City comparison
Allentown, PA vs Reno, NV
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Reno, NV are 1.0% higher than in Allentown, PA. Someone earning $100,000 in Allentown, PA would need about $101,000 in Reno, NV to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,489 a month in Reno, NV versus $1,341 in Allentown, PA. On $100,000, that's 23% of take-home pay in Reno, NV and 21% in Allentown, PA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,070 a year higher in Allentown, PA than in Reno, NV.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −14.8% moving from Allentown, PA to Reno, NV ($125,431 → $106,855), while prices change by +1.0%. Net effect of the transfer: −15.7% in real buying power.
- Allentown, PA: price level 100.0 (about average)
- Reno, NV: price level 101.0 (about average)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Allentown, PA | Reno, NV | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 100.0 | 101.0 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $101,046 in Reno | $98,964 in Allentown |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,341/mo | $1,489/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $76,110 | $79,180 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,070 (PA) | $0 (NV) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 21% | 23% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $48,990 | $49,660 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA | Reno-Fernley, NV |
Rent areas: Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA HUD Metro FMR Area and Reno, NV HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ and Reno, NV.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Allentown | Reno |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 105.5 | 123.5 |
| Goods | 100.6 | 96.3 |
| Utilities | 107.6 | 89.3 |
| Other services | 97.8 | 98.7 |
| Overall | 100.0 | 101.0 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Allentown, PA → Reno, NV
Roughly even
Buying power −1.0%; rent takes 23% of take-home; state tax −$3,070/yr.
66 Fair offer
Reno, NV → Allentown, PA
Roughly even
Buying power +1.0%; rent takes 21% of take-home; state tax +$3,070/yr.
72 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Allentown, PA is in the New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA pay area; Reno, NV is in Reno-Fernley, NV. The last column shows what a transfer from Allentown, PA to Reno, NV at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Allentown, PA | Reno, NV | Real change, Allentown → Reno |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $72,737 | $61,965 | −15.7% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $88,005 | $74,972 | −15.7% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $105,481 | $89,859 | −15.7% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $125,431 | $106,855 | −15.7% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $148,222 | $126,271 | −15.7% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Allentown, PA | Reno, NV | Reno pay in Allentown dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $79,040 | $62,430 | $61,784 (−21.8%) |
| Software Developers | $122,930 | $125,710 | $124,408 (+1.2%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $78,430 | $82,370 | $81,517 (+3.9%) |
| Registered Nurses | $101,440 | $107,520 | $106,407 (+4.9%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.