City comparison
Allentown, PA vs Bakersfield, CA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Overall prices in Allentown, PA (100.0) and Bakersfield, CA (100.9, U.S. average = 100) are within 1% of each other, so $100,000 in Allentown, PA goes as far as $100,900 in Bakersfield, CA.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,341 a month in Allentown, PA versus $1,140 in Bakersfield, CA. On $100,000, that's 21% of take-home pay in Allentown, PA and 18% in Bakersfield, CA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $2,000 a year higher in Bakersfield, CA than in Allentown, PA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −1.1% moving from Allentown, PA to Bakersfield, CA ($125,431 → $124,085), while prices change by +0.9%. Net effect of the transfer: −2.0% in real buying power.
- Allentown, PA: price level 100.0 (about average)
- Bakersfield, CA: price level 100.9 (about average)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Allentown, PA | Bakersfield, CA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 100.0 | 100.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $100,918 in Bakersfield | $99,090 in Allentown |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,341/mo | $1,140/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $76,110 | $74,110 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,070 (PA) | $5,070 (CA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 21% | 18% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $48,990 | $47,470 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA | Los Angeles-Long Beach, CA |
Rent areas: Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA HUD Metro FMR Area and Bakersfield-Delano, CA MSA. Metro areas: Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ and Bakersfield-Delano, CA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Allentown | Bakersfield |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 105.5 | 90.3 |
| Goods | 100.6 | 105.2 |
| Utilities | 107.6 | 158.3 |
| Other services | 97.8 | 100.3 |
| Overall | 100.0 | 100.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Allentown, PA → Bakersfield, CA
Roughly even
Buying power −0.9%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax +$2,000/yr.
66 Fair offer
Bakersfield, CA → Allentown, PA
Roughly even
Buying power +0.9%; rent takes 21% of take-home; state tax −$2,000/yr.
72 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Allentown, PA is in the New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA pay area; Bakersfield, CA is in Los Angeles-Long Beach, CA. The last column shows what a transfer from Allentown, PA to Bakersfield, CA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Allentown, PA | Bakersfield, CA | Real change, Allentown → Bakersfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $72,737 | $71,957 | −2.0% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $88,005 | $87,061 | −2.0% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $105,481 | $104,349 | −2.0% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $125,431 | $124,085 | −2.0% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $148,222 | $146,632 | −2.0% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Allentown, PA | Bakersfield, CA | Bakersfield pay in Allentown dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $79,040 | $79,900 | $79,173 (+0.2%) |
| Software Developers | $122,930 | $130,330 | $129,144 (+5.1%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $78,430 | $79,620 | $78,896 (+0.6%) |
| Registered Nurses | $101,440 | $128,810 | $127,638 (+25.8%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.