City comparison
Allentown, PA vs Minneapolis, MN
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Minneapolis, MN are 4.9% higher than in Allentown, PA. Someone earning $100,000 in Allentown, PA would need about $104,900 in Minneapolis, MN to live the same way.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $1,341 a month in Allentown, PA and $1,405 in Minneapolis, MN.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $2,207 a year higher in Minneapolis, MN than in Allentown, PA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −7.5% moving from Allentown, PA to Minneapolis, MN ($125,431 → $116,038), while prices change by +4.9%. Net effect of the transfer: −11.8% in real buying power.
- Allentown, PA: price level 100.0 (about average)
- Minneapolis, MN: price level 104.8 (pricier)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Allentown, PA | Minneapolis, MN | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 100.0 | 104.8 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $104,856 in Minneapolis | $95,369 in Allentown |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,341/mo | $1,405/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $76,110 | $73,903 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,070 (PA) | $5,277 (MN) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 21% | 23% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $48,990 | $59,320 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA | Minneapolis-St. Paul, MN-WI |
Rent areas: Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA HUD Metro FMR Area and Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ and Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Allentown | Minneapolis |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 105.5 | 111.8 |
| Goods | 100.6 | 103.1 |
| Utilities | 107.6 | 93.5 |
| Other services | 97.8 | 104.4 |
| Overall | 100.0 | 104.8 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Allentown, PA → Minneapolis, MN
Same pay buys less
Buying power −4.6%; rent takes 23% of take-home; state tax +$2,207/yr.
54 Fair offer
Minneapolis, MN → Allentown, PA
Same pay goes further
Buying power +4.9%; rent takes 21% of take-home; state tax −$2,207/yr.
84 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Allentown, PA is in the New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA pay area; Minneapolis, MN is in Minneapolis-St. Paul, MN-WI. The last column shows what a transfer from Allentown, PA to Minneapolis, MN at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Allentown, PA | Minneapolis, MN | Real change, Allentown → Minneapolis |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $72,737 | $67,290 | −11.8% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $88,005 | $81,415 | −11.8% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $105,481 | $97,582 | −11.8% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $125,431 | $116,038 | −11.8% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $148,222 | $137,123 | −11.8% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Allentown, PA | Minneapolis, MN | Minneapolis pay in Allentown dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $79,040 | $79,730 | $76,038 (−3.8%) |
| Software Developers | $122,930 | $130,920 | $124,857 (+1.6%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $78,430 | $86,500 | $82,494 (+5.2%) |
| Registered Nurses | $101,440 | $103,040 | $98,269 (−3.1%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.