East Penn Sd, PA - District Data

Original Research by School Decision on East Penn Sd

East Penn School District serves a mid-sized enrollment across a cluster of communities in the Lehigh Valley: Alburtis, Emmaus, Macungie, Wescosville, and portions of Allentown and surrounding townships. The district operates five elementary schools, two middle schools, and one high school, with enrollment fairly stable across the grade bands through high school.

On state assessments in English Language Arts, the district shows stronger performance, with a majority of students in grades three through eight meeting or exceeding proficiency. Math results are notably lower, with about half of tested students meeting the state standard. Among Lehigh County's districts, East Penn's overall proficiency index places it in the top quartile countywide, a meaningful strength. However, chronic absenteeism runs above the county median, suggesting attendance patterns warrant attention from both the school and families.

The student body is predominantly white, with a Hispanic population making up a substantial share and smaller but meaningful representation of Black, Asian, and multiracial students. Free-or-reduced-price-lunch data was not available, so the economic composition of the enrollment cannot be characterized from this data.

The district currently covers ten different zip codes, and housing values across these areas span a wide range. Macungie and parts of Allentown command higher prices; Alburtis and Mertztown are more modest. Rents in the district's coverage area are moderate for the region. The affordability picture reflects a price-to-income ratio that is high by national standards, though the district sits alongside a regional housing market that has seen modest appreciation. Mortgage rates and rental costs both factor significantly into the year-round cost of living here.

A major structural question faces families considering moves to East Penn communities. In late 2023 the school board approved a large K-8 grade realignment that would have converted all elementary schools to K-4 only and redistributed fifth and sixth graders to one middle school and seventh and eighth graders to another, originally scheduled for the 2028-29 school year. In August 2025, however, the board unanimously suspended the project, citing rising construction costs driven by tariffs and concerns about property tax impact. This means the building configuration, grade spans, and cohort sizes remain in their current form, but families should recognize that long-term plans for the district remain unsettled. A parent may want to look into the current status with the district directly before committing to a home purchase, since future changes could affect school assignments and building capacity.

Property taxes are on an upward trajectory. The district's long-range fiscal plan calls for raising the levy by the maximum amount allowable under Pennsylvania's Act 1 index for multiple consecutive years. The 2025-26 budget included such a maximum increase, and the district projects further tax rises through 2029-30. This is a material, multiyear cost-of-ownership factor for any household in these communities.

The district has also made substantial curriculum changes. In response to post-COVID learning gaps, it adopted i-Ready Classroom Mathematics as the primary math curriculum and shifted elementary literacy instruction toward science-of-reading approaches. It also phased out its lowest English track, narrowing the range of leveled course options in that subject. These changes reflect deliberate choices about pedagogy and content delivery.

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District Context

Officially reported figures, 2024-25.

Enrollment

7,943

Grades

KG–12

Schools

Student body

Hispanic 19%

Black 5%

White 66%

Asian 4%

Two+ 5%

Am. Indian / AK Native 0%

Hawaiian / Pac. Isl. 0%

By economic status

Percent proficient by grade, as reported

Economically disadvantaged

Not disadvantaged

ELA

Gr 3

45%

—

Gr 4

48%

—

Gr 5

46%

—

Gr 6

56%

—

Gr 7

54%

—

Gr 8

47%

—

Gr 38

49%

—

Math

Gr 3

51%

—

Gr 4

47%

—

Gr 5

38%

—

Gr 6

28%

—

Gr 7

31%

—

Gr 8

20%

—

Gr 38

35%

—

Schools in this District

10 schools are officially reported under this district.

Academic Performance

Percent of students meeting or exceeding state standards, by grade.

Mathematics

1 grade reported

56%

Grades 3-8

English Language Arts

1 grade reported

68%

Grades 3-8

Housing & Real Estate

Data as of April 2026 | District-weighted from constituent ZIP codes

Home Values

Typical home value$419,151

Year-over-year change+3.6%

Range across 10 ZIP codes$310K to $568K

vs. state typical1.46x

vs. national typical1.14x

Home value trend (12 months)

ZIP code home values (10 ZIP codes)

ZIP	City	Value	YoY	Weight
18062	Macungie	$446K	+2.6%	32.6%
18049	Emmaus	$386K	+3.9%	29.4%
18092	Zionsville	$498K	+4.7%	15.5%
18011	Alburtis	$362K	+3.3%	8.8%
18103	Allentown	$310K	+3.9%	5.4%
18106	Allentown	$446K	+4.8%	5.1%
19539	Mertztown	$358K	+3.6%	2.5%
18104	Allentown	$396K	+3.3%	0.5%
18087	Trexlertown	$353K	+5.7%	0.2%
18034	Center Valley	$568K	+3.8%	0.0%

Rental Market

Typical monthly rent$1,962/mo

Year-over-year change+5.0%

Range across 4 ZIP codes$1,679 to $2,171/mo

Rent trend (12 months)

ZIP code rents (4 ZIP codes)

ZIP	City	Rent/mo	YoY	Weight
18062	Macungie	$2,159	+3.7%	32.6%
18049	Emmaus	$1,792	+6.0%	29.4%
18103	Allentown	$1,679	+7.0%	5.4%
18104	Allentown	$2,171	+3.6%	0.5%

Affordability

Est. monthly mortgage (20% down at 6.48%)$2,115/mo

Home price / national median income5.0x

Annual rent / national median income28.1%

Est. mortgage exceeds rent by$153/mo

Comparison

State typical home value$286,387 (+2.4% YoY)

National typical home value$368,198 (+0.6% YoY)

State ZHVI trend (12 months)

National ZHVI trend (12 months)

Economic Context

30-year fixed mortgage rate6.48%

National unemployment rate4.3%

National median household income$83,730

CPI: Rent of shelter (index)447.05

30-year fixed mortgage rate (12 months)

National unemployment rate (12 months)

National median household income (12 months)

CPI: Rent of shelter (index) (12 months)

Sources: Zillow Home Value Index and Zillow Observed Rent Index (Zillow Group), Realtor.com via Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis (FRED)

Data Currently Unavailable

Civil Rights Data (CRDC)

This profile is derived exclusively from publicly available federal and state datasets. It may not reflect the most current information available. We encourage parents and families to supplement this data with information published directly on the school’s website, which may include more recent figures, additional programs, or updated enrollment data.