Northampton County, Pennsylvania Court Filings Intelligence
Analysis of property-related court filings (foreclosure, probate, divorce, partition, guardianship) in Northampton County. See methodology.
Based on public court filings, analyzed by Keystone. As of October 2026.
- 17.0% off-site owners: the share of filings where the owner's mailing address differs from the property address. Could be out-of-state landlords, inherited estates, second homes, or in-transition properties (we don't distinguish; the underlying signal is "not living there").
- Max gross cap rate 16.0% at HUD Fair Market Rent ($19,608/year, 2BR FMR × 12) on the $122,550 median estimated market value. Section-8-eligible rent ceiling; real-market rent typically exceeds FMR; excludes operating costs (taxes, insurance, maintenance, vacancy, management).
About Northampton County
Northampton County is a county in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, United States. As of the 2020 census, the population was 312,951. Its county seat is Easton. The county was formed in 1752 from parts of Bucks County. Its namesake was the county of Northamptonshire in England, and the county seat of Easton was named for Easton Neston, a country house in Northamptonshire.
Source: Wikipedia
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17% of filings with a known owner mailing address involve owners whose mailing address differs from the property address.
$122,550 median estimated property value across filings with property-value data.
4.1% Pennsylvania unemployment rate (BLS, as of 2026-08). Filings should be read against the local-economy backdrop.
Filing type breakdown
| Filing type | Share | |
|---|---|---|
| Divorce | 7.0% | |
| Foreclosure (Post-Filing) | 2.2% | |
| Tax Lien | 1.8% | |
| Real Estate Dispute | 1.1% | |
| Partition | 1.0% | |
| Other | 87.2% |
Each row is a distinct case as recorded on the county docket.
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Geographic concentration by ZIP
The ZIP codes in Northampton County with the most property-related court filings, in rank order: where distressed real estate activity clusters.
| Rank | ZIP | City |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 18042 | Easton |
| 2 | 18017 | Bethlehem |
| 3 | 18045 | Easton |
| 4 | 18064 | Upper Nazareth Township |
| 5 | 18040 | Easton |
| 6 | 18020 | Bethlehem |
| 7 | 18067 | Northampton |
| 8 | 18015 | BETHLEHEM |
| 9 | 18013 | BANGOR |
| 10 | 18055 | HELLERTOWN |
Based on filings with a parseable property address.
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Property value distribution
| Estimated value | Share | |
|---|---|---|
| Under $75k | 14.8% | |
| $75k - $150k | 48.2% | |
| $150k - $250k | 18.9% | |
| $250k - $400k | 7.0% | |
| $400k+ | 11.1% |
Source: property records. Median $122,550; mean $208,740.
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Get owner names and property details (owner phone lookups where offered) for every new filing in Northampton County.
Building characteristics
Per-property details from third-party property enrichment, aggregated across filings with characteristic data:
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Median year built | 1962 |
| Median living area | 1,632 sqft |
| Median bedrooms | 3 |
| Median bathrooms | 1.0 |
| Median lot size | 0.23 acres |
| Owner-occupied (at time of enrichment) | 0.0% |
Housing stock + distress signals
Underlying housing stock and distress indicators across all 128612 Northampton County housing units, from US Census ACS 5-year data. National reference values shown for context.
| Indicator | Northampton County | US average |
|---|---|---|
| Vacancy rate (incl. seasonal + for-sale) | 5.5% | 10.5% |
| Share of owner-occupied units carrying a mortgage | 60.4% | 60.8% |
| Pre-1940 housing stock | 26.8% | 12.3% |
| Single-family detached share of housing stock | 58.5% | 61.2% |
| Residents age 65 or older | 19.9% | 17.3% |
Source: US Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS 2023 5-year). National reference values are ACS 2022 5-year US totals. Why these matter: vacancy rate is the strongest single proxy for distressed inventory; mortgage-carrying share defines the risk pool exposed to rate environment; pre-1940 stock signals deferred maintenance and renovation opportunity; senior population correlates with probate pipeline depth.
Rent benchmark (HUD Fair Market Rent)
HUD sets Fair Market Rents at the metro area level, so the same FMRs apply to every county within the metro. Northampton County sits within the Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ. Used to set Section 8 voucher amounts; investors use it as a defensible rent-estimate floor for buy-to-rent underwriting.
| Unit size | Fair market rent / month |
|---|---|
| Efficiency / studio | $1,130 |
| 1-bedroom | $1,341 |
| 2-bedroom | $1,634 |
| 3-bedroom | $2,087 |
| 4-bedroom | $2,195 |
Source: US Department of Housing and Urban Development, Fair Market Rents (None). 40th-percentile gross rent including utilities. Why this matters: Section-8-eligible tenants are a baseline demand floor for rental inventory at these price points; FMR is the official ceiling for voucher-eligible rents.
New construction (market momentum)
Annual building permits filed in Northampton County from the US Census Building Permits Survey. Trend signal on whether new housing demand is accelerating or contracting in this market.
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Total housing units permitted (2025) | 1,050 |
| Year-over-year change (2024 → 2025) | +92.3% |
| Single-family share of permits (2025) | 33.2% |
| Single-family units permitted | 349 |
| Multifamily units permitted (2+ units per building) | 701 |
Source: US Census Bureau Building Permits Survey, annual cumulative data. Why this matters: permits trending up signals strong demand for new inventory; permits contracting at the same time foreclosure activity rises indicates broader market softening (deals price differently). Multifamily share shows whether the market is densifying or holding to single-family stock.
Macro context: state home prices and national delinquency
Northampton County filings should be read against the broader housing-market backdrop. Pennsylvania state home-price trend and the national mortgage-delinquency rate are the two macro signals most directly relevant to foreclosure exposure.
| Indicator | Value | Period |
|---|---|---|
| Pennsylvania home price index (year-over-year) | +4.7% | 2026-04-01 |
| Pennsylvania home price index (cumulative since 2020) | +61.7% | 2026-04-01 |
| National mortgage delinquency rate (30+ day, single-family) | 1.86% | 2026-04-01 |
Sources: Federal Housing Finance Agency state house price indices (FRED series PASTHPI); Federal Reserve Board, Mortgage Delinquency 30+Day Rate on Single-Family Residential Mortgages (FRED series DRSFRMACBS). Updated quarterly. Free public data.
Local-market benchmark
Demographics of the ZIPs where filings cluster, weighted by filing count and benchmarked against Census ACS 2023 5-year:
| Indicator | Filing-weighted average |
|---|---|
| Median household income (where filings cluster) | $92,097 |
| Median home value | $286,476 |
| Owner-occupancy rate | 71.6% |
| Renter share of households | 28.4% |
| Median gross rent | $1,388/mo |
Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year estimates, weighted by Keystone's filing volume across 10 top ZIPs.
Most active foreclosure plaintiffs in Northampton County
Top mortgage holders and servicers named in foreclosure complaints filed in this county. Lender names are normalized to collapse common legal-suffix variants (e.g. "as Trustee for X Trust", "N.A.").
| Rank | Plaintiff |
|---|---|
| 1 | NEWREZ LLC |
| 2 | FREEDOM MORTGAGE CORPORATION |
| 3 | LAKEVIEW LOAN SERVICING LLC |
| 4 | ROCKET MORTGAGE LLC |
| 5 | PENNYMAC LOAN SERVICES LLC |
| 6 | PENNSYLVANIA HOUSING FINANCE AGENCY |
| 7 | PNC BANK N.A |
| 8 | MIDFIRST BANK |
| 9 | U.S. BANK N.A |
| 10 | PLANET HOME LENDING LLC |
Source: public foreclosure filings in Northampton County. Court records are public information.
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FEMA flood zone exposure
Are distressed properties concentrated in flood-prone areas? By checking each property's coordinates against FEMA's National Flood Hazard Layer, we identify which filings fall in Special Flood Hazard Areas (mandatory flood insurance zones). This analysis covers properties with geocoded locations.
| Zone | Share |
|---|---|
| X | 97.3% |
| AE | 1.6% |
| X-500yr | 0.5% |
| A | 0.5% |
Source: FEMA National Flood Hazard Layer (NFHL), queried by property coordinates. Zones A/AE/AH/AO/V/VE are Special Flood Hazard Areas (1% annual flood chance, mandatory flood insurance). Zone X is minimal risk.
Lender concentration analysis
Foreclosure activity is spread across many lenders, suggesting diverse distress sources rather than a single institutional wave.
| Rank | Most active lenders / plaintiffs |
|---|---|
| 1 | NEWREZ LLC |
| 2 | FREEDOM MORTGAGE CORPORATION |
| 3 | LAKEVIEW LOAN SERVICING LLC |
| 4 | ROCKET MORTGAGE LLC |
| 5 | PENNYMAC LOAN SERVICES LLC |
Lenders in rank order, most active first. Market type reflects how concentrated foreclosure filings are among plaintiffs. Based on foreclosure filings with identified plaintiffs.
ZIP code distress hotspots
Distress is geographically dispersed, with no single ZIP code dominating. The ZIP codes below are ranked by property-related court filings, most active first.
| Rank | ZIP | Area |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 18042 | Easton |
| 2 | 18017 | Bethlehem |
| 3 | 18045 | Easton |
| 4 | 18064 | Upper Nazareth Township |
| 5 | 18040 | Easton |
| 6 | 18020 | Bethlehem |
| 7 | 18067 | Northampton |
| 8 | 18015 | Bethlehem |
| 9 | 18013 | Bangor |
| 10 | 18055 | Hellertown |
ZIP codes in rank order, most court filings first.
Non-resident owner analysis
17.0% of filings involve non-resident owners. Divorce filings show the highest absentee rate (21.7%), suggesting investor-owned properties concentrated in that category.
| Case type | Non-resident % |
|---|---|
| Divorce | 21.7% |
| Pre-Foreclosure | 11.4% |
| Pre-Probate | 0.0% |
Non-resident = owner's mailing address differs from the property address. Could indicate out-of-state landlords, inherited estates, second homes, or in-transition properties.
Target absentee and distressed owners directly
Every lead includes the owner's name and property details; owner phone lookups where offered.
Distress composition
Distress diversity score: 3.63 (Shannon entropy across case types; higher = more diverse distress sources). The case-type shares are in the filing type breakdown above.
Property Value Profile
The median assessed value of properties in court filings is $122,100. Divorce filings involve the highest-value properties (median $347,479), while Tired Landlord filings trend lower (median $109,800). The largest segment (46.9%) falls in the $100K - $250K range.
| Value range | Share |
|---|---|
| Under $100K | 35.1% |
| $100K - $250K | 46.9% |
| $250K - $500K | 8.2% |
| $500K - $1M | 6.7% |
| Over $1M | 3.1% |
Value breakdown by case type
| Case type | Median value | Avg value |
|---|---|---|
| Pre-Foreclosure | $114,400 | $150,054 |
| Estate | $132,900 | $309,820 |
| Pre-Probate | $128,600 | $143,910 |
| Divorce | $347,479 | $375,850 |
| Tired Landlord | $109,800 | $111,356 |
Based on public property records for properties with court filings. Values are tax-assessed amounts, not market listing prices.
Investment Opportunity Score by ZIP Code
ZIP 18042 (Easton) ranks first on the composite opportunity score in Northampton County. ZIP codes are listed in rank order, highest score first.
| Rank | ZIP Code | Area |
|---|---|---|
| #1 | 18042 | Easton |
| #2 | 18017 | Bethlehem |
| #3 | 18045 | Easton |
| #4 | 18064 | Nazareth |
| #5 | 18040 | Easton |
| #6 | 18020 | Bethlehem |
| #7 | 18015 | Bethlehem |
| #8 | 18013 | Bangor |
| #9 | 18067 | Northampton |
| #10 | 18072 | Pen Argyl |
The score blends court-filing activity, property value, absentee-owner rate and case-type diversity. Compare ZIPs within the same county or state, not across markets.
Based on court filings by property ZIP code; ZIPs with too little data are excluded. Property values from public property records.
Property Age & Distress Profile
Among filings with year-built data, the Pre-1960 construction era is most common (46%).
| Construction era | Share |
|---|---|
| Pre-1960 | 46.3% |
| 1960–1979 | 22.5% |
| 1980–1999 | 14.0% |
| 2000+ | 17.2% |
Top case types by construction era
Construction year sourced from public property records. Value is assessed value from the most recent available tax assessment.
Municipality filing concentration in Northampton County
Easton has the most property-related court filings in Northampton County, predominantly Divorce. Filing activity is geographically concentrated in a few municipalities.
| Rank | Municipality | Top case type |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Easton | Divorce |
| 2 | Bethlehem | Divorce |
| 3 | Nazareth | Divorce |
| 4 | Northampton | Divorce |
| 5 | Bangor | Divorce |
| 6 | Hellertown | Divorce |
| 7 | Bath | Divorce |
| 8 | Walnutport | Divorce |
| 9 | Pen Argyl | Divorce |
| 10 | Mount Bethel | Divorce |
| 11 | Danielsville | Pre-Foreclosure |
| 12 | Wind Gap | Divorce |
| 13 | Catasauqua | None |
| 14 | Palmer Township | Estate |
| 15 | Tatamy | Foreclosure |
Municipalities in rank order, most court filings first, among filings with a municipality on the property record. Municipality names from public property records.
Property Value Distribution
| Price range | Share | Distribution |
|---|---|---|
| Under $50K | 3.1% | |
| $50K–$100K | 4.9% | |
| $100K–$150K | 3.7% | |
| $150K–$200K | 4.7% | |
| $200K–$300K | 24.7% | |
| $300K–$500K | 34.4% | |
| $500K+ | 24.5% |
Value by case type
| Case type | Median value | Average value |
|---|---|---|
| Pre-Foreclosure | $335,961 | $373,465 |
| Estate | $358,006 | $446,919 |
| Pre-Probate | $386,262 | $408,186 |
Assessed property values from public property records for filings with a valuation. Values reflect tax-assessed amounts, not market price.
Ownership Duration Before Filing
The median ownership duration before a court filing is 10.5 years, with 51.2% of owners holding the property 10+ years (a strong equity signal for investors). Estate cases show the longest tenure (25.0 yr median) vs. Foreclosure (7.7 yr).
| Ownership period | Share | Distribution |
|---|---|---|
| Under 2 years | 6.5% | |
| 2–5 years | 16.2% | |
| 5–10 years | 26.1% | |
| 10–20 years | 24.9% | |
| 20+ years | 26.3% |
Tenure by case type
| Case type | Median tenure | Average tenure |
|---|---|---|
| Pre-Foreclosure | 9.1 yr | 12.2 yr |
| Estate | 25.0 yr | 27.1 yr |
| Divorce | 10.7 yr | 13.2 yr |
| Foreclosure | 7.7 yr | 14.2 yr |
| Pre-Probate | 21.5 yr | 25.7 yr |
Duration calculated from last recorded property sale to court filing date, for filings with a recorded prior sale. Longer ownership often correlates with higher equity.
Land vs improvement value composition
Land share distribution
| Land share bracket | % of total |
|---|---|
| Under 10% | 2.1% |
| 10–20% | 4.5% |
| 20–30% | 30.3% |
| 30–50% | 59.2% |
| 50–70% | 3.5% |
| Over 70% | 0.4% |
Land share by case type
| Case type | Median land % |
|---|---|
| Pre-Foreclosure | 32.8% |
| Estate | 34.2% |
| Pre-Probate | 33.1% |
Analysis of filings with assessed land and improvement value breakdowns.
Methodology and data sources
- Based on public court filings, analyzed by Keystone. As of October 2026. Court records are public information.
- These statistics describe property-related court filings in Northampton County. The owner-of-record match and the entity-owner screen are applied to delivered leads, not to these aggregate statistics.
- Property value figures come from property records where available.
- Individual case data, defendant names, and property addresses are not published. Reports show aggregated statistics only.
- The methodology page at /reports/methodology documents data sources, sample sizes, and known limitations in detail.
- This report is current as of October 2026 (generated 2026-10-21).
Top cities for filings within Northampton County
Where filings concentrate inside Northampton County, by parsed property city or township, in rank order.
| Rank | City / Township |
|---|---|
| 1 | Easton |
| 2 | Bethlehem |
| 3 | Nazareth |
| 4 | Northampton |
| 5 | Bangor |
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Cite: Keystone Court Data, "Northampton County Pennsylvania Court Filings Intelligence," 2026-10-21, https://keystonecourtdata.com/reports/northampton-pa-court-filings-intelligence