City comparison
Allentown, PA vs Austin, TX
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Allentown, PA are 1.9% higher than in Austin, TX. Someone earning $100,000 in Austin, TX would need about $101,900 in Allentown, PA to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,562 a month in Austin, TX versus $1,341 in Allentown, PA. On $100,000, that's 24% of take-home pay in Austin, TX and 21% in Allentown, PA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,070 a year higher in Allentown, PA than in Austin, TX.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −12.8% moving from Allentown, PA to Austin, TX ($125,431 → $109,428), while prices change by −1.9%. Net effect of the transfer: −11.1% in real buying power.
- Allentown, PA: price level 100.0 (about average)
- Austin, TX: price level 98.1 (about average)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Allentown, PA | Austin, TX | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 100.0 | 98.1 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $98,097 in Austin | $101,940 in Allentown |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,341/mo | $1,562/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $76,110 | $79,180 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,070 (PA) | $0 (TX) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 21% | 24% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $48,990 | $56,950 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA | Austin-Round Rock-Georgetown, TX |
Rent areas: Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA HUD Metro FMR Area and Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX MSA. Metro areas: Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ and Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Allentown | Austin |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 105.5 | 120.4 |
| Goods | 100.6 | 93.8 |
| Utilities | 107.6 | 82.0 |
| Other services | 97.8 | 96.2 |
| Overall | 100.0 | 98.1 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Allentown, PA → Austin, TX
Roughly even
Buying power +1.9%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax −$3,070/yr.
75 Strong offer
Austin, TX → Allentown, PA
Roughly even
Buying power −1.9%; rent takes 21% of take-home; state tax +$3,070/yr.
63 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Allentown, PA is in the New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA pay area; Austin, TX is in Austin-Round Rock-Georgetown, TX. The last column shows what a transfer from Allentown, PA to Austin, TX at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Allentown, PA | Austin, TX | Real change, Allentown → Austin |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $72,737 | $63,457 | −11.1% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $88,005 | $76,777 | −11.1% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $105,481 | $92,023 | −11.1% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $125,431 | $109,428 | −11.1% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $148,222 | $129,311 | −11.1% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Allentown, PA | Austin, TX | Austin pay in Allentown dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $79,040 | $61,270 | $62,458 (−21.0%) |
| Software Developers | $122,930 | $134,120 | $136,721 (+11.2%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $78,430 | $83,120 | $84,732 (+8.0%) |
| Registered Nurses | $101,440 | $97,890 | $99,789 (−1.6%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.