Allentown Senior AdvisorLehigh County had about 384,383 residents on July 1, 2025, 19.8% of them 65 or older, with a median age of 40.3. It runs from Allentown and the western half of Bethlehem through the Macungies, Emmaus and the Saucon Valley to the farm townships of northern Lehigh below Blue Mountain.
Lehigh County runs its own Area Agency on Aging inside county government, the Office of Aging and Adult Services in the Government Center on South 7th Street in Allentown. It is also the home county of Lehigh Valley Hospital–Cedar Crest.
How many seniors and licensed care options are in Lehigh County, PA?
Lehigh County had about 75,975 residents 65 and older (19.8% of 384,383) and 8,681 aged 85 and older on July 1, 2025, and the state's records list 35 licensed personal care homes and assisted living residences and 16 certified nursing homes there.
| Available in Lehigh County | Not available in Lehigh County | |
|---|---|---|
| Licensed or certified here | Personal care homes: 34, Assisted living residences: 1, Nursing homes: 16, Home health agency offices: 17, Hospice offices: 9 | — |
| Not found here | — | Every category is represented |
| Homes with a secured dementia unit | 17 | — |
Population: U.S. Census Bureau, Vintage 2025 county population estimates by age (CC-EST2025-AGESEX-42), July 1, 2025.
How much personal care capacity does Lehigh County have per older resident?
Lehigh County's licensed homes hold 2,406 resident places for about 33,288 residents aged 75 and older, roughly one place for every 13 people in that age group, plus 2,686 certified nursing home beds.
Statewide, 21.4% of Pennsylvanians were 65 or older in the same estimates, against 19.8% in Lehigh County. Capacity is not the same as availability: many homes keep waiting lists for their dementia units, and some licensed places are in semi-private rooms.
Where is licensed senior care located within Lehigh County?
By mailing address, Lehigh County's licensed homes and nursing homes are spread across the communities in the table below; each community page lists every license there.
| Community | PCH/ALR | Resident places | Dementia units | Nursing homes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Allentown | 17 | 1414 | 9 | 8 |
| Bethlehem | 3 | 119 | 1 | 4 |
| Emmaus, Macungie & Trexlertown | 4 | 275 | 3 | 2 |
| Saucon Valley, Coopersburg & Limeport | 6 | 219 | 1 | 1 |
| Whitehall & Northern Lehigh | 5 | 379 | 3 | 1 |
Who helps seniors and caregivers in Lehigh County, PA?
Lehigh County's Area Agency on Aging is the Lehigh County Office of Aging and Adult Services, at 610-782-3200 (information and referral); it offers OPTIONS care management, the family caregiver support program, nursing home transition, home-delivered meals, PA MEDI counseling and protective services for adults 60 and older.
Lehigh County Government Center, 17 S. 7th Street, Allentown, PA 18101. Reports of suspected abuse: 610-782-3034 or the statewide line 1-800-490-8505, 24 hours a day.
Is the LIFE program available in Lehigh County?
Yes: DHS lists 2 LIFE providers whose service area includes Lehigh County: SeniorLIFE Lehigh Valley, 3365 High Point Blvd, Bethlehem ((610) 954-5433); SeniorLIFE Reading, 20 Shelbourne Rd, Reading ((610) 404-3200).
LIFE is Pennsylvania's name for PACE: an all-inclusive program for adults 55 and older who meet nursing facility level of care, built around a day center. See how LIFE works.
Which hospitals serve Lehigh County?
Lehigh Valley Hospital–Cedar Crest in Salisbury Township is the region's largest hospital and Level I trauma center, with Lehigh Valley Hospital–17th Street and Lehigh Valley Hospital–Muhlenberg in Bethlehem on the same CMS certification; Lehigh Valley Health Network combined with Jefferson Health in 2024. St. Luke's runs its Allentown campus on West Hamilton Street, and Good Shepherd Rehabilitation Network is based on South 4th Street in Allentown.
| Hospital (CMS name) | City | CMS overall rating |
|---|---|---|
| Lehigh Valley Hospital–Cedar Crest | Allentown | 4 of 5 |
| Lehigh Valley Hospital–Macungie | Macungie | Not rated |
