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Pennsylvania · Lehigh Valley · #173 Most Populous County in the US
Lehigh County, Pennsylvania
Allentown and the Lehigh Valley - Pennsylvania's third-largest metro and the fastest-growing in the entire Northeast. Mack Trucks, Air Products, a booming warehouse and logistics corridor, and a Billy Joel song that captured a city in transition. Property tax, courts, public records, probate, and senior services for Lehigh County residents.
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Lehigh County's assessment ratio means effective tax rates are low — but incorrect appraisals still cost money. Ownwell manages the appeal with no upfront cost.
Office: Lehigh County Emergency Management / 911 – Lehigh County Government Center, 17 South 7th Street, Allentown, PA 18101 | (610) 782-3000
Services: Countywide emergency management coordination and 911 dispatch
Related: Allentown Emergency Management Agency (city) – Allentown Fire Central Office, 1902 Lehigh St., handles city-level alerts, shelter preparation, and emergency plans for events like fires, tornadoes, and snowstorms.
Roads & Utilities
ROADS & TRANSPORTATION
Roads: I-78 and US-22 serve Allentown, the county seat and largest city in the Lehigh Valley
Transit: LANTA (Lehigh and Northampton Transportation Authority) provides regional bus service – confirm current routes directly.
Business & Permits
BUILDING & PERMITS
Office: No countywide building department – permits are issued at the MUNICIPAL level
Services: City of Allentown Bureau of Building Standards and Safety – City Hall, 435 Hamilton St., 4th Floor, Allentown, PA, Hours: Mon–Fri 8 AM–4 PM
Notes: Confirm the correct jurisdiction for your specific municipality (e.g., Salisbury Township, (610) 797-4000).
Veterans Services
VETERANS SERVICES
County VSO: Lehigh County Veterans Affairs Office – Allentown, PA
Libraries
LIBRARIES
System: Allentown Public Library – serves as the district library for Lehigh County
Main Branch: Allentown Public Library – 1210 W. Hamilton St., Allentown, PA 18102 | Hours: Mon–Tue 12–8 PM, Wed–Fri 9 AM–5 PM, Sat 10 AM–2 PM (closed Sun)
Services: A proud community fixture for over 100 years, standard public library programming and community services
Parks & Recreation
PARKS & RECREATION
Key Assets: Lehigh County’s seat, Allentown, is genuinely and remarkably the town where the LIBERTY BELL itself was hidden for nine months during the American Revolution; in September 1777, following George Washington’s defeat at the Battle of Brandywine, British forces closed in on Philadelphia, and Pennsylvania’s Supreme Executive Council made the urgent decision to remove the city’s most important bells – including the Pennsylvania State House Bell, later famous as the Liberty Bell – to prevent them from being melted down and cast into British weaponry; eleven bells in total, including one from Christ Church, were smuggled out of the city hidden beneath straw, hay, and manure on a convoy of wagons, escorted by a guard of roughly 200 cavalrymen along primitive, rutted dirt roads (paved roads were still 15 years away); the convoy traveled from Philadelphia through Quakertown and into Bethlehem, where the wagons joined a larger Continental Army convoy of some 700 additional wagons, before the State House Bell was finally transferred to the wagon of local farmer Frederick Leaser and carried to what was then called Northampton Towne – present-day Allentown – arriving September 24, 1777; there, the bell and its companions were hidden beneath the basement floorboards of the Zion Reformed Church (also known as the High German Evangelical Reformed Church), near Sixth and Hamilton Streets, remaining concealed throughout the entire nine-month British occupation of Philadelphia; the bell was safely returned to Philadelphia’s State House (later Independence Hall) in June 1778, once British forces had evacuated; the Liberty Bell Museum operated in the church’s basement from 1962 until 2023, when the church building was sold, and its collections and exhibits – including a full-size 1950 French-cast Liberty Bell replica – have since been transferred to the Lehigh Valley Heritage Museum, where an exhibition on the American Revolution now tells this story as part of Pennsylvania’s ongoing America250 semiquincentennial commemorations; a 1,500-pound bronze replica bell, matching the size of the original, was also installed at the historic site as a dedicated America250PA commemorative marker
Notes: Allentown’s genuine, extensively documented role as the wartime hiding place of the actual Liberty Bell – one of the most significant artifacts in American history – is a remarkable and often under-recognized piece of Revolutionary War heritage, directly connected to the same 1777 Brandywine campaign referenced in the Chester, Delaware, and Lancaster County files.
GIS & Maps
GIS & MAPS
GIS Portal: Lehigh County GIS – accessible via lehighcounty.org
Parcel Search: Lehigh County Assessment Office
Addressing/911: Coordinated through Lehigh County Emergency Management / 911
Animal Services
ANIMAL SERVICES
Facility: Lehigh Valley Humane Society (formerly Lehigh County Humane Society) – 640 Dixon Street, Allentown, PA 18103 | (610) 797-1205 | Email: [email protected] | Hours: Daily 12–4 PM (Tue/Thu until 7 PM)
Services: Founded in 1906, a pioneer in establishing the humane movement in Pennsylvania; serves over 200 animals daily; maintains an open-door policy accepting all homeless animals brought to its doors; provides 24-hour rescue and emergency assistance for animals in distress, a trained investigator for cruelty/abuse reports, foster programs, vaccination clinics, and low-cost spay/neuter services; volunteers ages 12-17 must be accompanied by a parent
Environmental & Waste
ENVIRONMENTAL / WASTE MANAGEMENT
Environmental Complaints: PA Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) – dep.pa.gov
Notes: Contact your specific municipality directly for current refuse collection and recycling program details.
NOTES
Lehigh County’s seat, Allentown, is genuinely the town where the actual Liberty Bell was hidden for nine months during the American Revolution, one of the most remarkable and historically significant episodes documented in this entire project. All contact information above was sourced from official county, city, library, and shelter pages as of this writing; phone numbers and hours should be reconfirmed directly with the relevant office before a visit.
About Lehigh County
Lehigh County anchors the western half of the Lehigh Valley – Pennsylvania’s third-largest metropolitan area and, by most measures, the fastest-growing metro in the entire Northeast United States. The Valley’s growth has been driven by its position as a logistics and distribution hub at the intersection of I-78 and I-476, within 90 miles of both New York City and Philadelphia, making it one of the most strategically located freight corridors on the East Coast.
Allentown (the county seat, population ~125,000) is Pennsylvania’s third-largest city – a post-industrial city that Billy Joel captured in his 1982 hit “Allentown,” a lament for the closure of the steel mills and the erosion of the working-class economic security that had sustained the region for generations. The song, written about Bethlehem Steel’s decline in neighboring Bethlehem (Northampton County), resonated far beyond the Lehigh Valley as a statement about deindustrialization across the American Rust Belt. Allentown today is a majority-Latino city – primarily Puerto Rican, with significant Dominican and Central American communities – that has been reinventing itself through healthcare, logistics, and financial services employment.
Mack Trucks – whose iconic Bulldog hood ornament is one of the most recognized symbols in American manufacturing – has been associated with the Lehigh Valley since 1905. Though manufacturing operations shifted, Mack’s headquarters remain in the region. Air Products and Chemicals (industrial gases and chemicals, a Fortune 500 company) is headquartered in Allentown and one of the Lehigh Valley’s largest employers.
The Lehigh Valley Health Network and St. Luke’s University Health Network are the region’s two major hospital systems, each employing thousands and driving significant healthcare sector growth. Lehigh University (in Bethlehem, Northampton County) and Muhlenberg College (in Allentown) contribute to the Valley’s educational character.
The PPL Center arena in downtown Allentown – home of the Lehigh Valley Phantoms (AHL) – anchors a revitalized downtown core that has emerged from years of disinvestment.
County government is a seven-member Board of Commissioners with a County Executive. Separately elected: Controller, District Attorney, Prothonotary, Recorder of Deeds, Register of Wills, Sheriff, and Treasurer.
All Services
Browse every category and topic available for this county.
Pennsylvania assesses property at 100% of market value. Lehigh County’s most recent countywide reassessment was completed in 2020 – relatively recent compared to many Pennsylvania counties. However, the Lehigh Valley’s extraordinary growth and appreciation since 2020 means that many properties – particularly those in high-demand residential communities and logistics corridors – may be assessed below current market value. Conversely, properties purchased at or near the 2021-2022 peak may be assessed above current market in some segments.
The Lehigh County Assessment Office (17 S. 7th Street, Allentown, 610-782-3038) maintains all assessment records.
The appeal process:
File an appeal with the Lehigh County Board of Assessment Appeals at 17 S. 7th Street, Allentown (610-782-3038). The annual filing deadline is August 1 of the tax year. The Board holds hearings and issues written decisions. If unsatisfied, appeal to the Lehigh County Court of Common Pleas within 30 days, then to the Pennsylvania Commonwealth Court.
Pennsylvania inheritance tax rates:
– 0% – surviving spouse and charitable organizations
No Pennsylvania estate tax (repealed 2001). Inheritance tax return due within nine months. 5% discount if paid within three months. Pennsylvania Transfer on Death deeds recognized.
OWNWELL CTA: Lehigh County’s 2020 reassessment is among the more recent in Pennsylvania – but strong post-2020 appreciation may mean your assessed value is now below market. If you purchased at 2021-2022 peak prices above current market, a downward appeal by August 1 may be worthwhile. PA inheritance tax at 4.5% for children applies regardless of estate size. Ownwell manages the appeal with no upfront cost.
Recommended
Lehigh County's 2020 reassessment is among the more recent in Pennsylvania - but strong post-2020 appreciation may mean your assessed value is now below market. If you purchased at 2021-2022 peak prices above current market, a downward appeal by August 1 may be worthwhile. PA inheritance tax at 4.5% for children applies regardless of estate size. Ownwell manages the appeal with no upfront cost.
Courts & Legal
Courts & Legal
The Lehigh County Court of Common Pleas at 455 W. Hamilton Street, Allentown (610-782-3148) handles all civil, criminal, family, and probate matters. The Lehigh County Prothonotary (610-782-3148) and Register of Wills (610-782-3206) at 455 W. Hamilton Street handle civil records and estate administration respectively. The Lehigh County Recorder of Deeds at 17 S. 7th Street (610-782-3119) maintains all land records – deeds, mortgages, and recorded documents.
Logistics and warehouse sector estate planning: The Lehigh Valley’s massive logistics corridor – Amazon, FedEx, UPS, and dozens of major distribution centers employing tens of thousands – has created a large working-class and middle-management workforce with 401(k) assets, union pension benefits (Teamsters and UFCW are significant in the region), and real estate equity from a rapidly appreciating housing market. PA inheritance tax at 4.5% for children catches many families off guard on even modest estates.
Latino community estate planning: Allentown’s large Puerto Rican community has specific estate planning considerations – Puerto Rico uses a civil law system with forced heirship, and residents who maintain property on the island while domiciled in Pennsylvania face dual-jurisdiction succession issues.
Senior Services: The Lehigh County Office of Area Agency on Aging (610-782-3034) at 17 S. 7th Street, Allentown coordinates senior centers, home-delivered meals, transportation, APPRISE Medicare counseling, caregiver support, Adult Protective Services, and connections to Pennsylvania Medicaid long-term care programs.
Genealogy
County-level record sources
Lehigh County Clerk of Judicial Records / Register of Wills, Allentown (probate/estate case files – see Probate section above).
Local societies
No dedicated Lehigh County genealogical society was confirmed in available directories.
Probate & Estate
Losing someone and having to deal with courts and paperwork at the same time is hard. This section won’t make that easier, but it should tell you what to expect, what it costs, and where to go – so at least you’re not walking in blind.
Where to go
Register of Wills, Lehigh County Lehigh County Courthouse, 455 West Hamilton Street, Room 122, Allentown, PA 18101 (610) 782-3162 Lehigh County is in eastern Pennsylvania, seated in Allentown.
Step 1: figure out which path applies
Pennsylvania has NOT adopted the Uniform Probate Code. Probate runs through its own statute, the Probate, Estates and Fiduciaries (PEF) Code, Title 20 of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes. Probate begins at the Register of Wills – an elected county official – in the county where the decedent lived. Routine, uncontested probate happens entirely at the Register of Wills; only disputes escalate to the Orphans’ Court Division of the Court of Common Pleas.
Small Estate Petition (20 Pa.C.S. § 3102) – available when the estate’s personal property (excluding real estate) totals $50,000 or less. This lets an interested party petition the Orphans’ Court directly for approval of a proposed distribution, skipping the need to formally open a full probate estate. Real property is never covered by this simplified process.
Formal Probate – required for estates exceeding $50,000 in personal property, or for any estate involving real property that needs to pass through probate. The Register of Wills validates the will (if any) and issues Letters Testamentary or Letters of Administration.
Step 2: filing for administration
The personal representative files with the Register of Wills in Lehigh County, along with the original will if one exists.
The Register of Wills reviews and, if in order, issues Letters Testamentary or Letters of Administration.
The personal representative gathers assets, notifies heirs and known creditors, and begins settling the estate.
Pennsylvania has a one-year creditor period running from the date of death, not from any published notice.
A Pennsylvania Inheritance Tax Return (REV-1500) must be filed with the Register of Wills, regardless of estate size.
Once debts, taxes, and expenses are settled, remaining assets are distributed according to the will or Pennsylvania’s intestacy laws, and the estate is closed.
What it costs
Filing fees vary; check with Lehigh County directly for current fees.
Pennsylvania has NO separate state estate tax, but its INHERITANCE TAX applies to virtually every estate: 0% to a surviving spouse (and to a parent inheriting from a child 21 or younger), 4.5% to children and other lineal descendants, 12% to siblings, and 15% to everyone else. No dollar exemption.
A 5% early-payment discount applies if paid within 3 months of death; the return and payment are otherwise due within 9 months.
Probate filings, estate administration, and guardianship matters are handled by the following office(s):
REGISTER OF WILLS
17 South 7th St, Allentown, PA 18101
(610) 782-3179
Public Safety & Arrests
Arrest records, inmate search, and law enforcement services are handled by the following office(s):
SHERIFF
455 West Hamilton St, Allentown, PA 18101
(610) 782-3105
Health & Human Services
Offices & Contacts
Health services, social services, and assistance programs are handled by the following office(s):
Allentown Health Bureau
245 North 6th St, Allentown, PA 18102
(610) 437-7760
Assistance Office (DHS)
555 Union Blvd, Allentown, PA 18109
(610) 821-6570
Public Health Information
PUBLIC HEALTH
Office: Lehigh County Public Health / PA Department of Health regional office – Allentown, PA
Services: Immunizations, WIC, environmental health, vital records
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