City comparison
Allentown, PA vs Houston, TX
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Allentown, PA are 1.4% higher than in Houston, TX. Someone earning $100,000 in Houston, TX would need about $101,400 in Allentown, PA to live the same way.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $1,341 a month in Allentown, PA and $1,323 in Houston, TX.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,070 a year higher in Allentown, PA than in Houston, TX.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −2.1% moving from Allentown, PA to Houston, TX ($125,431 → $122,749), while prices change by −1.3%. Net effect of the transfer: −0.8% in real buying power.
- Allentown, PA: price level 100.0 (about average)
- Houston, TX: price level 98.6 (about average)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Allentown, PA | Houston, TX | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 100.0 | 98.6 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $98,661 in Houston | $101,358 in Allentown |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,341/mo | $1,323/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% | 20% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $48,990 | $49,410 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA | Houston-The Woodlands, TX |
Rent areas: Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA HUD Metro FMR Area and Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ and Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Allentown | Houston |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 105.5 | 104.5 |
| Goods | 100.6 | 100.6 |
| Utilities | 107.6 | 95.3 |
| Other services | 97.8 | 95.6 |
| Overall | 100.0 | 98.6 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Allentown, PA → Houston, TX
Roughly even
Buying power +1.4%; rent takes 20% of take-home; state tax −$3,070/yr.
73 Strong offer
Houston, TX → Allentown, PA
Roughly even
Buying power −1.3%; rent takes 21% of take-home; state tax +$3,070/yr.
65 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Allentown, PA is in the New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA pay area; Houston, TX is in Houston-The Woodlands, TX. The last column shows what a transfer from Allentown, PA to Houston, TX at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Allentown, PA | Houston, TX | Real change, Allentown → Houston |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $72,737 | $71,181 | −0.8% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $88,005 | $86,123 | −0.8% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $105,481 | $103,225 | −0.8% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $125,431 | $122,749 | −0.8% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $148,222 | $145,052 | −0.8% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Allentown, PA | Houston, TX | Houston pay in Allentown dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $79,040 | $64,500 | $65,376 (−17.3%) |
| Software Developers | $122,930 | $129,440 | $131,197 (+6.7%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $78,430 | $85,090 | $86,245 (+10.0%) |
| Registered Nurses | $101,440 | $99,830 | $101,185 (−0.3%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.