Lehigh Valley
TheGreat Appalachian Valley with theLehigh Valley (5) south of theRidge-and-Valley Appalachians betweenKittatinny Valley (4) to the north andLebanon Valley (6) to the south
Interactive Map of Allentown–Bethlehem– East Stroudsburg, PA–NJCSA   Allentown–Bethlehem–Easton, PA–NJMSA   City of Allentown   City of Bethlehem   City of Easton   East StroudsburgMSA   City of East Stroudsburg
Geography
Location	Lehigh County Northampton County
Population centers	Allentown,Bethlehem,Easton
Borders on	Ridge-and-Valley AppalachiansBlue Mountain (north) South Mountain (south) Delaware River (east) Lebanon Valley (west)

40°42′N75°30′W / 40.700°N 75.500°W /40.700; -75.500

TheLehigh Valley (/ˈliːhaɪ/) is ageographic andmetropolitan region formed by theLehigh River inLehigh andNorthampton counties in easternPennsylvania. It is a component valley of theGreat Appalachian Valley bounded to its north byBlue Mountain, to its south bySouth Mountain, to its west byLebanon Valley, and to its east by theDelaware River andWarren County, New Jersey.^[1] The Lehigh Valley is about 40 miles (64 km) long and 20 miles (32 km) wide.^[2] The Lehigh Valley's largest city isAllentown, the third-largest city in Pennsylvania and thecounty seat of Lehigh County, with a population of 125,845 residents as of the2020 census.^[3]

The Allentown–Bethlehem–Easton metropolitan area, which includes the Lehigh Valley, is Pennsylvania'sthird-most populous metropolitan area after those ofPhiladelphia andPittsburgh, and the nation's66th-largest metropolitan area with a population of 886,418 as of 2023. Lehigh County is among Pennsylvania's fastest-growing counties, and the Lehigh Valley leads Pennsylvania in terms of population growth in the 18- to 34-year-old demographic, which constitutes a significant portion of the laborworkforce.^[4] The region's core population centers are located in southern and central Lehigh and Northampton counties alongInterstate 78,Interstate 476,Pennsylvania Route 309, andU.S. Route 22.

The Lehigh Valley has historically been a global leader insteel and other heavymanufacturing industries, which represented a considerable portion of its employment and economic production for most of the 20th century. Beginning in the early 1980s, however, the region's heavy manufacturing sector experienced a rapid downfall, highlighted by the downsizing, bankruptcy, and ultimate closure ofBethlehem Steel, the world's second-largest steel manufacturer for most of the 20th century, and other Lehigh Valley–based manufacturing companies. Throughout the late 20th century, the Lehigh Valley's economy struggled considerably, and it was often cited as one of the most prominent examples of the impact ofdeindustrial economic decline in the nation'sRust Belt during the late 20th century.^[5]

In the early 21st century, the Lehigh Valley's economy began rebounding, and it emerged as a national center for the U.S.logistics industry, especially inwarehousing andintermodal transport.^[6][7] As of 2023, the Lehigh Valley'sgross domestic product (GDP) was $55.7 billion, led by its manufacturing sector, which comprised $9 billion, or 16 percent.^[8] In March 2024, the Lehigh Valley was named the nation's top mid-sized market for economic development bySite Selection magazine based on its number of projects that met criteria for job creation, investment, and size over the previous year.^[9]

The region's primary commercial airport isLehigh Valley International Airport inHanover Township, which in 2023 was utilized by 930,946 passengers and trafficked over 275,000 pounds of cargo, an all-time cargo record for the airport.^[10]

The Lehigh Valley is located in the center of theU.S. Northeast megalopolis, providing ease of access and close proximity to many of the nation's largest population centers, airports, terminals, railways, and seaports, includingNew York City, thenation's largest city, which is 80 miles (130 km) to its east, andPhiladelphia, the nation's sixth-most populous city, which is 50 miles (80 km) to its southeast. The region is located geographically within a one-day drive to over a third of the U.S. population and over half ofCanada's population, which has been a factor in its 21st century emergence as a North American leader inlight manufacturing andcommercial distribution.

Since its settlement in the 18th century, the Lehigh Valley has been the birthplace or home toseveral notable Americans who have proven influential across a broad range of fields, including academia, art and music, business, government and politics, the military, professional andOlympic-level athletics, and other fields.

The Lehigh Valley was settled over the first half of the 18th century largely byGerman immigrants fleeing war andreligious persecution. Prior to their arrival, the region was inhabited byLenape Indian tribes, who hunted, fished, and quarriedjasper in the region. The region was initially established in 1682 as part ofBucks County.Shelter House inEmmaus, constructed in 1734 byPennsylvania German settlers, is the oldest still-standing building structure in the Lehigh Valley and believed to be one of the oldest in the state.^[11]

In 1737, sons ofprovincial Pennsylvania founderWilliam Penn acquired much of the Lehigh Valley in theWalking Purchase during thecolonial period. Lenape Indians subsequently retaliated withraids against European settlers in the region throughout the 1750s and early 1760s, but were moved out of the region by the mid-1760s. In 1752, the region became part ofNorthampton County, andLehigh County was later separated from Northampton County and formally established in 1812.^[12]

Allentown and its surrounding communities played an important and historic role in the emergence of theAmerican Revolution. Some of the first resistance toBritish colonialism began in Allentown and its surroundingLehigh County communities in the Lehigh Valley. As early as June 21, 1774,patriot forces in Allentown began meeting to formulate resistance plans to British colonial governance. On December 21, 1774, aCommittee of Observation was formally established by Allentown-area patriot militias.^[13] Following the signing of theDeclaration of Independence, theColonial British government in Allentown began dissolving and these patriot militias seized control, pressuringTories out of the region.^[14]

In recognition of the strong pro-revolutionary sentiment in the region,Easton was one of only three designated locations, along with Philadelphia andTrenton, New Jersey, where the Declaration was read aloud in public for the first time on July 8, 1776 at noon.^[15]

Following their victory at theBattle of Trenton several months later,Washington and hisContinental Army staff traveled through the present-day Lehigh Valley, proceeding upLehigh Street, which was then called Water Street. Washington and his staff stopped at the foot of Lehigh Street at a large spring on what is the present-day Wire Mill Arboretum in Allentown. They rested there, watered their horses, and then proceeded to their post of duty.^[16] Allentown supported the Revolution, establishing the first hospitals for the treatment of wounded Continental Army troops at various city locations, including at the current location of theFarr Building at 739Hamilton Street.^[17]

As the Revolutionary War progressed, Washington and his commanders also established twoPOW camps in Allentown, one at 8th and Hamilton streets and another on Gordon Street, to house capturedHessian mercenaries.^[18] In addition to visiting Allentown after his victory at the Battle of Trenton, Washington returned to the city and region several additional times during and following the Revolution.^[19]

Allentown also played a historical role in protecting theLiberty Bell from British capture following thefall of Philadelphia to theBritish Army on September 26, 1777, concealing the Liberty Bell for nine months from September 1777 to June 1778 under floor boards in Allentown'sZion Reformed Church. After Washington and the Continental Army's defeat at theBattle of Brandywine on September 11, 1777, the revolutionary capital of Philadelphia was left defenseless andPennsylvania's Supreme Executive Council, anticipating Philadelphia's fall, 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, which was then called Northampton Towne. In Allentown, the Liberty Bell and other bells were hidden under floorboards atZion Reformed Church on West Hamilton Street to protect them from being seized and melted down by the British Army for use as munitions.^{[citation needed]}

The region again proved influential in theAmerican Civil War. Following theUnion army's defeat at theBattle of Fort Sumter andAbraham Lincoln'sproclamation on April 15, 1861 calling for state militia to provide 75,000 volunteers to defend the national capital inWashington, D.C., Allentown immediately deployed its Allen Infantry, which defended Washington, D.C. fromConfederate attack followingFort Sumter's fall. Also known as the Allen Guards, the Allen Infantry mustered in for duty on April 18, 1861. During the late summer and early fall of 1861, members of this unit and other volunteers from within and beyond the Lehigh Valley came together to form the47th Pennsylvania Infantry Regiment, which was established on August 5 and later proved influential in expanding the Union army's reach into theDeep South, permitting it to launch successful attacks againstConfederate positions in theBattle of St. Johns Bluff in 1862 and throughout theRed River campaign in theTrans-Mississippi theater andSheridan'sShenadoah Valley campaign across Virginia in 1864. These victories helped to tip the Civil War in the Union's favor.^[20]

On October 19, 1899, a monument in honor of the Lehigh Valley men killed in their volunteer service to theUnion's preservation, the Soldiers and Sailors Monument, was erected at Seventh andHamilton streets inCenter City Allentown, where it still stands.^[21]

The opening of theLehigh Canal in 1827 contributed significantly to transforming Allentown and the Lehigh Valley from a rural agricultural area dominated byGerman-speaking people into one of the nation's first urbanized industrialized areas. The Lehigh Valley underwent significantindustrialization throughout the 19th and most of the 20th centuries and was a major manufacturing hub in theAmerican Industrial Revolution.

The Lehigh Valley is named for theLehigh River, which runs through the region. It owes much of its development and history toanthracite coal,timber, andore that was only commercially possible with the development of the Lehigh Canal and the Lehigh Valley's extensive railway infrastructure that permitted these minerals and later the region's manufactured steel to be transported for sale in major national and overseas markets.

The Lehigh Canal operated into theGreat Depression, feeding ports up and down theDelaware River, thePennsylvania Canal, and transoceanic demand, and was integral to the industrialization of the greaterDelaware Valley region.Morris Canal, the 22–23 miles (35–37 km)anthracite coal feeder ofDelaware and Raritan Canal. and locks atNew Hope on theDelaware Canal were built to fuel anthracite energy needs ofTrenton,Newark,Jersey City, and New York City.

In 1899,Bethlehem Steel was formed inBethlehem in the Lehigh Valley. The company developed into the nation's second-largest manufacturer ofsteel, and its steel was used in developing many of the nation's earliest and largest infrastructure and building projects, including theEmpire State Building,Madison Square Garden, andRockefeller Center in New York City,Merchandise Mart inChicago, theGeorge Washington,Verrazzano, andGolden Gate Bridges, andwarships and other military equipment that proved essential in American-led victories in both world wars.^[22]

During the 20th century,Bethlehem Steel's ascent was prominently associated with the emergence of the U.S. as both a world leader in global manufacturing and as the world's largest economy, and its late 20th century downfall has often been cited as an example of one of the nation's most prominent first stumbling points in the face of growing foreign trade competition and other economic challenges that contributed to the nation's emergence of itsRust Belt.

In 1982, following nearly a century of global leadership, growth, and profitability in steel manufacturing, Bethlehem Steel abruptly reported operating losses of $1.5 billion, citing foreign competition fromAsian economies and costly U.S. governmental regulations and labor costs for the losses. The company abruptly reduced operations, resulting in considerable Lehigh Valley layoffs and a dramatic related economic downturn in the region.^[23]

Bethlehem Steel continued functioning on a vastly reduced scale for a period, but ultimately ceased steel manufacturing entirely at its primaryBethlehem-based manufacturing plant in 1995. In 2001, the company filed for bankruptcy protection and, in 2003, the company was dissolved. In the late 20th and early 21st centuries, the downturn and ultimate demise of Bethlehem Steel, once one of the most iconic and prominent symbols of American global economic power and leadership, emerged as an example cited by those who believe American global economic leadership is now in either gradual or even rapid descent.^[24]

In 2023,U.S. News & World Report ranked the Lehigh Valley the ninth-best place in the nation to retire.^[25] Also in 2023,realtor.com ranked the Lehigh Valley "the 21st hottest housing market" in the nation.^[26]

The Lehigh Valley isgeologically andgeographically part of theGreat Appalachian Valley, a geographic region made up oflimestone that stretches along the eastern edge of theAppalachian Mountains. The Lehigh Valley is so named because it is located geographically within an actualvalley formed by theLehigh River that lies between two mountain ridges,Blue Mountain in the Valley's north andSouth Mountain in the Valley's south.^[2] The Lehigh Valley is the lower part of thedrainage basin of the Lehigh River.^[27]

The Lehigh Valley has three principal cities: Allentown, Bethlehem, and Easton. The region is located between two of the nation's largest population centers, 90 miles (140 km) west ofNew York City, the nation'slargest andworld's 11th-largest city, and 60 miles (97 km) north ofPhiladelphia, the nation'ssixth-largest andworld's 68th-largest city.The region bordersCarbon County and theCoal Region to its north, theDelaware River andWarren County, New Jersey to its east,Bucks andMontgomery Counties in suburban Philadelphia to its south, andBerks andSchuylkill Counties to its west.

• Allentown (125,845)
• Bethlehem (75,781)
• Easton (28,127)

Allentown–Bethlehem–Easton, PA–NJ Metropolitan Statistical Area
Metropolitan Statistical Area
Clockwise from top left:Allentown,Bethlehem,Easton, andPhillipsburg, NJ
Map of the Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ Metro Area
Country	United States
States	Pennsylvania New Jersey
Principal cities	Allentown Bethlehem Easton
Rank	68th
Area [28]
• Total	1,453 sq mi (3,760 km2)
Population  (2020 U.S. Census)
• Total	861,889[29]
• Density	593.2/sq mi (229.0/km2)
Time zone	UTC−5 (ET)
• Summer (DST)	UTC−4 (EDT)
Area codes	484 and 610

TheAllentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ Metropolitan Statistical Area is aMetropolitan Statistical Area that includesCarbon County in theCoal Region,Lehigh andNorthampton counties in the Lehigh Valley, andWarren County in theSkylands region of northwestNew Jersey.^[28][30] As of 2023 census estimates, it is the67th-largest metropolitan area in the nation with a population of 873,555.^[31]

In July 2023, the area was added to the newly createdAllentown-Bethlehem-East Stroudsburg PA-NJCombined Statistical Area (CSA).^[32] This area also includesMonroe County in thePocono Mountains region of Pennsylvania. As of the 2020 census, the Allentown-Bethlehem-East Stroudsburg, PA-NJ CSA had a population of 1,030,216, the 59th-largest CSA in the nation.

The Lehigh Valley has four distinct seasons, which typically include hot and humid summers, cold winters, and short and mild springs and falls. It has ahumid continental climate (Dfa/Dfb) and thehardiness zone ranges from 5b in higher elevation locations in northernCarbon County to 6b, the principal zone inLehigh,Northampton, and southernWarren Counties.^[33] The 1991-2020 hardiness zone forLehigh Valley International Airport and lower elevations is 7a.

The Lehigh Valley has a total population of 861,889 residents as of the2020 U.S. census, making it thethird-largest metropolitan area in Pennsylvania and68th-largest metropolitan area in the nation.^[37]

A 2018American Community Survey conducted by theU.S. Census Bureau found that 87.1% of the Lehigh Valley's population wasWhite American, 4.6% wasBlack or African American, 0.1% wasAmerican Indian, 2.3% was Asian American, 0.1% wasNative Hawaiian, 0.1% werePacific Islander Americans, 4.3% were of some other race, and 1.5% belonged to two or more races.Hispanics and Latinos of any race made up 11.3% of the population and represent the Lehigh Valley's fastest-growing demographic.Lehigh County is in the top 1% of all U.S. counties for inward migration from international locations, according toSelect USA, aU.S. Department of Commerce program.^[4] The Lehigh Valley leads Pennsylvania in terms of population growth in the 18-to-34 year old demographic, according to 2020 census data.^[4]

The Lehigh Valley's population growth is partly a result of a growing influx of residents fromNew Jersey andNew York drawn to the Lehigh Valley's lower cost of living, its employment opportunities, and its close proximity to Philadelphia and New York City, the nation's sixth and largest cities, respectively. The Valley's population is expected to increase by 227,000 people by 2040, making it one of the fastest-growing areas in the state and nation.^[38]

Median household income for the region increased from $57,288 to $81,709 between 2015 and 2024.^[39][40]

The Lehigh Valley's economy has been known historically and globally for its leadership throughout the 19th and 20th centuries in heavy manufacturing. Beginning in the 1980s, however, the region's manufacturing sector declined rapidly as a result of foreign competition, trade practices, operational costs, regulations, and other factors. The most prominent example was the plight ofBethlehem Steel, the world's second-largest manufacturer of steel for much of the 20th century. Headquartered inBethlehem, Bethlehem Steel abruptly suspended most of its operations in the early 1980s, declared bankruptcy in 2001, and was dissolved in 2003.

Since the late 20th century, the Lehigh Valley has recovered and evolved substantially from the loss of its once powerful manufacturing and steel production base with other industry sectors having emerged in the region, providing a much more diversified regional economy. The region has frequently been cited and heralded nationally as arust belt success story for this dramatic revitalization.Site Selection magazine has named the Lehigh Valley one of the top 5 best performing mid-sized markets in the country repeatedly since at least 2014 and the top performing mid-sized market in the country as 2023.^[40]

As of 2020, the Valley's top five industries were finance, manufacturing, health care and education, professional and business services, and information. Other major industry sectors in the area include transportation, retail trade, and restaurants and hospitality. In 2023, the Lehigh Valley's totalgross domestic product was $55.7 billion. The Lehigh Valley boasts a workforce of over 365,900 people residing within the region and over 1.7M people residing within a one-hour commute of the region as of 2023.^[41][40]

The Lehigh Valley is known historically for its production ofsteel,Portland cement,silk, andapparel.Bethlehem Steel, founded in 1899 and based in Bethlehem, was a foundation of the Lehigh Valley's economy for nearly a century from 1899 through the early 1980s. At the pinnacle of its success, Bethlehem Steel was the nation's second-largest and one of the world's largest steel manufacturers. Bethlehem Steel was instrumental in the development of many of the nation's most prominent 20th century infrastructure projects. Its steel was used to build28 Liberty Street,Chrysler Building, theEmpire State Building,Madison Square Garden,Rockefeller Center, and theWaldorf Astoria hotel in New York City andMerchandise Mart inChicago. Among major bridges, the company's steel was used to construct theGeorge Washington Bridge andVerrazzano-Narrows Bridge in New York City, theGolden Gate Bridge inSan Francisco, and thePeace Bridge betweenBuffalo andFort Erie, Ontario. TheRoosevelt administration relied heavily on Bethlehem Steel duringWorld War II, utilizing the company to produce the steel necessary for shipbuilding, ammunition, and other military equipment that proved essential to theAllies' ability to prevail in these conflicts.

In the late 20th century, however, a variety of factors, including the practices of foreign competitors, began eroding Bethlehem Steel's once historical global leadership insteelmaking. In 1982, the company announced it was discontinuing most of its operations. In 2001, the company declared bankruptcy. In 2003, it was dissolved. Throughout the late 20th century, other heavy manufacturing companies in the Lehigh Valley that once served as backbones for the region's economy suffered similarly, either downsizing significantly or dissolving, which destabilized the region considerably.

In the early 2000s, seeking to replace the heavy manufacturing companies that had been the region's foundation for decades, the Lehigh Valley began developing other economic sectors, including financial services, health care, life sciences, and technology. The Lehigh Valley also began emerging as a national warehouse and distribution hub, due in part to its proximity to many of the largest U.S. markets and relatively lower operating costs compared to otherNortheast U.S. regions.^[42] More recently, a movement to reestablish manufacturing activities in the U.S., driven by customer demand for American-made products, faster product delivery, increased overseas wages, and inflated costs and extended timeframes for shipping has led to some renewed growth in the Valley's manufacturing sector.^[43] Several large companies fromChina andGermany have invested tens of millions of dollars into developing significant operations in the Lehigh Valley, which has generated thousands of new jobs in the region.^[44]

As of 2024, the Lehigh Valley's five top private sector employers are: 1.)Lehigh Valley Health Network (headquartered inAllentown); 2.)St. Luke's Hospital and Health Network (headquartered inFountain Hill); 3.)Amazon (with a 1,100,000 ft (335,280.0 m) square foot facility inPalmer Township); 4.)Mack Trucks (with manufacturing headquarters inMacungie); and 5.)Air Products (globally headquartered inTrexlertown).^[45]

Other notable Lehigh Valley companies includeC. F. Martin & Company inNazareth, which manufacturers Martin Guitars, used by some of the world's most prominentguitarists, includingJohnny Cash,Elvis Presley,Bob Dylan,Hank Williams,Neil Young,John Lennon,Willie Nelson,Kurt Cobain,Eric Clapton, and others.

The Lehigh Valley is one of the fastest-growing and largest economies in Pennsylvania and the United States with a totalGDP of $55.7 billion (as of 2023) that saw a four percent increase between 2022 and 2023 alone driven by strong manufacturing, financial, health care, and professional services industry segments.^[46][47] It was named in March 2024 as the top mid-sized market in America by Site Selection Magazine for economic development based on the number of projects that met certain criteria for job creation, investment and size in 2023.^[48]

It is centrally located in theNortheast megalopolis with ease of access and close proximity to several of the largest U.S. markets, population centers, airports, terminals, railways, and seaports, including the New York City and Philadelphia metropolitan areas. The Lehigh Valley is within a one-day drive to over a third of the U.S. population and to over half the population ofCanada.^[49][50] The Valley has a lower cost of living, more affordable real estate, lower taxes, and a larger and more affordable labor pool than many otherNortheastern U.S. metropolitan regions.^[51] These attributes and others, including sizable investments in business development incentive programs and a friendlier regulatory environment, provide the area with a comparatively favorable business climate compared to surrounding metropolitan areas.^{[52][50][53][54][55][56]}

Due in large part to this comparably favorable business climate and mature business support programs,^[57] the Lehigh Valley has been very successful in luring established businesses as well as newstartup companies from higher cost areas such as New York and New Jersey, generating thousands of new jobs and significant new investments in the region.^[52][58] Large companies such asAmazon.com have praised the Lehigh Valley for its commitment to business support, infrastructure investment, and incentive programs, citing these as major reasons for their continuing expansions and increased hiring in the region^[59][60] andAllegiant Air, a low-cost budget airline, opened a new flight base at theLehigh Valley International Airport in February 2020, noting the area's rapid growth, lower operational business costs, and its proximity to popular destinations as significant reasons for expanding their Lehigh Valley International Airport flights.^[61]

Other large national and international companies either based in the Lehigh Valley or with significant operations there includeBroadcom Corporation (in Allentown), Avantor Performance Materials (in Allentown),Air Products (inTrexlertown),Crayola (in Easton),Buckeye Partners (inEmmaus),HeidelbergCement (inFogelsville),Just Born (in Bethlehem, maker ofPeeps candies),Mack Trucks (in Allentown),Martin Guitar (inNazareth),Olympus Corporation (inCenter Valley),OraSure Technologies (in Bethlehem),PPL Corporation (in Allentown),Wind Creek Bethlehem (in Bethlehem),Dun & Bradstreet (in Center Valley),Victaulic (in Easton), and others.

In 2014, 2017, 2018, and 2019, the Lehigh Valley was recognized bySite Selection magazine as the second-best performing region of its size for economic development in the nation and the best performing region in theNortheast U.S..^[62] It was ranked byFortune in 2015 as one of the top 10 best places in the U.S. to locate corporatefinance andinformation technology operations, including call and IT support centers.^[63][64] Allentown, the Lehigh Valley's largest city, was cited as a "national success story" in April 2016 by theUrban Land Institute for its downtown redevelopment and transformation that has led to $1 billion worth of new development projects there between 2015 and 2019, one of only six communities nationally to achieve this distinction.^[65][66]

The Lehigh Valley is one of the leading areas on theEast Coast forwarehouses anddistribution centers. Because of this, it is sometimes referred to as the nation's "secondInland Empire" for freight.^[67] Large national companies that own and operate warehouses and distribution centers in the Lehigh Valley includeAmazon.com,B. Braun,Boston Beer Company (brewer ofSamuel Adams brand beer),BMW,Bridgestone,FedEx SmartPost,FedEx Ground,Home Depot,J. C. Penney,Nestlé Purina,ShopRite,Stitch Fix,The Coca-Cola Company,Ocean Spray, Phillips Pet Food and Supplies,True Value,Uline,Zulily, and others. Most of these warehouses and distribution centers are located along the Valley's southernU.S. Route 22,Interstate 78, andInterstate 476 corridors, which provide direct access to numerous major markets throughout theNortheast U.S. and beyond.

In September 2018,FedEx Ground constructed their largest distribution hub in the country near Lehigh Valley International Airport at a cost of $335 million. This hub can process up to 45,000 packages per hour and employs over 2,000 people. By 2030, it is expected to have a total size of 1,100,000 square feet (100,000 m²) square feet and employ over 3,000 people.^[68][69]

The Boston Beer Company operates its largest U.S. production brewery facility inBreinigsville in the Lehigh Valley, which produces over 2/3rds of allSamuel Adams beer globally. The company continues to upgrade and expand operations at this facility and has cited the location as central to its overall corporate success.^[70] Additionally,Ocean Spray, a popular maker of juice drinks and other fruit products, produces 40 percent of its total national beverage volume at its Lehigh Valley plant in Breinigsville.^[71] Due to Pennsylvania's lack of an excise tax oncigars and the Lehigh Valley's close proximity to major markets, the region is home to some of the nation's largest cigar distributors and retailers.^[72]

The largest retail shopping area in the Lehigh Valley is thePA Route 145/MacArthur Road corridor, just north of Allentown inWhitehall Township, which is anchored byLehigh Valley Mall andWhitehall Mall.

Other Lehigh Valley malls includePalmer Park Mall in Easton,South Mall inSalisbury Township, andWestgate Mall in Bethlehem. In October 2006,Promenade Saucon Valley, located offRoute 309 inUpper Saucon Township in the Lehigh Valley, opened. Promenade is roughly half the size of the Lehigh Valley Mall but features higher end stores not available in Lehigh Valley Mall. In 2011,The Outlets at Wind Creek Bethlehem opened atWind Creek Bethlehem in Bethlehem, becoming the Lehigh Valley's first outlet mall.^[73]

The Lehigh Valley is part of the Philadelphia television market, the nation'sfourth-largest television market, and also receives television stations from the New York City andScranton/Wilkes-Barre television markets. Lehigh Valley–based stations includeWBPH-TV, a Christian television licensed to Bethlehem with studios in Allentown,WFMZ-TV, an independent commercial television station onSouth Mountain in Allentown, andWLVT-TV, thePBS station licensed to Allentown with studios in Bethlehem.

The Lehigh Valley is home to over 35 radio stations, including bothEnglish andSpanish-language stations and a range of formats, includingall-news,sports radio,talk radio, andNPR. Lehigh Valley station music formats includeTop 40,hip hop,rhythmic,country,oldies,polka,soft rock,classic rock,hard rock, and severalcampus radio stations.

Lehigh Valley–based daily newspapers includeThe Morning Call andThe Express-Times, both of which have been media sources in the Lehigh Valley dating back to the mid-1800s, andNJ.com, an aggregation website that carries news articles from multiple Lehigh Valley andNew Jersey–based newspapers.

Two magazines cover the region.Lehigh Valley Style is a regional lifestyle publication based inEaston.Lehigh Valley Magazine, based inHarrisburg, is the region's oldest lifestyle publication.

Multiple movies have been fully or partially filmed in the Lehigh Valley, includingM. Night Shyamalan'sGlass in 2019, indie dark-comedyGetting Grace starringDaniel Roebuck,Taylor A. Purdee'sfolk rockmusicalKillian & the Comeback Kids, and others.^[74]

Seven colleges and universities are based in the Lehigh Valley:

• Cedar Crest College (in Allentown)
• DeSales University (inCenter Valley)
• Lafayette College (in Easton)
• Lehigh University (in Bethlehem)
• Moravian University (in Bethlehem)
• Muhlenberg College (in Allentown)
• Penn State Lehigh Valley (in Center Valley)

The Lehigh Valley has twocommunity colleges:

• Lehigh Carbon Community College (with campuses in Allentown,Carbon County, andSchnecksville)
• Northampton Community College (with campuses in Bethlehem,Bethlehem Township, andMonroe County)

The Lehigh Valley is the third-most populous metropolitan region in Pennsylvania and served by several large school districts, public and private high schools, middle schools, and elementary schools, including:

The largest high schools in the Lehigh Valley and thePoconos (18 in all) compete athletically in theEastern Pennsylvania Conference. Smaller Lehigh Valley high schools compete in theColonial League.

The Lehigh Valley is home to the nation's longest-standingcollege football rivalry in the nation. Known as "The Rivalry,"Lafayette College in Easton andLehigh University in Bethlehem have played each other 160 times since 1884, making it themost-played rivalry incollege football history.^[75] Two other Lehigh Valley colleges,Moravian University in Bethlehem andMuhlenberg College in Allentown, have competitive collegiate football programs; Muhlenberg plays their home football games atScotty Wood Stadium on the Muhlenberg campus in Allentown.

From 1996 until 2012, the Lehigh Valley hosted the pre-seasontraining camp for theNFL'sPhiladelphia Eagles, which was held each summer atGoodman Stadium and other football fields atLehigh University in Bethlehem. On August 5, 2012, Garrett Reid, the 29-year-old son of then Eagles head coachAndy Reid, was found dead in his Lehigh University dorm room during training camp from aheroin overdose.^[76] The following year, in 2013, following the Garrett Reid overdose and the hiring of new head coachChip Kelly, the Eagles chose to move their training camp to the NovaCare Complex inSouth Philadelphia.

Parkettes National Gymnastics Training Center in Allentown has been the training ground for numerousOlympic and U.S. national gymnastics champions. In 2003,CNN aired a highly critical documentary on the center,Achieving the Perfect 10, which depicted its as a hugely demanding and excessively competitive training program.

The 18 largest high schools in the Lehigh Valley andPocono Mountain regions compete athletically in theEastern Pennsylvania Conference (EPC), one of the nation's premier athletic divisions. An additional 14 Lehigh Valley high schools too small to compete in the EPC belong to theColonial League.

The EPC has produced numerous professional andOlympic athletes, includingMLB, theNBA, and theNFL professional athletes. The EPC'sfootball,basketball,field hockey, andwrestling teams are often ranked among the nation's best.^[77] In high school field hockey,Emmaus High School inEmmaus has won 33 consecutive EPC championships as of 2021.^[78]

The Lehigh Valley's high school wrestling programs have been described as "among the nation’s best in the sport for nearly three decades"^[79] andWIN magazine has ranked the region's wrestling programs best in the nation.^[80]

In 2008,Coca-Cola Park, an 8,278-seatMinor League baseball stadium, opened in east-side Allentown.^[81] The stadium is the home field for theLehigh Valley IronPigs, theTriple-A affiliate of thePhiladelphia Phillies ofMajor League Baseball. The team previously played as theOttawa Lynx from 1993 until moving to Allentown in 2008.^[82] The club's move to the Lehigh Valley brought the franchise closer to Philadelphia and the Phillies' large Lehigh Valley fan base. The team's name is a reference topig iron, which is used insteelmaking for which the Lehigh Valley area is known worldwide. Groundbreaking ceremonies for Coca-Cola Park were held September 6, 2006, and construction was completed in December 2007. The stadium's first game was March 30, 2008, featuring the Phillies major league team playing the Lehigh Valley IronPigs.

On September 10, 2014, thePPL Center, an 8,500-seat arena inCenter City Allentown, was opened as the new home arena for theLehigh Valley Phantoms, theAmerican Hockey League affiliate of thePhiladelphia Flyers, and for other sporting and entertainment events. The Phantoms began play at PPL Center with their2014–15 season. The arena takes up the entire block between Seventh and Eighth andHamilton and Linden streets.^[83]

Lehigh Valley Roller Derby (LVRG) is aWomen's Flat Track Derby Association league based at Bethlehem Municipal Ice Rink in Bethlehem in the Lehigh Valley. The league's teams compete nationally and internationally.

The Lehigh Valley Health Network Via Marathon, sponsored byLehigh Valley Health Network, features a certified marathon, five-person team relay, a 20-mile (32 km) training run, and 5K walk annually in September. The 42.195-kilometer (26.219 mi) course follows the Lehigh River Canal Towpath from Allentown to Easton. In 2015, the marathon came under scrutiny whenMike Rossi achieved viral fame after allegedly cheating in the marathon to qualify for theBoston Marathon. In response, Via Marathon organizers added timing mats and video surveillance on the course.^[84]Lehigh University's Paul Short Run is held annually at the Goodman Cross Country Course; participation has climbed to over 5,000 runners spread throughout 14 college and high school races. The Emmaus 5K race is held annually in mid-October, coinciding withEmmaus' annual Halloween parade.^[85]

The Lehigh Valley is home to theValley Preferred Cycling Center, acyclingvelodrome inBreinigsville that hosts professional and amateur cycling competitions, includingUnion Cycliste Internationale-sponsored competitions. Valley Preferred Cycling Center has given rise to severalOlympian cycling medal winners.

TheAllentown Art Museum, located inCenter City Allentown, is the Lehigh Valley's largest museum with over 11,000 works of art. Lehigh University'sZoellner Arts Center andLafayette College's smaller Williams Center for the Arts host a variety of plays, concerts, and performances throughout the year. TheAllentown Symphony Orchestra, conducted byDiane Wittry since 1995, performs at Allentown's historicMiller Symphony Hall. The Banana Factory, located inSouth Bethlehem, has several art studios and galleries open to the public.^[86]

The Lehigh Valley is home toDorney Park & Wildwater Kingdom, a popular amusement andwater park, located inSouth Whitehall Township. Dorney Park is known nationally for its elaborateroller coasters and water rides.^[88]

In 2009, Sands Casino Resort, an $879 million casino, hotel and apartment complex then owned by theLas Vegas Sands opened in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, bringing legalized table and sports gambling to the Lehigh Valley for the first time. In 2018, the casino was renamedWind Creek Bethlehem following its $1.3 billion sale to Wind Creek Hospitality. Wind Creek Bethlehem is one of only 13 authorized gaming sites in Pennsylvania.

Several large festivals are held annually in the Lehigh Valley. TheGreat Allentown Fair, first held in 1852, is held annually in late August through early September at theAllentown Fairgrounds in Allentown.^[89]Musikfest, a large, eleven-day music festival, is held annually in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania each August.^[90] Das Awkscht Fescht, an antique car festival, is held annually the beginning of August inMacungie's Memorial Park.^[91] Blues, Brews, and Barbeque, launched in 2014, is held annually in May inCenter City Allentown.^[92]Mayfair Festival of the Arts, a three-day arts festival, is held annually the end of May on the campus ofCedar Crest College in Allentown.^[93]

The Valley's multiple golf courses includeSaucon Valley Country Club inUpper Saucon Township, which hosted the2009 U.S. Women's Open. Others include Allentown Municipal Golf Course, Brookside Country Club inMacungie, Green Pond Country Club in Bethlehem, Lehigh Country Club onCedar Crest Boulevard in Allentown, Olde Homestead Golf Club inNew Tripoli, Riverview Country Club in Easton, Shepherd Hills Golf Club inWescosville, Steel Club inHellertown, Southmoore Golf Course inBath, Wedgewood Golf Course inCoopersburg, Willow Brook Golf Course inNorthampton, and others.

The region's primaryski resort isBear Creek Mountain Resort, a 23 slope resort inMacungie.^[94] Three Lehigh Valley locations exist forice skating,ice hockey,figure skating, andspeed skating. Steel Ice Center is on East 1st Street in Bethlehem,^[95] The Rink Ice Arena is inLehigh County,^[96] and the City of Bethlehem maintains a covered 23,000-square-foot outdoor ice rink from November through March. Bethlehem Skateplaza on Steel Avenue in Bethlehem is a city park forskateboarding andfreestyle BMX.^[97]

TheLehigh Valley Zoo inSchnecksville is a 29-acre (11.7 ha) zoo open year-round. The Lehigh Valley hasa number of public parks, including the 629-acre (254.5 ha)Lehigh Parkway along theLehigh River in Allentown and the 1,108-acre (448.4 ha)Trexler Nature Preserve inSchnecksville.

The Lehigh Valley's primary commercial airport isLehigh Valley International Airport (IATA:ABE,ICAO:KABE) inHanover Township in the Lehigh Valley, roughly 7 miles (11 km) north-northeast of Allentown, 4 miles (6.4 km) northwest of Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, and 11 miles (18 km) west-southwest of Easton. The airport was utilized by 851,000 passengers in 2020.Allegiant Air recently completed a significant expansion at the airport.^{[98][99][100][101]}

The Valley is also served byAllentown Queen City Municipal Airport, a two-runway general aviation facility located off Allentown'sLehigh Street, used predominantly by private aviation. Other general-aviation airports includeBraden Airpark (also owned by the Lehigh-Northampton Airport Authority) in Easton, Pennsylvania,Hackettstown Airport in easternWarren County, New Jersey, andJake Arner Memorial Airport inLehighton.

Public bus service in Lehigh Valley is available throughLANta, the region's public transportation service. InNew Jersey, bus service is provided byNJ Transit, including to theEaston Intermodal Transportation Center in Easton.

The Lehigh Valley has several commercial bus services, includingGreyhound Lines,Klein Transportation, andTrailways, and others, that provide transportation to and fromNew York City,Philadelphia,Reading,Harrisburg, and other regional destinations throughout the day.OurBus provides service to and from Philadelphia.Martz Trailways provides transport from the region toScranton viaWilkes-Barre, and also provides service to Philadelphia as anAmtrak Thruway route that connects toAmtrak at30th Street Station in Philadelphia.Chinatown bus lines operates multiple round trip bus lines daily betweenManhattan andWind Creek Bethlehem in Bethlehem; as of 2014, more than 3,000 passengers daily utilized Chinatown bus lines' service from Manhattan toWind Creek Bethlehem.^[102]

The Lehigh Valley is a major national thruway for commercialrail transport with roughly 65 commercial trains passing through the Valley daily. The region's largest freight rail operator isNorfolk Southern Railway, which uses two former rail lines,Lehigh Valley Railroad'sLehigh Line andReading Railroad'sReading Line. Norfolk Southern Railway has major classificationrail yards in both Allentown and Bethlehem.

Passenger train service in the Valley is available just outside the Lehigh Valley atDoylestown (31.2 miles (50.2 km) southeast), atAnnandale, New Jersey (roughly 41.8 miles (67.3 km) east), and atHackettstown station inHackettstown, New Jersey (49.5 miles (79.7 km) northeast). The Valley's closestAmtrak station isBryn Mawr SEPTA, 50.4 miles (81.1 km) miles south of the Valley. Two major passenger rail hubs,30th Street Station in Philadelphia andNewark Penn Station inNewark, New Jersey, are roughly 60 miles (97 km) southeast and 81.9 miles (131.8 km) west, respectively.

In March 2023, thePennsylvania Department of Transportation funded a preliminary study to assess the feasibility of restoring passenger rail to the region.^[103]

The Lehigh Valley is accessible from four major highways:

• Interstate 476, the Northeast Extension of thePennsylvania Turnpike, is a toll highway that runs 131 miles (211 km) fromChester in the south toScranton andWilkes-Barre region in the north.
• Interstate 78 is a major east–west highway that runs through the southern part of the Valley and is duplexed withPennsylvania Route 309. I-78 runs fromLebanon County in the west to theHolland Tunnel andLower Manhattan in the east.
• Pennsylvania Route 33 runs north–south through the Lehigh Valley from thePoconos in the north toNorthampton County in the south.
• U.S. Route 22 is a major freeway that runs through the Valley fromKuhnsville in the western part of the Valley to Easton in the Valley's east. The highway extends fromCincinnati, Ohio in the west through the Valley to Newark, New Jersey at its eastern terminus.

Other major Lehigh Valley roads include:

• Cedar Crest Boulevard is a north–south highway that runs fromNorth Whitehall Township in the north through West Allentown toEmmaus in the south.
• Lehigh Street runs northeast to southwest, originating inCenter City Allentown and terminating in Emmaus.
• Pennsylvania Route 145 is a divided local road that leads to theLehigh Valley Mall and its surrounding commercial district.
• Tilghman Street runs fromFogelsville in the west, continuing as Union Boulevard to Bethlehem in the east. Tilghman Street runs through most of Allentown, intersecting with Cedar Crest Boulevard,Pennsylvania Route 100, Pennsylvania Route 309, and other major Lehigh Valley highways.

The Lehigh Valley area initially was served only by the215area code from 1947 (when theNorth American Numbering Plan of theBell System went into effect) until 1994. With the region's growing population, the Lehigh Valley was grantedarea code 610 in 1994. Today, the Lehigh Valley is mainly covered by 610. Anoverlay area code, 484, was added to the 610 service area in 1999.^[104] Area code 835 entered service on September 2, 2022.^[105]

Lehigh Valley AVA, which was designated an officialAmerican Viticultural Area in March 2008, includes 230 acres (93 ha) ofvineyards planted to severalVitis vinifera andFrench-American hybrid grapevarieties. Blue Mountain Vineyards inNew Tripoli accounts of over 50 acres (20 ha) of the 230 acres and has won national and international awards. As of 2008, an estimated 15 to 20% of all wine produced commercially in Pennsylvania comes from grapes grown in the Lehigh Valley AVA.^[106]

Since its settlement in the 18th century, the Lehigh Valley has been the birthplace or home to several famous Americans, including:

• Mario Andretti, former professional race car driver
• Michael Andretti, professional racing team owner and former race car driver
• Saquon Barkley, professional football player,Philadelphia Eagles
• Chuck Bednarik, former professional football player, Philadelphia Eagles, 1967Pro Football Hall of Fame inductee
• Stephen Vincent Benét, former novelist andPulitzer Prize-winning poet
• Howard J. Buss, composer, music publisher, former trombonist
• Leon Carr, formerBroadway songwriter and composer
• Jack Coleman, television actor,Dynasty,Heroes,The Office, andCastle
• Michaela Conlin, television actress,Bones
• H.D., former poet and novelist
• Jimmy DeGrasso,heavy metal drummer,Ozzy Osbourne,Alice Cooper Band,Megadeth,Dokken, andRatt
• Dane DeHaan, television and film actor,In Treatment,Chronicle,A Cure for Wellness, andValerian and the City of a Thousand Planets
• Devon, adult film actress
• Keith Dorney, former professional football player,Detroit Lions
• Jonathan Frakes, actor,Star Trek: The Next Generation
• Mike Hartenstine, former professional football player,Chicago Bears andMinnesota Vikings
• Bob Heffner, former professional baseball player,Boston Red Sox,California Angels, andCleveland Indians
• Tim Heidecker, actor, comedian, musician,Tim and Eric Awesome Show, Great Job! andDecker
• Larry Holmes, former boxing heavyweight champion
• Todd Howard, video game designer,Fallout andThe Elder Scrolls
• Lee Iacocca, former president and chief executive officer,Chrysler
• Keith Jarrett, jazz musician
• Michael Johns, healthcare executive and formerWhite House presidential speechwriter
• Dwayne Johnson ("The Rock"), actor and former professional wrestler
• Billy Kidman, former professional wrestler andWWE producer
• Daniel Dae Kim, film and television actor,Lost
• Steve Kimock, rock musician
• Brian Knobbs, former professional wrestler
• Dan Koppen, former professional football player,Denver Broncos andNew England Patriots
• Carson Kressley, fashion consultant,Bravo'sQueer Eye
• Lisa Ann, adult film actress
• Varvara Lepchenko, professional tennis player
• Jonathan Linton, former professional football player,Buffalo Bills
• Carmen Maria Machado, literary fiction author
• William Marchant, former playwright and screenwriter
• Kristen Maloney,2000 Summer Olympics gymnast
• Ed McCaffrey, former professional football player,Denver Broncos, New York Giants, andSan Francisco 49ers
• Kate Micucci, actress, comedian, singer, and songwriter
• Matt Millen, former professional football player,Oakland Raiders,San Francisco 49ers, andWashington Redskins and former president and general manager,Detroit Lions
• Lara Jill Miller, actress and voice actress,Gimme a Break! andThe Amanda Show
• Marty Nothstein, former Olympic gold medal winner, track cycling
• Andre Reed, former professional football player,Buffalo Bills andWashington Redskins, 2014Pro Football Hall of Fame inductee
• Ian Riccaboni, author andRing of Honor professional wrestling sports broadcaster
• Daniel Roebuck, actor,Matlock,Lost,Glee, andGrimm
• Jimmie Schaffer, former professional baseball player,Chicago Cubs,Chicago White Sox,Cincinnati Reds,New York Mets, Philadelphia Phillies andSt. Louis Cardinals
• Brian Schneider, former professional baseball player,Miami Marlins, New York Mets, Philadelphia Phillies, andWashington Nationals
• Amanda Seyfried, actress,Veronica Mars,Big Love,Mamma Mia!, andLes Misérables
• Curt Simmons, former professional baseball player,California Angels,Chicago Cubs, Philadelphia Phillies, andSt. Louis Cardinals
• Dana Snyder, voice actor,Adult Swim'sAqua Teen Hunger Force
• Christine Taylor, actress and wife of actorBen Stiller
• Jonathan Taylor Thomas, actor,Home Improvement
• Bobby Weaver,1984 Summer Olympics gold medal winner,wrestling
• Lauren Weisberger, author,The Devil Wears Prada
• Cindy Werley,1996 Summer Olympics field hockey player
• Jordan White, rock musician
• David Zinczenko, founder and chief executive officer, Galvanized, and author,Eat This, Not That
• David Zippel,Tony-award-winning lyricist,City of Angels

Wikimedia Commons has media related toLehigh Valley.

Wikivoyage has a travel guide forLehigh Valley.

• Official website at Discover Lehigh Valley
• Lehigh Valley news atThe Morning Call
• Lehigh Valley news atWFMZ-TV
• Lehigh Valley news atCBS News
• "Famous People from the Lehigh Valley,"The Morning Call, August 18, 2006
• "Lehigh Valley Pop Culture Connections" at Discover Lehigh Valley, January 2, 2023
• "Lehigh Valley Passport to History", a partnership of local historic sites

• Lehigh Valley
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