Lehighton is a borough in Carbon County, Pennsylvania, 86 miles (138 km) north by west of Philaelphia. In the past, it was the site of silk and lace mills, a meat-packing house, shirt factory, automatic-press works, car shops, stoneworks, foundries, etc. In 1900, 4,629 people lived here; in 1910, 5,316 lived here; and in 1940, 6,615 lived here. The population was 5,537 at the 2000 census. Lehighton is the most populous borough in Carbon County and is the business hub of the county as well.