1 census tracts · pop 6,411 · pop-weighted Eviction Risk Score 6.6/10
· range 6.6–6.6
South Side is a one-tract neighborhood of Allentown, PA, population 6,411. The Eviction Risk Score is 6.6/10, in the Elevated tier. 50% are severely burdened, paying half their income or more in rent. That cohort has no absorption capacity for an unexpected bill, and it is where non-payment filings originate.
59% of renters here are cost-burdened at the 30% threshold, well clear of the Allentown rate of 35.0%. The main counterweight is supply constraint, at 2.3/10. Average gross rent is $1,095, 17% below the Allentown average of $1,317.
Court records for this tract carry 522 eviction filings. The worst year on record was 2000, when filings touched 14.0% of renter households.
Recent filings have not receded much: 9.8% in 2006 against a 14.0% peak. That places it #1 of 26 neighborhoods in Allentown. For a like-for-like read, Center City and Union Terrace score within a fraction of it.
Social vulnerability runs high at 8.6/10, concentrating the disaster- and displacement-exposure this model treats as a lagging risk input. Annual rent works out to 28% of average household income of $47,000. 38% of occupied units are renter-occupied.
One tract means one number: 6.6/10 applies directly to any address inside the boundary. Scores move when the ACS release, the court-record feed, or the statute ledger behind them moves.
Risk score
6.6
Elevated
1 tracts · population-weighted
South Side vs AllentownHow this neighborhood stacks against the citywide average
Single-parent HH, disability, language barriers, age 17- / 65+
Racial/ethnic minority83%ile
Hispanic + non-white share of population
Housing & transport42%ile
Multi-unit structures, mobile homes, crowding, no vehicle
Eviction filings · Princeton Eviction Lab
Court-record eviction history in South Side
Aggregated across 1 validated constituent tract. Filing rate is filings per 100 renter households, pop-weighted.
Historic baseline (2000–2018)
522Total filings (sum)
10.73%Avg annual filing rate
14.0%Peak year (2000)
9.78%Latest filed (2006)
Frequently asked
About South Side
Q1
What is the eviction-risk score for South Side?
South Side scores 6.6/10 (Elevated 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.
Q2
How does South Side compare to Allentown overall?
South Side scores 1.4 points higher than Allentown overall (5.2/10). Renters spend 59% of income on rent vs 35% citywide. Average rent: $1,095 vs $1,317.
Q3
What is the average rent in South Side?
Average gross rent in South Side is $1,095/month (pop-weighted across 1 census tracts, ACS 5-year 2023). 59% of renter households are cost-burdened.
Q4
What percentage of South Side residents are renters?
38% of South Side households are renter-occupied (vs 57% in Allentown). The neighborhood has 6,411 residents.
Q5
Is South Side a high social-vulnerability area?
South Side sits in the 84th 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.
Q6
How safe is South Side for landlords?
South Side carries a elevated-tier eviction-risk profile for landlords (6.6/10). 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 (5.2/10), this neighborhood is higher-risk.
Q7
What is the demographic breakdown of South Side?
South Side has 6,124 residents. Top groups: Hispanic / Latino (59.4%), White (non-Hispanic) (28.1%), Black (non-Hispanic) (7%). Source: ACS 5-year 2023, table B03002.
