City comparison
Allentown, PA vs Provo, UT
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Allentown, PA are 1.8% higher than in Provo, UT. Someone earning $100,000 in Provo, UT would need about $101,800 in Allentown, PA to live the same way.
- Rent differs too: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,341 a month in Allentown, PA versus $1,265 in Provo, UT. On $100,000, that's 21% of take-home pay in Allentown, PA and 20% in Provo, UT.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $464 a year higher in Provo, UT than in Allentown, PA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −15.1% moving from Allentown, PA to Provo, UT ($125,431 → $106,437), while prices change by −1.7%. Net effect of the transfer: −13.6% in real buying power.
- Allentown, PA: price level 100.0 (about average)
- Provo, UT: price level 98.2 (about average)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Allentown, PA | Provo, UT | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 100.0 | 98.2 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $98,263 in Provo | $101,767 in Allentown |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,341/mo | $1,265/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $76,110 | $75,646 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,070 (PA) | $3,534 (UT) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 21% | 20% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $48,990 | $48,010 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA HUD Metro FMR Area and Provo-Orem-Lehi, UT MSA. Metro areas: Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ and Provo-Orem-Lehi, UT.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Allentown | Provo |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 105.5 | 104.1 |
| Goods | 100.6 | 96.4 |
| Utilities | 107.6 | 78.6 |
| Other services | 97.8 | 99.0 |
| Overall | 100.0 | 98.2 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Allentown, PA → Provo, UT
Roughly even
Buying power +1.8%; rent takes 20% of take-home; state tax +$464/yr.
74 Strong offer
Provo, UT → Allentown, PA
Roughly even
Buying power −1.7%; rent takes 21% of take-home; state tax −$464/yr.
63 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Allentown, PA is in the New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA pay area; Provo, UT is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Allentown, PA to Provo, UT at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Allentown, PA | Provo, UT | Real change, Allentown → Provo |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $72,737 | $61,722 | −13.6% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $88,005 | $74,678 | −13.6% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $105,481 | $89,508 | −13.6% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $125,431 | $106,437 | −13.6% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $148,222 | $125,776 | −13.6% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Allentown, PA | Provo, UT | Provo pay in Allentown dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $79,040 | $62,930 | $64,042 (−19.0%) |
| Software Developers | $122,930 | $131,210 | $133,529 (+8.6%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $78,430 | $75,700 | $77,038 (−1.8%) |
| Registered Nurses | $101,440 | $81,780 | $83,225 (−18.0%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.