City comparison
Allentown, PA vs Milwaukee, WI
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Allentown, PA are 3.1% higher than in Milwaukee, WI. Someone earning $100,000 in Milwaukee, WI would need about $103,100 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 $1,119 in Milwaukee, WI. On $100,000, that's 21% of take-home pay in Allentown, PA and 18% in Milwaukee, WI.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $849 a year higher in Milwaukee, WI than in Allentown, PA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −11.3% moving from Allentown, PA to Milwaukee, WI ($125,431 → $111,310), while prices change by −3.0%. Net effect of the transfer: −8.5% in real buying power.
- Allentown, PA: price level 100.0 (about average)
- Milwaukee, WI: price level 96.9 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Allentown, PA | Milwaukee, WI | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 100.0 | 96.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $96,968 in Milwaukee | $103,127 in Allentown |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,341/mo | $1,119/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $76,110 | $75,261 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,070 (PA) | $3,919 (WI) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 21% | 18% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $48,990 | $51,160 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA | Milwaukee-Racine-Waukesha, WI |
Rent areas: Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA HUD Metro FMR Area and Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI MSA. Metro areas: Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ and Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Allentown | Milwaukee |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 105.5 | 97.1 |
| Goods | 100.6 | 93.8 |
| Utilities | 107.6 | 91.6 |
| Other services | 97.8 | 99.4 |
| Overall | 100.0 | 96.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Allentown, PA → Milwaukee, WI
Same pay goes further
Buying power +3.1%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax +$849/yr.
79 Strong offer
Milwaukee, WI → Allentown, PA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −3.0%; rent takes 21% of take-home; state tax −$849/yr.
59 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Allentown, PA is in the New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA pay area; Milwaukee, WI is in Milwaukee-Racine-Waukesha, WI. The last column shows what a transfer from Allentown, PA to Milwaukee, WI at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Allentown, PA | Milwaukee, WI | Real change, Allentown → Milwaukee |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $72,737 | $64,548 | −8.5% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $88,005 | $78,098 | −8.5% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $105,481 | $93,606 | −8.5% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $125,431 | $111,310 | −8.5% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $148,222 | $131,535 | −8.5% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Allentown, PA | Milwaukee, WI | Milwaukee pay in Allentown dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $79,040 | $61,480 | $63,402 (−19.8%) |
| Software Developers | $122,930 | $123,730 | $127,599 (+3.8%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $78,430 | $80,290 | $82,800 (+5.6%) |
| Registered Nurses | $101,440 | $97,360 | $100,404 (−1.0%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.