In 2022, Lehigh Valley’s gross domestic product (GDP) reached a record $50.2 billion, according to data U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis released earlier this month. This was approximately 1 percent growth from the previous year.
Manufacturing was the top industry, contributing $8.1 billion to the GDP. It was followed by education, health care, and social assistance, $7.5 billion; professional and business services, $6.3 billion; retail trade, $3.5 billion; transportation and warehousing, $3.3 billion; information, $2.9 billion; arts, entertainment, recreation, and food services, $2.1 billion; utilities, $642 million; and agriculture and forestry, $290 million.
The bureau suppressed data from two other industries, finance and wholesale trade.
“Crossing the $50 billion threshold in economic output is another sign of the Lehigh Valley’s impressive economic renaissance,” Don Cunningham, Lehigh Valley Economic Development Corp. president and CEO, said. “The strength and diversification of our economy, driven by a growing $8 billion manufacturing sector, attracts new business investment and creates job opportunities that make the Lehigh Valley more prosperous.”
The Lehigh Valley metro region is comprised of Lehigh, Northampton, Carbon counties in Pennsylvania and Warren County in New Jersey. Lehigh and Northampton counties contribute $43.4 billion of the metro region’s $50.2 billion private sector output.