Is Lehighton, PA a Good Place to Live?
Lehighton is a small town of 5,279 in Pennsylvania, with a median household income of $59,940 and a 9.4% unemployment rate. Its cost of living index is 98 (US average = 100), which is 2% below the national average.
Strengths: Lehighton stands out for below-average home prices, lower-than-average crime, solid school ratings (B+).
Trade-offs: Potential downsides include an elevated unemployment rate. Whether Lehighton is right for you depends on your priorities — the full breakdown is below.
All Lehighton city data on this page comes from official government sources — the US Census Bureau, FBI, NCES, BEA, and NOAA — updated annually.
Cost of Living
Index: 98.4Lehighton's overall cost of living index is 98.4, where 100 represents the US national average. Living in Lehighton costs roughly 2% less than the average American city.
| Metric | Lehighton, PA | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| Median Home Value | $171,300 | $244,900 |
| Median Monthly Rent | $926 | $1,163 |
| Homeownership Rate | 52.4% | 65.9% |
| Median Household Income | $59,940 | $74,755 |
Crime & Safety
Very SafeLehighton's violent crime rate is 152.1 per 100,000 residents — 60% lower than the national average of ~380 per 100,000.
Vertical marker = national average. Source: FBI UCR Program.
Schools & Education
Lehighton is served primarily by Lehighton Area SD. The student-to-teacher ratio is 10.6:1 (better than the national average of ~16:1).
| Metric | Lehighton, PA | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| School District | Lehighton Area SD | — |
| Elementary Schools | 1 | — |
| Middle Schools | 1 | — |
| High Schools | 1 | — |
| Student/Teacher Ratio | 10.6:1 | 16:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 17.1% | 35.4% |
| High School Diploma or Higher | 92.0% | 91.1% |
Weather & Climate
Lehighton sees average highs of 35.6°F in January and 81.7°F in July, with 51.9 inches of annual precipitation and 27.3 inches of snow per year.
| Metric | Lehighton, PA |
|---|---|
| Average High — January | 35.6°F |
| Average High — July | 81.7°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 51.9" |
| Annual Snowfall | 27.3" |
Demographics
| Metric | Lehighton, PA | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 5,279 | — |
| Median Age | 42.1 | 38.9 |
| Unemployment Rate | 9.4% | 3.7% |
| Avg Commute Time | 26.9 min | 26 min |
| White (non-Hispanic) | 93.0% | 59.3% |
| Black or African American | 0.0% | 13.6% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 3.6% | 18.9% |
| Asian | 0.0% | 6.3% |
| Under 18 | 22.8% | 22.2% |
| 65 and over | 21.1% | 16.8% |