Lehigh County, Pennsylvania

Lehigh County (Pennsylvania Dutch: Lechaa Kaundi) is a county in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. As of the 2020 census, the county's population was 374,557.[1] Its county seat is Allentown, the state's third largest city behind Philadelphia and Pittsburgh.[2]

Lehigh County
U.S. county
Old Lehigh County Courthouse in Allentown, October 2011
Seal
Location within the U.S. state of Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania's location within the U.S.
Coordinates: 40°37′N 75°35′W
Country United States
State Pennsylvania
FoundedMarch 6, 1812
Named forLehigh River
SeatAllentown
Largest cityAllentown
Area
 • Total348 sq mi (900 km2)
 • Land345 sq mi (890 km2)
 • Water3.1 sq mi (8 km2)  0.9%%
Population
 (2020)
 • Total374,557
 • Density1,046/sq mi (404/km2)
Time zoneUTC−5 (Eastern)
 • Summer (DST)UTC−4 (EDT)
Congressional district7th
Websitewww.lehighcounty.org

Lehigh County and Northampton County to its east combine to form the Lehigh Valley region of eastern Pennsylvania. Lehigh County is one of the fastest-growing counties in Pennsylvania and the more highly populated of the two counties.[3][4] Both counties are part of the Philadelphia television market, the fourth largest television market in the nation.

The county is named for the Lehigh River, a 109-mile-long (175 km) tributary of the Delaware River, which flows through Lehigh County. The Lehigh River served a vital role in the county's development by offering a transportation and trading route for its mining products, including iron, manganese, and limestone, and ultimately for its manufacturing of steel products.

Lehigh County falls geographically between two Pennsylvania Appalachian mountain ranges, Blue Mountain to the county's north and South Mountain to its south. The county is located 61.6 miles (99.1 km) northwest of Philadelphia and 99.7 miles (160.5 km) west of New York City.

History
Shelter House in Emmaus, constructed in 1734 by Pennsylvania German settlers, is believed to be the oldest continuously occupied building structure in both Lehigh County and the Lehigh Valley and among the oldest still-standing building structures in Pennsylvania.[5][6]
The Soldiers and Sailors Monument, erected in 1899 at Seventh and Hamilton Streets in Center City Allentown, honors men from Allentown and its suburbs killed in their volunteer service in the 47th Pennsylvania Infantry Regiment and other Union Army units during the American Civil War.

Settlement and founding

Lehigh County was first settled around 1730 and was formed in 1812 when Northampton County was divided into two counties. The county is named after the Lehigh River, a 109-mile-long (175 km) river that runs through the county and whose name is derived from the Lenape Indian term Lechauweki or Lechauwekink, meaning "where there are forks."[7] Shelter House, constructed in Emmaus in 1734 by Pennsylvania Dutch settlers, is the oldest continuously occupied structure in both Lehigh County and Lehigh Valley and among the oldest still-standing building structures in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania.[5][6]

American Revolutionary War

Some of the first resistance to British colonialism, which led ultimately to the American Revolutionary War, began in present day Lehigh County. On December 21, 1774, a Committee of Observation was formed by local American patriots. With the Declaration of Independence, the Colonial British government in Allentown began to break down and patriot militias took control, pressuring Tories out of the Allentown area, and plans were made for the raising of a patriot militia.

After Washington and the Continental Army were defeated at the Battle of Brandywine on September 11, 1777, the revolutionary capital of Philadelphia was left defenseless and Pennsylvania's Supreme Executive Council ordered that eleven Philadelphia bells, including the Liberty Bell (then known as the State House Bell), be taken down and moved to present day Allentown (then called Northamptontown) and hidden in the basement of Zion Reformed Church on present day West Hamilton Street to protect them from being melting down by the British Army for use as munitions. The Liberty Bell's successful protection in Allentown is commemorated in the Liberty Bell Museum, located in Zion Reformed Church in Allentown.

Industrial Revolution

The opening of the Lehigh Canal beginning in 1827 transformed Allentown and Lehigh County from a rural agricultural area dominated by German-speaking people into an urbanized industrialized area and expanded the city's commercial and industrial capacity greatly. With this, Lehigh County underwent significant industrialization, ultimately becoming a major 20th century center for heavy industry and manufacturing and one of several hubs for the Industrial Revolution.

American Civil War

Following the Union Army's defeat at the Battle of Fort Sumter and Lincoln's April 15, 1861 proclamation calling for state militia to provide 75,000 volunteer troops to defend the nation's capital of Washington, D.C., Allentown deployed the Allen Infantry, also known as the Allen Guards and composed of volunteers from Allentown and its surrounding suburbs. The unit mustered in for duty on April 18, 1861. As the Civil War progressed, multiple Union Army units were drawn from Lehigh County, including most of the 47th Pennsylvania Infantry Regiment. On October 19, 1899, a monument in honor of the Lehigh County men killed in their volunteer service to preservation of the Union, the Soldiers and Sailors Monument, was erected at Seventh and Hamilton Streets in Center City Allentown where it still stands.[8]

Geography
The city skyline of Center City Allentown, Lehigh County's largest city, Christmas 2017
South Mountain, part of the Appalachian Mountain range in Lehigh County, with Allentown in the foreground, December 2010
Lehigh River, a 109-mile-long (175 km) tributary of the Delaware River, in Lehigh County near Slatington, June 2007

The U.S. Census Bureau reports that Lehigh County has a total area of 348 square miles (900 km2). Of this, 345 square miles (890 km2) is land and 3.1 square miles (8.0 km2) (0.9%) is water.[9]

Topography

Lehigh County is the most populous of the four counties (Carbon County in the Coal Region, Lehigh and Northampton counties in eastern Pennsylvania, and Warren County in northwestern New Jersey) that compose the Lehigh Valley metropolitan region.[10]

Lehigh County borders two Appalachian mountain ridges. To the north, the county borders Blue Mountain, which has an altitude of 1,300 to 1,604 feet (396 to 489 m). To the south, it is bordered by South Mountain, which has an altitude of 700 to 1,100 feet (210 to 340 m) and cuts through the southern portions of both Lehigh and Northampton counties. The Lehigh County's highest point is near Germansville at Bake Oven Knob, a mass of Tuscarora conglomeratic rocks that rise about 100 feet (30 m) above the main Blue Mountain ridge in northwestern Heidelberg Township.[11]

Lehigh County is part of the Delaware River watershed. Most of the county is drained by the Lehigh River and its tributaries, though the Schuylkill River also drains regions in the county's south through Perkiomen Creek and (in the county's northwest) through Maiden Creek.

Adjacent counties
  • Berks County (west)
  • Bucks County (southeast)
  • Carbon County (north)
  • Montgomery County (south)
  • Northampton County (northeast)
  • Schuylkill County (northwest)

Climate

Lehigh County's climate falls in the humid continental climate zone. The variety is hot-summer (Dfa) except in the county's higher elevation areas, where it is warm-summer (Dfb). Summers are typically hot and muggy, fall and spring are generally mild, and winter is cold. Precipitation is almost uniformly distributed throughout the year.

In Allentown, January lows average −6 °C (21 °F) and highs average 1.3 °C (34.3 °F). The lowest officially recorded temperature was −26.7 °C (−16.1 °F) in 1912. July lows average 17.6 °C (63.7 °F) and highs average 29.2 °C (84.6 °F) with an average relative humidity of 82%. The highest temperature on record was 40.6 °C (105.1 °F) in 1966. Early fall and mid-winter are generally driest with October being the driest month with only 74.7 mm of average precipitation.[12]

Snowfall is variable with some winters bringing light snow and others bringing numerous significant snowstorms. Average snowfall is 82.3 centimetres (32.4 in) per year,[13] with the months of January and February receiving the most now with just over 22.86 centimetres (9.00 in) in each of these months. Rainfall is generally spread throughout the year with eight to twelve wet days per month,[14] at an average annual rate of 110.54 centimetres (43.52 in).[15]

Climate data for Allentown, Pennsylvania (Lehigh Valley International Airport) 1991-2020 normals (Records x-2021)
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Record high °F (°C) 72
(22)		 81
(27)		 87
(31)		 93
(34)		 97
(36)		 100
(38)		 105
(41)		 100
(38)		 99
(37)		 93
(34)		 81
(27)		 72
(22)		 105
(41)
Average high °F (°C) 38.4
(3.6)		 41.6
(5.3)		 50.8
(10.4)		 63.4
(17.4)		 73.5
(23.1)		 81.9
(27.7)		 86.4
(30.2)		 84.3
(29.1)		 77.4
(25.2)		 65.5
(18.6)		 53.8
(12.1)		 43.1
(6.2)		 63.3
(17.4)
Daily mean °F (°C) 30.1
(−1.1)		 32.4
(0.2)		 40.7
(4.8)		 51.8
(11.0)		 62.0
(16.7)		 70.9
(21.6)		 75.6
(24.2)		 73.6
(23.1)		 66.3
(19.1)		 54.6
(12.6)		 43.9
(6.6)		 35.0
(1.7)		 53.1
(11.7)
Average low °F (°C) 21.8
(−5.7)		 23.2
(−4.9)		 30.5
(−0.8)		 40.3
(4.6)		 50.6
(10.3)		 59.9
(15.5)		 64.7
(18.2)		 62.8
(17.1)		 55.2
(12.9)		 43.8
(6.6)		 34.1
(1.2)		 26.8
(−2.9)		 42.8
(6.0)
Record low °F (°C) −15
(−26)		 −12
(−24)		 −5
(−21)		 12
(−11)		 28
(−2)		 39
(4)		 46
(8)		 41
(5)		 30
(−1)		 21
(−6)		 3
(−16)		 −8
(−22)		 −15
(−26)
Average precipitation inches (mm) 3.30
(84)		 2.77
(70)		 3.63
(92)		 3.67
(93)		 3.65
(93)		 4.40
(112)		 5.30
(135)		 4.56
(116)		 4.84
(123)		 4.14
(105)		 3.24
(82)		 3.86
(98)		 47.36
(1,203)
Average snowfall inches (cm) 9.8
(25)		 10.8
(27)		 6.3
(16)		 0.5
(1.3)		 0.0
(0.0)		 0.0
(0.0)		 0.0
(0.0)		 0.0
(0.0)		 0.0
(0.0)		 0.2
(0.51)		 0.9
(2.3)		 4.6
(12)		 33.1
(84)
Average precipitation days (≥ 0.01 in) 11 10 11 12 12 11 11 10 10 10 9 12 129
Average snowy days (≥ 0.1 in) 5 4 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 3 16
Source: NOAA[16]

Demographics
Historical population
CensusPop.%±
182018,895—
183022,25617.8%
184025,78715.9%
185032,47926.0%
186043,75334.7%
187056,79629.8%
188065,96916.2%
189076,63116.2%
190093,89322.5%
1910118,83226.6%
1920148,10124.6%
1930172,89316.7%
1940177,5332.7%
1950198,20711.6%
1960227,53614.8%
1970255,30412.2%
1980272,3496.7%
1990291,1306.9%
2000312,0907.2%
2010349,49712.0%
2020374,5577.2%
U.S. Decennial Census[17]
1790-1960[18] 1900-1990[19]
1990-2000[20] 2010-2019[21]

As of the 2020 census, the county's population was 374,557.[1] The county's population growth of 7.2% since 2010 is among the fastest in the state.[22]

As of the 2010 census,[23] there were 312,090 people, 121,906 households, and 82,164 families residing in the county. The population density was 900 people per square mile (348/km2). There were 128,910 housing units at an average density of 372 per square mile (144/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 87.02% White, 3.56% Black or African American, 0.18% Native American, 2.10% Asian, 0.04% Pacific Islander, 5.28% from other races, and 1.83% from two or more races. 10.22% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. 27.1% were of German, 7.9% Italian, 7.7% Irish, 6.2% Pennsylvania Dutch, and 5.6% American ancestry. 85.0% spoke English, 8.4% Spanish and 1.2% Arabic as their first language.

There were 121,906 households, out of which 30.60% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 53.00% were married couples living together, 10.50% had a female householder with no husband present, and 32.60% were non-families. 27.10% of all households were made up of individuals, and 11.20% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.48 and the average family size was 3.02.

Lehigh County's population is spread out with 23.90% under the age of 18, 8.10% from 18 to 24, 29.20% from 25 to 44, 23.00% from 45 to 64, and 15.80% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females there were 93.20 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 89.60 males.

2020 Census
Lehigh County Racial Composition[24]
Race Num. Perc.
White (NH) 227,994 60.8%
Black or African American (NH) 22,950 6.12%
Native American (NH) 337 0.1%
Asian (NH) 13,725 3.66%
Pacific Islander (NH) 91 0.02%
Other/Mixed (NH) 12,479 3.33%
Hispanic or Latino 96,981 26%

Politics and government

As of September 2022, there were 236,122 registered voters in Lehigh County:[25]

  • Democratic: 110,967 (46.99%)
  • Republican: 82,093 (34.77%)
  • No affiliation: 35,271 (14.94%)
  • Other parties: 7,791 (3.30%)

Lehigh County and neighboring Northampton County are part of Pennsylvania's 7th Congressional district. The 7th Congressional district is a contentious swing district with neither Republicans nor Democrats winning the district consistently. Voters elected Republican Charlie Dent in 2004, 2006, and 2008 and, previously, Republican Pat Toomey in 1998, 2000, and 2002. In 2004, the county narrowly voted for John Kerry over George W. Bush for President. In 2008, all statewide Democratic candidates won the county with significant leads and, in the presidential election, Barack Obama won the county, 57.1% to 41.5%, over John McCain. In the 2012 presidential election, Obama again carried the county but by a narrower margin, 53.17% to 45.52%.[26]

United States presidential election results for Lehigh County, Pennsylvania[27]
Year Republican Democratic Third party
No. %No. %No. %
2020 84,418 45.47% 98,498 53.05% 2,739 1.48%
2016 73,690 45.28% 81,324 49.97% 7,719 4.74%
2012 66,874 45.42% 78,283 53.17% 2,067 1.40%
2008 63,382 41.57% 87,089 57.12% 2,002 1.31%
2004 70,160 48.36% 73,940 50.96% 991 0.68%
2000 55,492 47.71% 56,667 48.72% 4,148 3.57%
1996 45,103 42.51% 48,568 45.77% 12,439 11.72%
1992 42,631 37.12% 46,711 40.68% 25,494 22.20%
1988 56,363 56.30% 42,801 42.76% 943 0.94%
1984 61,799 59.69% 41,089 39.69% 649 0.63%
1980 50,782 52.91% 34,827 36.28% 10,376 10.81%
1976 46,895 49.20% 46,620 48.92% 1,793 1.88%
1972 58,023 62.39% 33,325 35.83% 1,654 1.78%
1968 47,255 49.53% 44,033 46.15% 4,120 4.32%
1964 32,245 34.64% 60,377 64.86% 471 0.51%
1960 54,278 57.64% 39,640 42.10% 249 0.26%
1956 50,564 63.30% 29,067 36.39% 251 0.31%
1952 45,143 57.52% 33,033 42.09% 303 0.39%
1948 32,202 53.65% 26,826 44.69% 994 1.66%
1944 31,584 51.75% 29,134 47.73% 315 0.52%
1940 29,584 47.00% 33,007 52.43% 359 0.57%
1936 25,841 41.27% 35,325 56.41% 1,455 2.32%
1932 21,169 46.95% 21,939 48.65% 1,985 4.40%
1928 40,291 74.35% 13,463 24.84% 434 0.80%
1924 20,826 59.02% 10,415 29.52% 4,043 11.46%
1920 18,032 59.49% 10,863 35.84% 1,415 4.67%
1916 10,588 44.67% 11,920 50.29% 1,194 5.04%
1912 2,722 12.20% 10,834 48.56% 8,755 39.24%
1908 11,593 48.80% 11,285 47.50% 879 3.70%
1904 11,826 52.89% 10,138 45.34% 394 1.76%
1900 9,775 47.64% 10,438 50.87% 304 1.48%
1896 9,507 48.90% 9,369 48.19% 567 2.92%
1892 7,089 41.65% 9,699 56.99% 231 1.36%
1888 6,977 43.35% 8,927 55.47% 190 1.18%
1884 6,357 43.72% 8,095 55.67% 88 0.61%
1880 6,144 42.49% 8,292 57.35% 23 0.16%


County executives
Lehigh County Executives
Name Party Term start Term end
Jane R. Ervin Republican 2002 2006
Don Cunningham Democratic 2006 2012
William H. Hansell, Jr. Democratic 2012 2013
Matt Croslis Democratic 2013 2014
Tom Muller Democratic 2014 2018
Phil Armstrong Democratic 2018 Incumbent

Commissioners
DistrictHolderParty
1stAntonio PinedaRepublican
2ndRon BeitlerRepublican
3rdZach Cole BorghiDemocratic
4thGeoff BraceDemocratic
5thJeffrey DuttRepublican
At-LargeBob ElbichDemocratic
At-LargeDave HarringtonDemocratic
At-LargeDan HartzellDemocratic
At-LargeZakiya SmallsDemocratic

Other county offices
OfficeHolderParty
Clerk of Judicial RecordsAndrea NaugleDemocratic
County ExecutivePhil ArmstrongDemocratic
ControllerMark PinsleyDemocratic
CoronerDaniel A. BuglioDemocratic
District AttorneyJames B. MartinRepublican
SheriffJoseph HannaRepublican

State House of Representatives[28]
DistrictRepresentativeParty
22Peter SchweyerDemocratic
131Milou MackenzieRepublican
132Michael H. SchlossbergDemocratic
133Jeanne McNeillDemocratic
134Ryan E. MackenzieRepublican
183Zach MakoRepublican
187Gary DayRepublican

State Senate[28]
DistrictRepresentativeParty
16Pat BrowneRepublican
18Lisa BoscolaDemocratic

U.S. House of Representatives
  • Susan Wild, Democrat, Pennsylvania's 7th congressional district

Education
Baum School of Art in Allentown, January 2009
Cedar Crest College in Allentown, March 2014
Muhlenberg College in Allentown March 2014
Allen High School, one of Allentown's two large public high schools, July 2008
Salisbury High School in Salisbury Township, June 2015

4-year colleges and universities
  • Cedar Crest College, Allentown
  • DeSales University, Center Valley
  • Muhlenberg College, Allentown
  • Penn State Lehigh Valley, Center Valley

2-year colleges and technical institutes
  • Baum School of Art, Allentown
  • Lehigh Carbon Community College, Schnecksville (main campus), and Donley Center, Allentown (satellite campus)
  • Lincoln Tech, Allentown

Public school districts
  • Allentown School District
    • William Allen High School, Allentown
    • Louis E. Dieruff High School, Allentown
    • Francis D. Raub Middle School, Allentown
    • Harrison-Morton Middle School, Allentown
    • South Mountain Middle School, Allentown
    • Trexler Middle School, Allentown
  • Catasauqua Area School District
    • Catasauqua High School, Northampton
    • Catasauqua Middle School, Catasauqua
  • East Penn School District
    • Emmaus High School, Emmaus
    • Eyer Middle School, Macungie
    • Lower Macungie Middle School, Macungie
  • Northern Lehigh School District
    • Northern Lehigh High School, Slatington
    • Northern Lehigh Middle School, Slatington
  • Northwestern Lehigh School District
    • Northwestern Lehigh High School, New Tripoli
    • Northwestern Lehigh Middle School, New Tripoli
  • Parkland School District
    • Parkland High School, South Whitehall Township
    • Orefield Middle School, Orefield
    • Springhouse Middle School, Allentown
  • Salisbury Township School District
    • Salisbury High School, Salisbury Township
    • Salisbury Middle School, Allentown
  • Southern Lehigh School District
    • Southern Lehigh High School, Center Valley
    • Southern Lehigh Middle School, Center Valley
  • Whitehall-Coplay School District
    • Whitehall High School, Whitehall Township
    • Whitehall-Coplay Middle School, Whitehall Township

Public charter schools
  • Lincoln Leadership Academy Charter School, Allentown
  • Roberto Clemente Charter School, Allentown
  • Seven Generations Charter School, Emmaus

Private high schools
  • Allentown Central Catholic High School, Allentown
  • Salem Christian School, Macungie

Vocational high school
  • Lehigh Career and Technical Institute, Schnecksville

Transportation and infrastructure
Lehigh Valley International Airport, Pennsylvania's fourth busiest airport, in Hanover Township in Lehigh County, March 2014
Albertus L. Meyers Bridge crossing the Little Lehigh River in Allentown in Lehigh County, May 2007

Air

Lehigh County's primary commercial airport is Lehigh Valley International Airport (IATA: ABE, ICAO: KABE), located in Hanover Township. The county is also served by Allentown Queen City Municipal Airport, a two-runway general aviation facility located off Lehigh Street in Allentown and used predominantly by private aviation.[29]

Bus

Public bus service in Lehigh County is available through the Lehigh and Northampton Transportation Authority, known as LANTA. Several private bus lines, including Fullington Trailways and Trans-Bridge Lines, provide bus service from Allentown to New York City's Port Authority Bus Terminal, Philadelphia's Greyhound Terminal and 30th Street Station, Atlantic City's Bus Terminal, and other regional locations.

Major highways
  • I-78
  • I-476 / Penna Turnpike NE Extension
  • US 22
  • US 222
  • PA 29
  • PA 100
  • PA 143
  • PA 145
  • PA 222
  • PA 309
  • PA 329
  • PA 378
  • PA 863
  • PA 873
  • PA 987
  • Cedar Crest Boulevard
  • Lehigh Street
  • Tilghman Street

Media
WLVT-TV, the region's PBS affiliate based in Bethlehem, August 2011

Newspapers

The Morning Call (in Allentown), The Express-Times (in Easton), and The Times News (in Lehighton) each cover Lehigh County.

Radio

Lehigh County-area radio stations include WAEB-AM in Allentown (talk and news), B104 in Allentown (contemporary hits), WZZO in Bethlehem (classic rock), WHOL in Allentown (rhythmic contemporary), and others. Some major New York City stations and every major Philadelphia station are received in the county.

Television

Lehigh County is part of the Philadelphia broadcast media market, the nation's fourth largest media market. Numerous New York City radio and television stations are also carried in the county. Three television stations are based in the county, WBPH-TV Channel 60, WLVT Channel 39 (the Lehigh Valley's PBS affiliate), and WFMZ Channel 69 (an independent television station).

The four major Philadelphia-based network stations serving Lehigh County are KYW-TV (the CBS affiliate), WCAU (the NBC affiliate), WPVI (the ABC affiliate), and WTXF (the Fox affiliate). The four major New York City-based network stations serving Lehigh County are WABC (the ABC affiliate), WCBS-TV (the CBS affiliate), WNBC (the NBC affiliate), and WNYW (the Fox affiliate). The four major Scranton-Wilkes-Barre-based network stations serving Lehigh County are WNEP-TV (the ABC affiliate), WBRE-TV (the NBC affiliate), WYOU (the CBS affiliate), and WOLF-TV (the Fox affiliate).

Telecommunications

From 1947 until 1994, Lehigh County was served exclusively by the 215 area code. With the county's growing population, area code 610 was also allocated to the county in 1994. Today, Lehigh County is covered largely by the 610 area code. An overlay area code, 484, was added to the 610 service area in 1999.[30] A plan to introduce area code 835 as an additional overlay was rescinded in 2001. It has since been reintroduced and will begin use once 610 and 484 extensions are exhausted, possibly as early as September 2022.[31]

Recreation
Dorney Park & Wildwater Kingdom's Steel Force and Thunderhawk roller coasters in Allentown. Steel Force is the eighth tallest steel roller coaster in the world with a first drop of 205 feet (62 m) and a top speed of 75 miles per hour (121 km/h).[32]
Coca-Cola Park in Allentown, home of the Lehigh Valley IronPigs, the Triple-A affiliate of the Philadelphia Phillies, April 2009
Little Lehigh Creek in Allentown's Lehigh Parkway, September 2012
Christmas lights at Lehigh Valley Zoo in Schnecksville, December 2020

Amusement parks

Dorney Park & Wildwater Kingdom, one of the largest amusement and water parks on the U.S. East Coast, is located in South Whitehall Township in the county. It is open May through the end of October.

Fairs and festivals

The Great Allentown Fair, one of the nation's largest and longest ongoing city fairs, is held annually at Allentown Fairgrounds on North 17th Street in Allentown the end of August and beginning of September. Mayfair, an arts and festival fair, is held annually in May on the campus of Cedar Crest College in Allentown.

Golf

Lehigh County is home to multiple golf courses, including Brookside Country Club in Macungie, Lehigh Country Club on Cedar Crest Boulevard in Allentown, Olde Homestead Golf Club in New Tripoli, Saucon Valley Country Club in Upper Saucon Township, Shepherd Hills Golf Club in Wescosville, and Wedgewood Golf Course in Coopersburg.

Museums and history

The county has several museums, including Allentown Art Museum, America on Wheels, Da Vinci Science Center, George Taylor House, Jacob Ehrenhardt Jr. House, Lehigh County Historical Society at Trout Hall, Liberty Bell Museum, Museum of Indian Culture, and others.

Parks and zoo

Lehigh Valley Zoo is located in Schnecksville in the county and is open year-round. Lehigh County also has 25 acres (100,000 m2) of public parks, including:

  • Lehigh Parkway in Allentown, a 999 acres (4.04 km2) city-owned park along Little Lehigh Creek.
  • Lock Ridge Park in Alburtis, a 59.2 acres (0.240 km2) county-owned park along Swabia Creek that includes the Lock Ridge Furnace Museum.
  • Trexler Nature Preserve in North Whitehall Township, a 1,108 acres (4.48 km2) county-owned park along Jordan Creek, which includes the Lehigh Valley Zoo.
  • Whitehall Parkway in Whitehall Township, a 110 acres (0.45 km2) township-owned park connected to the 9 miles (14 km) Ironton Rail Trail.

Communities
Young people gather on 19th Street in Allentown's West End, July 2007
The historic Emmaus Theatre on South Fourth Street in Emmaus, October 2012
Bear Creek Mountain Resort in Longswamp Township, January 2012
The George Taylor House in Catasauqua, home of George Taylor, a Founding Father of the United States who signed the Declaration of Independence
A farm in Lynn Township in the northwest corner of Lehigh County, February 2008

Under Pennsylvania law, there are four types of incorporated municipalities: cities, boroughs, townships, and, in only one case, towns. The following cities, boroughs, and townships are located in Lehigh County:

Cities

Boroughs
  • Alburtis
  • Catasauqua
  • Coopersburg
  • Coplay
  • Emmaus
  • Fountain Hill
  • Macungie
  • Slatington

Townships
  • Hanover Township
  • Heidelberg Township
  • Lower Macungie Township
  • Lower Milford Township
  • Lowhill Township
  • Lynn Township
  • North Whitehall Township
  • Salisbury Township
  • South Whitehall Township
  • Upper Macungie Township
  • Upper Milford Township
  • Upper Saucon Township
  • Washington Township
  • Weisenberg Township
  • Whitehall Township

Census-designated places

Census-designated places are geographical areas designated by the U.S. Census Bureau for the purposes of compiling demographic data. They are not actual jurisdictions under Pennsylvania law. Other unincorporated communities, such as villages, may be listed here as well.

  • Ancient Oaks
  • Breinigsville
  • Cementon
  • Cetronia
  • DeSales University
  • Dorneyville
  • Egypt
  • Fullerton
  • Hokendauqua
  • Laurys Station
  • New Tripoli
  • Schnecksville
  • Slatedale
  • Stiles
  • Trexlertown
  • Wescosville

Unincorporated communities
  • Balliettsville
  • Best Station
  • Center Valley
  • Colesville
  • Eagle Point
  • East Texas
  • Emerald
  • Fogelsville
  • Friedensville
  • Gauff Hill
  • Germansville
  • Hensingersville
  • Hosensack
  • Ironton
  • Jacksonville
  • Kuhnsville
  • Lanark
  • Limeport
  • Locust Valley
  • Lynnport
  • Mickleys
  • Neffs
  • New Smithville
  • Old Zionsville
  • Orefield
  • Pleasant Corners
  • Powder Valley
  • Scherersville
  • Schoenersville
  • Shimerville
  • Sigmund
  • Summit Lawn
  • Vera Cruz
  • Walbert
  • Wanamakers
  • Werleys Corner
  • West Catasauqua
  • Zionsville

Population ranking

Lehigh County's largest cities, townships, boroughs, and other communities, based on the 2020 census, include:[33]

† county seat

Rank City/Town/etc. Municipal type Population (2020 Census)
1 † Allentown City 125,845
2 Bethlehem (mostly in Northampton County) City 74,982
4 Emmaus Borough 11,652
5 Ancient Oaks CDP 6,995
6 Catasauqua Borough 6,518
7 Wescosville CDP 6,039
8 Fountain Hill Borough 4,878
9 Dorneyville CDP 4,406
10 Slatington Borough 4,232
11 Breinigsville CDP 4,138
13 Coplay Borough 3,192
14 Macungie Borough 3,074
15 Schnecksville CDP 2,935
17 Coopersburg Borough 2,386
18 Alburtis Borough 2,361
19 Cetronia CDP 2,115
20 Trexlertown CDP 1,988
22 Laurys Station CDP 1,243
24 DeSales University CDP 953
25 New Tripoli CDP 898
26 Slatedale CDP 455

Notable people

Since its founding in 1812, Lehigh County has been the birthplace or home to several notable Americans, including:

References
  1. Lehigh County at U.S. Census Quick Facts
  2. "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Retrieved June 7, 2011.
  3. "The Lehigh Valley is growing, census numbers show," Lehigh Valley Live, August 23, 2021
  4. Kraus, Scott (April 2, 2016). "Migration driving Lehigh Valley's recent population growth". The Morning Call. Retrieved May 17, 2017.
  5. Shelter House official website, retrieved May 4, 2022
  6. "Emmaus" at Lehigh Valley Marketplace
  7. Roberts, Charles R. (1936). "Place Names of Lehigh County and Their Origin". Proceedings: Lehigh County Historical Society. Lehigh County Historical Society.
  8. Farris, Jaccii. "Eagles to be returned to the top of Soldiers and Sailors Monument in Allentown". Wfmz.com. Retrieved September 11, 2022.
  9. "2010 Census Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. August 22, 2012. Retrieved March 9, 2015.
  10. "Metropolitan statistical areas and components". Census.gov. Retrieved December 19, 2009.
  11. Miller, Benjamin LeRoy (1941). Lehigh County Pennsylvania: Geology and Geography. Harrisburg, Pennsylvania: Department of Internal Affairs, Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.
  12. "Normal Monthly Precipitation, Inches". Archived from the original on September 19, 2006. Retrieved November 4, 2006.
  13. "Snowfall – Average Total In Inches". Archived from the original on June 19, 2011. Retrieved November 4, 2006.
  14. "Average Days of Precipitation, .01 cm or more". Archived from the original on November 3, 2006. Retrieved November 4, 2006.
  15. "Average Monthly Precipitation". Archived from the original on September 19, 2006. Retrieved November 4, 2006.
  16. "NowData - NOAA Online Weather Data". National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Retrieved May 11, 2021.
  17. "U.S. Decennial Census". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved March 9, 2015.
  18. "Historical Census Browser". University of Virginia Library. Retrieved March 9, 2015.
  19. Forstall, Richard L., ed. (March 24, 1995). "Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved March 9, 2015.
  20. "Census 2000 PHC-T-4. Ranking Tables for Counties: 1990 and 2000" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. April 2, 2001. Archived (PDF) from the original on October 9, 2022. Retrieved March 9, 2015.
  21. "State & County QuickFacts". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on June 6, 2011. Retrieved November 17, 2013.
  22. "The Lehigh Valley is growing, census numbers show" Lehigh Valley Live, August 23, 2021
  23. "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved January 31, 2008.
  24. "P2 HISPANIC OR LATINO, AND NOT HISPANIC OR LATINO BY RACE – 2020: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) – Lehigh County, Pennsylvania".
  25. "Commonwealth of Pennsylvania 2021 Voter Registration Statistics - Official Primary Voting Analysis" (PDF). Dos.pa.gov. May 18, 2021. Archived (PDF) from the original on October 9, 2022. Retrieved September 11, 2022.
  26. "Election Results 2008: President Map". New York Times. November 21, 2008. Retrieved November 23, 2008.
  27. Leip, David. "Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections". uselectionatlas.org.
  28. "Find Your Legislator". The official website for the Pennsylvania General Assembly. Legislativate Data Processing Center. Retrieved April 21, 2017.
  29. "Queen City Airport Designated General Aviation Airport of the Year by the Federal Administration Eastern Region". Lehigh Valley International Airport. Archived from the original on June 12, 2007. Retrieved June 22, 2007.
  30. "NANP-Overlay of 610 (Pennsylvania) Numbering Plan Area (NPA) with 484 NPA". Nanpa.com. (359 KB)
  31. "PUC reminds eastern and southern pa residents of uocoming activation of '835' area code". www.puc.pa.gov. (20.8 KB)
  32. "Rollercoaster Database: Steel Force (Dorney Park & Wildwater Kingdom)website=Rcdb.com". Retrieved July 10, 2008.
  33. "2010 U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved July 10, 2016.
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