Summers are literal torture. - 5/14/2021

Winter in Allentown is alright, mild temperatures, there isn't much snow but there are some nearby ski resorts with artificial snow. In the summer there are some fun things to do, there are lots of parks and playgrounds, there's also Dorney Park which has great roller coasters and its own waterpark, but there's only so much fun you can have in Allentown's sweltering summer. In the summer, temperatures during the day can reach over 90 degrees F. At night, after 15 minutes of trying to sleep, your pillow is drenched in sweat. If you go to a playground, the equipment gets so hot that touching it is like plunging your hand into boiling water. Simply sitting in a car on a hot day is torture. Even opening the windows or turning on the air conditioning barely cools it down.

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Endless winter and not very safe. - 6/6/2020

do you like cold and snow? Allentown may not be the coldest place in the country but it gets very cold and the winter feels endless...arctic blast after another and there is no spring. It can get in the 30s even in April and it can get cold and even snow at start of May. You get the 6-7 months of cold and winter and 2-3 months of hot and humid weather. There is a LOT of crime, very high rate compared to average.

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Lots to do here - 5/21/2015

This is a beautiful place, kept clean by weekly street sweeping. A multitude of parks exist including the exceptional Rose Garden and sports fields, and people use them a lot. There's a wide variety of music from Big Bands to religious to Classic Rock to hip hop - truly something for everyone.

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weather - 12/6/2010

If you like the changing seasons this is the place for you. In the summer it can get to the upper 90's. Winters are frigid with some heavy snowfall.

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Great Place to Live - 4/26/2009

Allentown is a great place to live and raise a family. We have lived in in a historic house in center city for the last 12 years and just love it. We have two children ages six and ten. We have a tremendous park system, good schools and inexpensive quality of life. The city has an excellent art museum, Baum school of art, discovery science center and symphony hall, all with wonderful childrens programs and classes. If your kids are into art and science this is the place to live. Many new companies are also moving into the area. I would recommend this city to new families, it has many great qualities that make it a great place to live, work and play.

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Crime Ridden with No Plan - 1/5/2009

Allentown is crime ridden and its gotten worse over the years.My entire apartment complex was robbed along with three neighbors car stereos stolen within just a few months.And we do not live in downtown Allentown.At a local watch meeting about a year ago the police stated that the typical response time to nonviolent crimes(i.e.burglary,robbery)was 7 hours as theres not enough police officers.After my computer was stolen the police officer actually laughed at me.This is a bad place to raise children.

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Allentown is on the right track - 10/15/2008

More and more new people seem to find something to love about Allentown every day, making up for the negative, self-loathing denizens that have characterized the city's misery in recent years. Fresh voices want to see Allentown become a special place, and they are finding great partners in neighborhoods like Old Allentown and the West End Theatre District. One of the best parts of living in the city is that you can get involved almost from day one, participating in the revitalization of the urban core of the Lehigh Valley.

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Allentown - 3/16/2008

I've lived here my whole life and noticed that in recent years there's been an influx of minority residents as well as more affluent New Yorkers.

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I Got Out!!! - 10/22/2007

I lived in Allentown for almost three years, from 2002-2005. It was one of the most challenging times in my life. I moved there from the Bay Area, and have lived in several other cities around the country. I enjoy the cultural experiences that a city has to offer, so I thought we would be okay living between New York and Philly. However, they are long drives away, so you are stuck in an area that really doesn't have much to offer in the way of restaurants, cultural activities, or interesting people. I met TONS of people who were from the area, wanted to leave, but were afraid to venture out in the world, so there they stayed. There is NOTHING that I would recommend about the area. Pick a suburb close to Philly if you move to that area. It will be more alive and interesting. Allentown is just a weird little world....everyday I feel lucky to have gotten out with my sanity. I now live in the Portland, Oregon area, and I LOVE it!!

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Too close to NYC and Philadelphia - 10/10/2007

City has never developed its own entertainment seen.

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stay away if your a good, moral person who wants - 7/27/2007

Allentown is not like how it used to be 30 years ago...i wish i did my research then when i was moving lol....this place is crime, drug infested! i would not recommend this town...stay away from the down town area .and the allentown school district is horribly...all the state test...the childrens scores are way below what they should be. i'm looking forward to move soon. but ares near dorney park....20th street and on, cedar crest...is the total opposite! oh and did i mention the sex offenders? they swarm this town...it's funny you dont notice how bad it is at first but now that i do i'm eagar to move.

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Depends where you are... - 6/27/2007

Allentown has been described as a slum with a monument in the middle. In some ways, that accurately portrays the downtown area. However, the areas outside of the downtown area vary and many are very nice neighborhoods. Not much cohesion in the city--distinct neighborhoods, mostly quiet. Not a bad place to live, overall.

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I can not wait to leave - 5/22/2007

I really don't want to put a place down however, I have no love for this city. I am from NJ and have lived in Colorado,California and up in New York. I have never been so depressed living somewhere. A lot of people here seem like they can't get it together. The schools are really bad and the gangs have become an issue. I refuse to raise my children here. The cost of living is manageable but I do not care. I am leaving my dream job that I worked so hard to obtain next week in order to live somewhere palatable.Good luck if you decide to live in Alentown.

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Nothing special, but... - 11/19/2006

I guess it depends on your background. If you lived in the middle of nowhere your whole life, Allentown will probably seem like a pretty big city to you. And it is... I think Allentown is the 3rd largest city in PA, but that doesn't make it cool. I mean look at California. The 3rd largest city there is San Jose, followed by SanFran, then Long Beach. And I can assure you my friends, Allentown is none of those places.. not even close. No palm trees, no beautiful people, no money, just..well, Allentown. I guess some would say it has its own little charm, which is probably true if you lived there your whole life and continue to do so. I could go on and on about Allentown, but I think what it comes down to is this: If you've lived in Allentown your whole life, and know nothing better, you'll be just fine. Yeah, the city does have it's perks: You live by one of the biggest water/amusement parks in the Northeast, you're about 5 to 10 minutes away from any kind food place or clothing store, including the Promenade (high-class stores) which just debuted...but again, it's no LA or NYC. I'm getting out of this place the second I graduate, and I'm not returning except to visit the 'rents..and even they're planning on moving out once retirement comes around.

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A-town is A-ok - 7/21/2006

I have lived in ALlentown for about a year and have been hanging out here for over two years. I have previously lived in Kutztown and was always hanging out in Bethlehem. Before Kutztown, I lived in New Jersey for about 14 years. In New Jersey, I lived right outside of Stockton and Frenchtown, which are very expensive, beautiful, country-like settings. I feel that Allentown isn't as bad as a lot make it out to be. I felt safer on 12th Street and Linden than I did on 4th Street in Bethlehem's South Side. There is definetly more to do in Bethlehem if you are looking for nightly entertainment, but in Allentown there is plenty of good entertainment if you know where to find it. There is also less college kids everywhere, so you don't always have to deal with the stupid drunken frats. If you plan on living/visiting Allentown, and want to play it safe, the best are is West Allentown, which is any street above 15th. (19th street is really nice). Allentown has a few really great parks, a cool Farmer's Market, nice bars like Cannon's, and a pretty low cost of housing. (I pay $685 for a very nice and spacious 2 bedroom apartment that isn in a nice neighborhood and includes heat and garbage, which is taken care of by a private company that comes 3x a week.) If you ever need to leave the city and go to the the lake or something, the country is only about 10 minutes away. Actually, living in Allentown, anything is about 10 minutes away (Bethlehem, the mall, 2 Walmarts, any fast food place, small surrounding towns). Allentown ain't know NYC, or Philly (thank God it ain't Philly), but for a third-rate city, it is pretty fine.

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OK Jobs, Boredom, High Cost of Living, Douches fro - 7/7/2006

The general comments about the Allentown area are wrong in one way, even the stats on this site show that. The steel bust was some time ago. There are jobs here. Ask someone from Pittsburgh if there are jobs here in Allentown's orbit. This is a booming area, particularly for warehousing but lots more. The wages aren't astronomical but we're making the same as we were in New England. It's expensive and has high taxes, but consistently, its not as bad as its neighbors NJ and NY and there's more room to build. All of NY and NJ are moving here because their states make it even harder to live, but this is still relatively expensive. And boring. May I say that a Boston dork is much better than a Lehigh Valley "cool guy"? I'm from here and I lived in Boston for 7 years (hence use of term "douches") and Providence for 3. Those places are impossibly expensive, but they are cool, there are things to do and the city feels alive. This is a wasteland of Olive Gardens and traffic. My husband and I are moving, its just a question of when. We thought we would buy here, and you can, you just have to commute a long way to get a decent place. Now I'm not so sure we'll put any roots down. We live here free with family which is how to do it. If your parent's don't live here, move somewhere else.

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Allentown, PA climate - 6/22/2006

Moderate Climate. Summers can be hot and humid. Winters are usually cold, but not extreme. Snowfall can vary from year to year. Some years there is less than 10 inches total, others more than 50. A typical 4 seasons climate. Every season is different. Spring can be a little cool and rainy but Fall is just perfect. Dry, sunny and moderate temperatures.

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Lehigh Valley area of PA - 4/19/2006

The Lehigh Valley area of PA is a great place to live. There is a lot to do for families and singles and New York and Philadelphia are each about 90 minutes away. Many former residents of NY and NJ have moved to the Lehigh Valley for the quality of life, while they commute to their jobs in NY and NJ.

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Area ruined by New York and New Jersey Losers - 4/15/2006

The area around Allentown and up to mountians north has become over priced, over grown, and really unfit for humans to live. Only the losers from the neghboring states come here, drive up prices and drive down the quality of life. I lived in Lancaster PA. for over 20 years and watched it happen. now Lancaster that never had much crime is dealing with cluster killings, ugly people, It is truly time of people to move out and leave the area to things invading from the east.

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Alllentown, PA - 4/12/2006

Because of the influx of people from New Jersey & New York coming here to live, the economy & cost of living as a whole here is awful. If you work in PA, you can't afford to live here. The wages are too low, and the cost of living is rising to meet the pay scale of the people who work in New Jersey & New York. Don't come here unless you have an excellent income.

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