Neighborhood · Allentown, PA

1st Ward Eviction Risk: Moderate

1 census tracts · pop 2,521 · pop-weighted Eviction Risk Score 5.9/10 · range 5.9–5.9

1st Ward is a hispanic / latino neighborhood in Allentown with 1 census tract and a population of 2,521 residents. The neighborhood's pop-weighted eviction-risk score of 5.9/10 (Moderate tier) blends state law, county-level filing rates, parent-city politics, and tract-specific rent-to-income ratios + poverty. 53% of renters here pay at least 30% of household income on rent, and 31% are severely cost-burdened (≥50% of income). Average gross rent of $1,189/month sits 10% lower than the Allentown citywide average ($1,317).

Risk score

5.9

Moderate

1 tracts · population-weighted

1st Ward vs Allentown How this neighborhood stacks against the citywide average

% of income on rent

53.2% +52%

Allentown: 35.0%

Average gross rent

$1,189 -10%

Allentown: $1,317

Average HH income

$45,788 -14%

Allentown: $53,403

Poverty rate

17.1% -21%

Allentown: 21.6%

Renter share

73.4% +29%

Allentown: 56.8%

Peer neighborhoods

Neighborhoods with similar eviction risk

Same county, closest by Eviction Risk Score.

Geographic context

Risk heat across 1st Ward and the region

Click any tract to drill in · 1 tracts span score 5.9–5.9

Why 1st Ward scores 5.9

9 axes · pop-weighted · 1 = landlord-friendly

State political climate

legislature & governorship · Range 3.4–3.4 across tracts

3.4

Regional political climate

County-level mix · 2024 presidential margin · Range 5.4–5.4 across tracts

5.4

Local political climate

Parent city governance · Range 5.5–5.5 across tracts

5.5

Rent control risk

53% of income on rent · Range 4.0–4.0 across tracts

4.0

Eviction process difficulty

State notice requirements & court backlog · Range 5.5–5.5 across tracts

5.5

Tenant organizing strength

73% renter households · Range 5.0–5.0 across tracts

5.0

Housing court bias

County bench composition · Range 5.5–5.5 across tracts

5.5

Economic stress

17.1% below poverty line · Range 4.3–4.3 across tracts

4.3

Supply constraint

Rent-to-FMR gap & zoning friction · Range 2.9–2.9 across tracts

2.9

Risk score comparison

1st Ward vs. parent city, state, U.S.

Eviction Risk Score (0–10 scale).

Census tracts

1 tracts in 1st Ward

Ranked highest-risk first. Click for per-tract detail.

Tract↕	Score↕	Pop↕	% over 30% on rent↕	Average rent↕
42077000500	5.9	2,521	53%	$1,189

Social Vulnerability Index

CDC SVI percentile: 98

Pop-weighted across 1 tracts. Higher = more vulnerable to disaster, displacement, and rent shocks. Source: CDC/ATSDR SVI 2022.

Socioeconomic status 95%ile

Poverty, unemployment, no-HS-diploma, housing cost burden

Household characteristics 95%ile

Single-parent HH, disability, language barriers, age 17- / 65+

Racial/ethnic minority 90%ile

Hispanic + non-white share of population

Housing & transport 91%ile

Multi-unit structures, mobile homes, crowding, no vehicle

Eviction filings · Princeton Eviction Lab

Court-record eviction history in 1st Ward

Aggregated across 1 validated constituent tract. Filing rate is filings per 100 renter households, pop-weighted.

Historic baseline (2000–2018)

278Total filings (sum)
11.85%Avg annual filing rate
16.2%Peak year (2005)
14.29%Latest filed (2006)

Frequently asked

About 1st Ward

What is the eviction-risk score for 1st Ward?

1st Ward scores 5.9/10 (Moderate tier) across 1 census tracts. The pop-weighted Eviction Risk Score blends state law, county filing rates, parent-city politics, and tract-specific rent-to-income and poverty signals.

How does 1st Ward compare to Allentown overall?

1st Ward scores 0.9 points higher than Allentown overall (5/10). Renters spend 53% of income on rent vs 35% citywide. Average rent: $1,189 vs $1,317.

What is the average rent in 1st Ward?

Average gross rent in 1st Ward is $1,189/month (pop-weighted across 1 census tracts, ACS 5-year 2023). 53% of renter households are cost-burdened.

What percentage of 1st Ward residents are renters?

73% of 1st Ward households are renter-occupied (vs 57% in Allentown). The neighborhood has 2,521 residents.

Is 1st Ward a high social-vulnerability area?

1st Ward sits in the 98th percentile nationally on the CDC Social Vulnerability Index (highly vulnerable). The index combines poverty, unemployment, household composition, racial/ethnic minority share, and housing/transportation factors across all US census tracts.

How safe is 1st Ward for landlords?

1st Ward carries a moderate-tier eviction-risk profile for landlords (5.9/10). Pop-weighted across 1 constituent tracts, the score blends parent-city rent-control posture, county eviction-process timelines, and tract-specific rent-to-income / poverty signals. Compared to Allentown as a whole (5/10), this neighborhood is higher-risk.

What is the demographic breakdown of 1st Ward?

1st Ward has 2,474 residents (Hispanic / Latino Neighborhood). Top groups: Hispanic / Latino (67.6%), Black (non-Hispanic) (16.2%), White (non-Hispanic) (12.9%). Source: ACS 5-year 2023, table B03002.

Nearby

Other neighborhoods near 1st Ward

6.5 North of Tilghman 2 tracts · pop 8,896 5.6 Eighth Ward 2 tracts · pop 8,648 6.1 West End Theatre District 3 tracts · pop 13,339 4 Biery's Port Historic District 2 tracts · pop 10,769 2.2 Locust Valley 2 tracts · pop 8,098

Sibling neighborhoods

Other neighborhoods inside Allentown

Same parent city, ranked by score similarity to 1st Ward.

5.9 East Allentown 1 tracts · pop 4,473 5.9 7th Street 1 tracts · pop 4,419 5.9 South Side 1 tracts · pop 6,411 6 Midway Manor 1 tracts · pop 4,816 5.8 Eighth Ward 2 tracts · pop 8,648 6.1 Waldheim Park 1 tracts · pop 7,162

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