Economy of Allentown, Pennsylvania facts for kids
Allentown, Pennsylvania is the home of several companies, such as Air Products and Chemicals, PPL, Norfolk Southern Railway and others. The largest employer in the Lehigh Valley is Lehigh Valley Hospital with almost 8,000 employees.
Mack Trucks relocated their headquarters from Allentown to Greensboro, North Carolina in 2009, eliminating over 600 jobs.
Tourism and activities
The new PPL Center stadium with the Lehigh Valley Phantoms hockey team has reinvigorated the downtown area for tourists and locals. New restaurants and shops have opened creating a pleasant walking neighborhood. Previously established attractions include the Allentown Art Museum and the Baum School of Art.
Throughout the rest of the Lehigh Valley, other attractions include the Moravian Book Shop, Historic Hotel Bethlehem, and Steel Stacks from the old steel factory in Bethlehem. The Crayola Factory is located in Easton and Lost River Caverns is located in Hellertown. Many universities attract scholars and academics from all over the country.
Former corporations
The following is a list of companies formerly headquartered in Allentown and the surrounding area:
- Bethlehem Steel
- Hess's
- Mack Trucks
- Lehigh Valley Railroad
- Conrail
Top employers
According to Allentown's 2009 Comprehensive Annual Financial Report, the top employers in the city are:
# | Employer | # of Employees |
---|---|---|
1 | Allentown School District | 2,946 |
2 | PPL | 1,888 |
3 | Lehigh County | 1,815 |
4 | Commonwealth of Pennsylvania | 1,507 |
5 | Allied Personnel Services | 1,415 |
6 | City of Allentown | 1,274 |
7 | Sacred Heart Hospital | 1,225 |
8 | Lehigh Valley Hospital | 1,085 |
9 | St. Luke's Hospital | 1,049 |
10 | The Performance Group | 1,019 |
Images for kids
-
Allentown, Pennsylvania, the largest city in the Lehigh Valley, third largest city in Pennsylvania, and county seat of Lehigh County, May 2010
-
The global headquarters of Air Products, an $8.8 billion S&P 500 company headquartered outside Allentown in Trexlertown, Pennsylvania, March 2014
-
Corporate headquarters of PPL Corporation, a $7.6 billion S&P 500 company in Center City Allentown, January 2007
-
South Mall on Lehigh Street outside Allentown, one of several Allentown-area shopping malls, June 2015