City comparison
Akron, OH vs Allentown, PA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Allentown, PA are 7.1% higher than in Akron, OH. Someone earning $100,000 in Akron, OH would need about $107,100 in Allentown, PA to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,341 a month in Allentown, PA versus $985 in Akron, OH. On $100,000, that's 21% of take-home pay in Allentown, PA and 15% in Akron, OH.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,102 a year higher in Allentown, PA than in Akron, OH.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +12.9% moving from Akron, OH to Allentown, PA ($111,138 → $125,431), while prices change by +7.1%. Net effect of the transfer: +5.4% in real buying power.
- Akron, OH: price level 93.4 (cheaper)
- Allentown, PA: price level 100.0 (about average)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Akron, OH | Allentown, PA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 93.4 | 100.0 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $107,067 in Allentown | $93,400 in Akron |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $985/mo | $1,341/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $77,212 | $76,110 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $1,968 (OH) | $3,070 (PA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 15% | 21% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $48,840 | $48,990 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Cleveland-Akron-Canton, OH-PA | New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA |
Rent areas: Akron, OH MSA and Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Akron, OH and Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Akron | Allentown |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 76.8 | 105.5 |
| Goods | 93.6 | 100.6 |
| Utilities | 96.4 | 107.6 |
| Other services | 98.9 | 97.8 |
| Overall | 93.4 | 100.0 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Akron, OH → Allentown, PA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −6.6%; rent takes 21% of take-home; state tax +$1,102/yr.
48 Fair offer
Allentown, PA → Akron, OH
Same pay goes further
Buying power +7.1%; rent takes 15% of take-home; state tax −$1,102/yr.
91 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Akron, OH is in the Cleveland-Akron-Canton, OH-PA pay area; Allentown, PA is in New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA. The last column shows what a transfer from Akron, OH to Allentown, PA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Akron, OH | Allentown, PA | Real change, Akron → Allentown |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $64,448 | $72,737 | +5.4% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $77,977 | $88,005 | +5.4% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $93,461 | $105,481 | +5.4% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $111,138 | $125,431 | +5.4% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $131,331 | $148,222 | +5.4% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Akron, OH | Allentown, PA | Allentown pay in Akron dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $78,560 | $79,040 | $73,823 (−6.0%) |
| Software Developers | $105,430 | $122,930 | $114,816 (+8.9%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $78,540 | $78,430 | $73,254 (−6.7%) |
| Registered Nurses | $80,770 | $101,440 | $94,745 (+17.3%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.