Moving to Lehigh Valley
Moving into the Lehigh Valley means planning around one regional airport genuinely smaller than Philadelphia's, a road network built on the I-78/I-81 logistics corridor, and a shared Pennsylvania Act 32 local-tax collection system that applies uniformly across all three anchor cities.
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Learn moreLehigh Valley International Airport (ABE)
All three cities are served by the same regional airport, Lehigh Valley International (ABE), roughly a 15-minute drive from Allentown and a comparable distance from Bethlehem and Easton. ABE offers nonstop service on four airlines (Allegiant, American, Delta, United) to approximately 14 destinations and handled roughly 83,600 passengers in April 2026 -- a genuine, functional regional airport, but a small one. Movers who need a fuller national or international route network should plan on Philadelphia International Airport (PHL), roughly 90 minutes south.
The I-78/I-81 Logistics Corridor Shapes Local Traffic
The Interstate 78/Interstate 81 corridor that anchors the region's substantial warehouse-and-distribution economy also shapes day-to-day driving conditions -- expect real, meaningful freight-truck traffic on these routes, particularly around Allentown's logistics clusters, a genuinely different driving experience than the more purely commuter-focused highways found in some other Pennsylvania metros.
One Regional Tax-Collection System, Three Cities
Because Berkheimer Tax Administrator collects Earned Income Tax under Pennsylvania's Act 32 system across the whole Lehigh Valley tax collection district, movers relocating between Allentown, Bethlehem, and Easton (rather than into the region from outside Pennsylvania) will find the withholding and collection mechanics consistent even though each city's specific combined rate differs modestly -- a genuine administrative convenience worth knowing about ahead of a within-region move.
Car-Dependent Living Across the Region
None of the three anchor cities has rail transit; LANTA (Lehigh and Northampton Transportation Authority) provides real, functional regional bus service, including a direct route connecting parts of Allentown to the ABE terminal, but the Lehigh Valley overall remains genuinely car-dependent for most residents and most daily trips -- movers planning a car-optional lifestyle should look toward Philadelphia's SEPTA-served suburbs instead.
Key takeaways
- Lehigh Valley International Airport (ABE) serves all three cities with a small but functional route network (4 airlines, ~14 destinations); Philadelphia International (PHL), about 90 minutes away, is the region's larger full-service alternative.
- The I-78/I-81 logistics corridor brings real, substantial freight-truck traffic to the region's highways -- a genuinely different driving environment than more purely commuter-focused Pennsylvania metros.
- Berkheimer Tax Administrator collects local Earned Income Tax uniformly across the Lehigh Valley under Pennsylvania's Act 32 system, a real administrative convenience for moves within the region.
- The Lehigh Valley is genuinely car-dependent throughout -- none of the three anchor cities has rail transit, though LANTA provides functional regional bus service.
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