Allentown, city in eastern Pennsylvania, seat of Lehigh County, situated among rolling hills in the Lehigh River valley. With nearby Bethlehem and Easton, Allentown is an important manufacturing center that also serves as a hub for the surrounding agricultural region. Principal products include trucks, communications equipment, chemicals, and processed food. The apparel industry is also important to the economy. The service sector has grown in Allentown in recent years, with health care becoming the largest employer. Air transportation is through nearby Lehigh Valley National Airport.
Educational institutions in Allentown include Cedar Crest College (1867), Muhlenberg College (1848), a branch (established in 1912) of Pennsylvania State University, and a community college. The city has an art museum, symphony orchestra, and several theatrical organizations.
