City comparison
Allentown, PA vs Salt Lake City, UT
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Overall prices in Allentown, PA (100.0) and Salt Lake City, UT (100.9, U.S. average = 100) are within 1% of each other, so $100,000 in Allentown, PA goes as far as $100,900 in Salt Lake City, UT.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,456 a month in Salt Lake City, UT versus $1,341 in Allentown, PA. On $100,000, that's 23% of take-home pay in Salt Lake City, UT and 21% in Allentown, PA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $464 a year higher in Salt Lake City, 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 Salt Lake City, UT ($125,431 → $106,437), while prices change by +0.9%. Net effect of the transfer: −15.9% in real buying power.
- Allentown, PA: price level 100.0 (about average)
- Salt Lake City, UT: price level 100.9 (about average)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Allentown, PA | Salt Lake City, UT | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 100.0 | 100.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $100,900 in Salt Lake City | $99,108 in Allentown |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,341/mo | $1,456/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% | 23% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $48,990 | $55,240 |
| 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 Salt Lake City, UT HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ and Salt Lake City-Murray, UT.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Allentown | Salt Lake City |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 105.5 | 123.3 |
| Goods | 100.6 | 96.4 |
| Utilities | 107.6 | 79.0 |
| Other services | 97.8 | 99.0 |
| Overall | 100.0 | 100.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Allentown, PA → Salt Lake City, UT
Roughly even
Buying power −0.9%; rent takes 23% of take-home; state tax +$464/yr.
66 Fair offer
Salt Lake City, UT → Allentown, PA
Roughly even
Buying power +0.9%; rent takes 21% of take-home; state tax −$464/yr.
72 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Allentown, PA is in the New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA pay area; Salt Lake City, UT is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Allentown, PA to Salt Lake City, UT at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Allentown, PA | Salt Lake City, UT | Real change, Allentown → Salt Lake City |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $72,737 | $61,722 | −15.9% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $88,005 | $74,678 | −15.9% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $105,481 | $89,508 | −15.9% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $125,431 | $106,437 | −15.9% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $148,222 | $125,776 | −15.9% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Allentown, PA | Salt Lake City, UT | Salt Lake City pay in Allentown dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $79,040 | $77,920 | $77,225 (−2.3%) |
| Software Developers | $122,930 | $129,600 | $128,444 (+4.5%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $78,430 | $82,100 | $81,367 (+3.7%) |
| Registered Nurses | $101,440 | $85,890 | $85,124 (−16.1%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.