City comparison
Allentown, PA vs Cleveland, OH
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Allentown, PA are 6.4% higher than in Cleveland, OH. Someone earning $100,000 in Cleveland, OH would need about $106,400 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 $1,058 in Cleveland, OH. On $100,000, that's 21% of take-home pay in Allentown, PA and 16% in Cleveland, OH.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,102 a year higher in Allentown, PA than in Cleveland, OH.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −11.4% moving from Allentown, PA to Cleveland, OH ($125,431 → $111,138), while prices change by −6.0%. Net effect of the transfer: −5.7% in real buying power.
- Allentown, PA: price level 100.0 (about average)
- Cleveland, OH: price level 93.9 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Allentown, PA | Cleveland, OH | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 100.0 | 93.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $93,953 in Cleveland | $106,436 in Allentown |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,341/mo | $1,058/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $76,110 | $77,212 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,070 (PA) | $1,968 (OH) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 21% | 16% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $48,990 | $50,140 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA | Cleveland-Akron-Canton, OH-PA |
Rent areas: Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA HUD Metro FMR Area and Cleveland, OH HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ and Cleveland, OH.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Allentown | Cleveland |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 105.5 | 79.4 |
| Goods | 100.6 | 93.6 |
| Utilities | 107.6 | 96.0 |
| Other services | 97.8 | 98.9 |
| Overall | 100.0 | 93.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Allentown, PA → Cleveland, OH
Same pay goes further
Buying power +6.4%; rent takes 16% of take-home; state tax −$1,102/yr.
89 Strong offer
Cleveland, OH → Allentown, PA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −6.0%; rent takes 21% of take-home; state tax +$1,102/yr.
50 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Allentown, PA is in the New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA pay area; Cleveland, OH is in Cleveland-Akron-Canton, OH-PA. The last column shows what a transfer from Allentown, PA to Cleveland, OH at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Allentown, PA | Cleveland, OH | Real change, Allentown → Cleveland |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $72,737 | $64,448 | −5.7% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $88,005 | $77,977 | −5.7% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $105,481 | $93,461 | −5.7% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $125,431 | $111,138 | −5.7% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $148,222 | $131,331 | −5.7% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Allentown, PA | Cleveland, OH | Cleveland pay in Allentown dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $79,040 | $76,470 | $81,392 (+3.0%) |
| Software Developers | $122,930 | $111,310 | $118,474 (−3.6%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $78,430 | $80,000 | $85,149 (+8.6%) |
| Registered Nurses | $101,440 | $83,940 | $89,342 (−11.9%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.