The Lehigh Valley’s economy continued to grow and diversify in 2024, with manufacturing again driving much of the growth. The population continued to increase as well, with people attracted by the region’s high quality of life and the range of employment opportunities offered.
New companies moved in. Existing companies announced and broke ground on expansions. A unique apprenticeship program grew. The Lehigh Valley’s track record of accomplishments drew visits by the President and Governor, along with international journalists seeking to tell our story of economic renaissance.
Here is a look at some of the events that made 2024 a successful year, as Lehigh Valley Economic Development Corporation (LVEDC) prepares to celebrate 30 years of building partnerships to attract and retain employers and create jobs for people of all skill and education levels.
Record GDP
In early December, the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) released new data for regional Gross Domestic Product and the Lehigh Valley set another record, at $55.7 billion for 2023. 
When factoring in inflation, the Lehigh Valley’s economy grew by 4% from 2022, faster than the state, the Northeast, and the nation. The data measures private sector output and is the most-recent available, as GDP data lags by one year.
The data shows the Lehigh Valley has a balanced economy, where manufacturing plays a critical role. Manufacturing output rose to $9 billion, comprising 16% of the region’s GDP. That’s an increase from BEA’s adjusted 2022 figure of $8.2 billion. Production of non-durable goods, such as food and beverages and consumer and health products drove that growth. Nationwide, manufacturing makes up 12% of GDP.
Other leading contributors to the region’s GDP in 2023 were: finance, insurance, and real estate; education, health care, and social assistance; and professional and business services.
#1 for Economic Development
In March, the Lehigh Valley was ranked as the top mid-sized market in America for economic development, based on the number of projects that met criteria for job creation, investment, and size in 2023. The ranking was awarded by Site Selection magazine, an authority in the corporate real estate and economic development field.
Significant Projects
Global semiconductor developer and manufacturer Infinera announced plans to build a new advanced testing and packaging facility in Bethlehem with funding from the U.S. CHIPS and Science Act. Infinera and the U.S. Department of Commerce have signed a non-binding preliminary memorandum of terms for the CHIPS funding.
ATAS International broke ground on an expansion that will nearly double the size of one of its manufacturing facilities in the Lehigh Valley that produces metal panels used in building construction.
DCM Metals Corp. of Canada set up its first U.S. location in Bethlehem, to manufacture steel studs.
US Specialty Formulations, which produces sterile injectable, topical, and specialty pharmaceuticals, announced a $15 million expansion of its Allentown manufacturing location.
Phoenix Tube Co. Inc. broke ground on a 75,000-square-foot expansion in Bethlehem to accommodate increasing demand for its products, which include stainless-steel tubing, rounds, squares, rectangles, and processed flat bar.
Wacker Chemical Corp. expanded its presence in the Lehigh Valley by acquiring the manufacturing assets of Bio Med Sciences, positioning Wacker to expand its silicone-coated healthcare products business.
The Green Knight Industrial Park opened its first building, the first step toward the revitalization of a key property in Northampton County, that was leased by Trillion Sources, a distributor of building materials, for light assembly and logistics operations. Other buildings are planned.
Lehigh Valley International Airport started work on a $40 million cargo hub expansion, to support a sharp increase in demand. LVIA is the second-largest air cargo operation in Pennsylvania. The amount of freight has increased by 800% since 2014. 
Quality of Life Accolades
The Moravian Church Settlements of Bethlehem were added to the UNESCO World Heritage List, one of only 26 locations in the U.S. to receive that prestigious honor that recognizes sites for their cultural and historical significance. Covering 10 acres and multiple buildings, the Lehigh Valley site tells the story of the Moravian religious missionaries who settled Bethlehem in 1741 on a social and economic experiment that resulted in a legacy of innovation, town planning, and architecture.
For the fourth consecutive year, a Lehigh Valley community was ranked high on Realtor.com’s annual list of hottest ZIP codes. The 18062 ZIP code includes Macungie and parts of Lower Macungie, Hereford, and Upper Milford townships in Lehigh County.
Bethlehem was named one of America’s “Top 100 Best Places to Live,” by Livability.com, a website that ranks America’s most livable mid-sized cities.
The West End Theatre District in Allentown was named one of the top underrated locations for nightlife by Wealth of Geeks, a website “dedicated to anything we can geek out about.”
Lehigh Valley International Airport was voted one of the best small airports in the country in Newsweek’s Readers’ Choice Awards, finishing second.
Easton was ranked as one of the best downtowns in Pennsylvania, according to WorldAtlas.
The Hotel Bethlehem was named Best Historic Hotel/Resort in America in the USA Today 10 Best Readers' Choice awards, for the fourth consecutive year.
Marblehead Chowder House in Palmer Township was included on Tripadvisor’s Best of the Best Restaurants list for casual dining.
Bethlehem was named by CNN as one of the best places to go – and the best in the U.S. – at Christmas.
Apprenticeship Program Expands
The Industrial Training and Education Consortium of the Lehigh Valley (iTEC), the region’s collaborative apprenticeship program for advanced manufacturing, celebrated its first anniversary. During its first year, it expanded the apprenticeship certifications it offers and added several new manufacturers. 
iTEC is a partnership of industry, education, government, and community organizations that promotes careers in advanced manufacturing and prepares people for those skilled jobs. Manufacturing is a key driver of the Lehigh Valley’s $55.7 billion economy.
State-registered apprenticeship programs are offered in mechatronics technician, industrial manufacturing technician, numerical control machinist, and laboratory tester career paths. New programs continue to be developed based on the needs of member companies.
Talent Development and Attraction
The new Da Vinci Science Center that opened in center city Allentown is an asset for developing the Lehigh Valley’s workforce of the future. It includes a STEAM Learning Center, STEAM Career Pathways program, and interactive experiences highlighting career opportunities in science-related fields at Lehigh Valley companies.
Allentown was one of only six communities nationwide to win a federal Recompete grant. The $20 million award will be used to develop programs to remove barriers to employment, such as transportation and childcare, for people living in a targeted area in the city.
The annual Lehigh Valley Internship Summit drew its largest attendance ever, with more than 110 leaders in business and education participating to learn about best practices and current trends in internship programs, including the impact of artificial intelligence and how to navigate multigenerational workplaces.
LVEDC’s Fall Signature Event, “Tech & Talent for Tomorrow’s Lehigh Valley,” explored how STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts, math) education is critical to developing the talent that Lehigh Valley life sciences and technology companies need for the future. The event was held at Da Vinci Science Center and attended by about 240 people.
Presidential/Gubernatorial Attention
In January, President Joe Biden chose the Lehigh Valley as the location to celebrate America’s entrepreneurial spirit and its connection to economic growth. He toured several small businesses in Emmaus.
Also in January, Gov. Josh Shapiro selected the Lehigh Valley as the location to unveil his administration’s new strategic economic development strategy. During the announcement at OraSure Technologies, Shapiro said the Lehigh Valley “is a region on the rise” and a model for economic development.
Shapiro returned to the Lehigh Valley in May, to announce that an industrial property in Allentown is the first in Pennsylvania to receive funding from a trial program that invests in properties to get them shovel-ready for development. He said he was “betting heavy” on Lehigh Valley to drive economic growth for the state.
In July, Shapiro came to Bethlehem for a ceremonial signing of legislation that fully funds that site preparation program, PA SITES, with $400 million. Outside the former Bethlehem Steel General Office Building, which is being renovated, Shapiro again applauded the Lehigh Valley’s successful public-private partnership approach to economic development.
Also in July, First Lady Jill Biden swung through the Lehigh Valley to discuss the importance of education and workforce development. Her stop at Lehigh Carbon Community College in Allentown underscored the importance of training a workforce with skills that companies need to grow and thrive.
In December, Shapiro returned to the Lehigh Valley, this time in Easton to tour small businesses and tout their importance to the regional and state economies. He said tax cuts approved in agreement with the state Legislature during the first two years of his term are helping businesses directly, and by giving customers more spending power.
Growing Population and Prosperity
The Lehigh Valley’s population grew to nearly 700,000, making it one of the fastest-growing regions of the Northeast at a time when the populations of nearby cities are declining, according to an LVEDC analysis of new data from the U.S. Census Bureau.
Of the 218 counties from Pennsylvania to Maine, Northampton County ranks 12th in population growth since 2020, putting it in the top 5.5%. Lehigh County ranks 26th, putting it in the top 12%
Bethlehem, Easton, and Upper Macungie Township ranked among the fastest-growing municipalities in Pennsylvania over that time.
The Lehigh Valley’s growth particularly stands out when it comes to attracting young adults. The population between 18 and 34 years old has grown by nearly 3% since 2020, with Northampton County ranking among the Top 100 counties in the U.S. for growth among that demographic.
Census data released in December showed that median household income for the Lehigh Valley had grown to $81,709 in 2023. That’s an increase of $17,000 in the past five years, outpacing inflation during that time.
The Lehigh Valley poverty rate was at 10.5% in 2023, a decrease of about 0.5% from five years before.
LVEDC Recognition
LVEDC won four Excellence in Economic Development Awards from the International Economic Development Council. It won a Gold Award for the Fall Signature Event “Lehigh Valley’s Technology Sector: Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow,” and Silver Awards for Economic Development Organization of the Year, Lehigh Valley Hot Careers Dashboard, and Annual Report. 
LVEDC’s Annual Meeting drew a record crowd of about 750 representatives from business, education, government, and community organizations who filled SteelStacks at ArtsQuest in Bethlehem to hear about the Lehigh Valley’s continued economic growth, the strategies behind that growth, and the policy issues facing a region ranked as the No. 1 mid-sized market for economic development.
LVEDC added a new tool to its website to help businesses looking for a site to locate, expand, or start in the Lehigh Valley. Find a Site provides direct access to industrial, office, land, and retail properties for sale or lease in Lehigh and Northampton counties.
Kristin Cahayla-Hoffman, LVEDC’s Vice President of Business Development and Attraction, was selected for a seat on the Industrial Asset Management Council, the leading trade association for corporate real estate executives serving industrial and manufacturing industries.
Frank Alvarado, LVEDC’s Director of Research and Data Management, was selected to serve on the Regional Chapter Committee of The Council for Community and Economic Research, the nationally recognized, trusted leader in the community, economic, and workforce research field.
The Lehigh Valley Hot Careers Dashboard, a digital tool developed by LVEDC to help people explore local careers, won an award from The Council for Community and Economic Research.
Branding the Lehigh Valley
LVEDC and its partners continued to promote the use of new logos and cohesive regional branding to market the region to visitors and those looking to move here to live, work, or learn.
Those efforts included new videos touting what makes the Lehigh Valley such a special place. In August, LVEDC participated in Musikfest, with a booth highlighting for the more than 1 million festival visitors some of the attractions that make the Lehigh Valley such a special place.
LVEDC is asking other organizations and businesses to incorporate the region’s new logos into their own marketing materials, tying their services or products to the Lehigh Valley brand so word about the region spreads farther. To learn more about the usage, consult the brand guidelines and contact Nicole Radzievich Mertz, LVEDC Vice President of Marketing, Communications, and Research, at nmertz@lehighvalley.org.
International Headlines
The Lehigh Valley made headlines around the world in 2024. Journalists from Sweden, France, Spain, Canada, Taiwan, Argentina, and Germany were among those who traveled to the Lehigh Valley to report on our growing economy, often holding it up as an example of economic renaissance in the context of the presidential election year.
The region’s economic progress was reported on by national media organizations such as NPR, Christian Science Monitor, the Economist, Bloomberg, and the Boston Globe.
fDI Intelligence, a publication of the Financial Times, published an op-ed by LVEDC President & CEO Don Cunningham about what economic developers are looking for from the next presidential administration.
Forbes touted the Lehigh Valley’s workforce development initiatives, and industry trade publications wrote about growth in the region’s technology, life sciences, and other industries.
Site Selection magazine published an article to its audience of site selection decision makers explaining why the Lehigh Valley was the top mid-sized market for economic development last year.