City comparison
Allentown, PA vs Palm Bay, FL
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Overall prices in Allentown, PA (100.0) and Palm Bay, FL (100.0, U.S. average = 100) are within 1% of each other, so $100,000 in Allentown, PA goes as far as $100,000 in Palm Bay, FL.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,478 a month in Palm Bay, FL versus $1,341 in Allentown, PA. On $100,000, that's 22% of take-home pay in Palm Bay, FL and 21% in Allentown, PA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,070 a year higher in Allentown, PA than in Palm Bay, FL.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −14.5% moving from Allentown, PA to Palm Bay, FL ($125,431 → $107,228), while prices change by +0.0%. Net effect of the transfer: −14.5% in real buying power.
- Allentown, PA: price level 100.0 (about average)
- Palm Bay, FL: price level 100.0 (about average)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Allentown, PA | Palm Bay, FL | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 100.0 | 100.0 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $100,037 in Palm Bay | $99,963 in Allentown |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,341/mo | $1,478/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $76,110 | $79,180 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,070 (PA) | $0 (FL) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 21% | 22% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $48,990 | $49,030 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA | Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville, FL |
Rent areas: Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA HUD Metro FMR Area and Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville, FL MSA. Metro areas: Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ and Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville, FL.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Allentown | Palm Bay |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 105.5 | 111.7 |
| Goods | 100.6 | 96.2 |
| Utilities | 107.6 | 88.1 |
| Other services | 97.8 | 98.9 |
| Overall | 100.0 | 100.0 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Allentown, PA → Palm Bay, FL
Roughly even
Buying power −0.0%; rent takes 22% of take-home; state tax −$3,070/yr.
69 Fair offer
Palm Bay, FL → Allentown, PA
Roughly even
Buying power +0.0%; rent takes 21% of take-home; state tax +$3,070/yr.
69 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Allentown, PA is in the New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA pay area; Palm Bay, FL is in Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville, FL. The last column shows what a transfer from Allentown, PA to Palm Bay, FL at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Allentown, PA | Palm Bay, FL | Real change, Allentown → Palm Bay |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $72,737 | $62,181 | −14.5% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $88,005 | $75,233 | −14.5% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $105,481 | $90,173 | −14.5% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $125,431 | $107,228 | −14.5% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $148,222 | $126,711 | −14.5% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Allentown, PA | Palm Bay, FL | Palm Bay pay in Allentown dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $79,040 | $62,510 | $62,487 (−20.9%) |
| Software Developers | $122,930 | $131,760 | $131,711 (+7.1%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $78,430 | $75,860 | $75,832 (−3.3%) |
| Registered Nurses | $101,440 | $80,900 | $80,870 (−20.3%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.