun 20161.7%
Mar 20160.8%
Dec 20151.8%
Sep 20151.3%
Jun 20151.5%
Mar 20152%
Dec 20142%
Sep 20142.5%
Jun 20141.3%
Mar 20140.8%
Dec 2013-0.4%
Sep 2013-0.1%
Jun 20130.8%
Mar 2013-0.5%
Dec 2012-2%
Sep 2012-2.8%
Jun 2012-3.6%
Mar 2012-5.3%
Dec 2011-5.2%
Sep 2011-5.9%
Jun 2011-4.3%
Mar 2011-2.5%
Dec 2010-2.3%
Sep 2010-2.1%
Jun 2010-5.5%
Mar 2010-6.7%
Dec 2009-5.2%
Sep 2009-5%
Jun 2009-5.9%
Mar 2009-5.6%
Dec 2008-5.8%
Sep 2008-5.3%
Jun 2008-3.8%
Mar 2008-0.5%
Dec 20070.1%
Sep 20071.5%
Jun 20074%
Mar 20075%
Dec 20067.5%
Sep 20069.2%
Jun 200611.6%
Mar 200614.8%
Dec 200514%
Sep 200514%
Jun 200515.9%
Mar 200513.6%
Dec 200413.5%
Sep 200414.4%
Jun 200412.2%
Mar 200410.2%
Dec 20039.4%
Sep 20037.5%
Jun 20036.5%
Mar 20038%
Dec 20027.6%
Sep 20027%
Jun 20026.3%
Mar 20025.8%
Dec 20017.1%
Sep 20016.7%
Jun 20016.9%
Mar 20016.2%
Dec 20004.5%
Sep 20003.3%
Jun 20002.5%
Mar 20000.9%
Dec 19990.8%
Sep 19992.1%
Jun 19992.1%
Mar 19991.3%
Dec 19982.7%
Sep 19981.8%
Jun 19982.9%
Mar 19983%
Dec 19971.6%
Sep 19972.3%
Jun 19970.9%
Mar 19970.1%
Dec 19960.2%
Sep 19960.2%
Jun 19961.4%
Mar 19963.5%
Dec 19953%
Sep 19950.7%
Jun 1995-2.3%
Mar 1995-4%
Dec 1994-4.7%
Sep 1994-2.7%
Jun 1994-1.2%
Mar 19940.8%
Dec 19930.4%
Sep 1993-0.2%
Jun 19930.9%
Mar 1993-0.5%
Dec 19921.2%
Sep 19921.9%
Jun 19920.6%
Mar 19922.1%
Dec 19911.4%
Sep 1991-0.5%
Jun 1991-1.5%
Mar 1991-3%
Dec 1990-3.9%
Sep 1990-3%
Jun 1990-0.3%
Mar 19900.6%
Dec 19892.6%
Sep 19894%
Jun 19893.9%
Mar 19899.5%
Dec 198810%
Sep 198817.6%
Jun 198823.6%
Mar 198826.1%
Dec 198727.4%
Sep 198723.1%
Jun 198720.8%
Mar 198715%
Dec 198613.6%
Sep 198611.2%
Jun 19869.7%
Mar 19869.9%
Dec 198510.3%
Sep 19858.7%
Jun 19858.1%
Mar 19857%
Dec 19846.7%
Sep 19844.5%
Jun 19844.8%
Mar 19848.7%
Dec 19834.7%
Sep 19832.9%
Jun 19830.7%
Mar 19835.5%
Dec 19827.5%
Sep 19826.8%
Jun 19823.5%
Mar 1982-11.4%
Dec 1981-5%
Sep 19812.6%
Jun 198112.8%
Mar 19810.1%
Dec 19805.3%
Sep 19808.7%
Jun 19802.1%
Mar 198017.2%
Dec 19793.2%
Sep 1979-3%
Jun 19797.7%

Source: FHFA house price index; recession dates from NBER · data through Q2 2026

FHFA's all-transactions index for the Allentown metro area in the second quarter of 2026 was 4.9% above its level a year earlier. Since 1979, prices have risen an average of 4.5% a year. That is the weakest reading since the second quarter of 2020. Nationally, prices were 3.0% higher than a year earlier.

Why it matters. Long-run context shows how the latest change in Allentown home prices compares with the market's own history, including the recessions shaded on the chart. When appreciation slows, sellers have less room for a list price to run ahead of recent sales, and buyers feel less pressure to stretch to keep up; when it speeds up, the reverse holds: list prices can run ahead of recent sales and buyers compete harder.

Price reconciliation

normal · 1.8pp

Redfin (metro)

+6.7%

FHFA HPI · Q2 2026

+5.0%

Year-over-year home-price change from two independent methods — Redfin (sale prices over the last 3 months) and FHFA (quarterly repeat-sales index). When they diverge, the market is mid-shift; cite the figure with that in mind.

More markets in PA

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ZIP-level data

ZIPMedian list priceActive listingsNew listingsPrice reductionsDays on marketHome value
07840$500K↑49↓28↓8↓32↓$490K↑
07882$479K↑43↑16↑8↑47↑$416K↑
08865$322K↑97↑40↑16↑42↓$336K↑
18015$350K↓42↑28↑20↑33↑$293K↑
18040$560K↑44↑32↑12↑39↓$465K↑
18042$375K↑67↓36↓24↓40↑$274K↑
18045$500K↓49↑36↑12↑26↑$426K↑
18052$440K↑50↑28↑12↑38↑$340K↑
18062$475K↑43↑32↑16↓29↑$454K↑
18102$230K↑76↑24↓28↑45$227K↑
18103$339K↓5544↓32↑24↓$315K↑
18104$455K↓68↑40↓36↑30↑$401K↑

ZIP figures from Realtor.com listing data; home value from Zillow ZHVI. ZIP codes shown have the most complete listing-data history and active for-sale inventory in this metro; the latest available month is shown per ZIP. Arrows show the direction of each figure against the same three months a year earlier; no arrow means the change rounds to zero or the comparison isn't available.