City comparison
Allentown, PA vs Atlantic City, NJ
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Allentown, PA are 1.1% higher than in Atlantic City, NJ. Someone earning $100,000 in Atlantic City, NJ would need about $101,100 in Allentown, PA to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,537 a month in Atlantic City, NJ versus $1,341 in Allentown, PA. On $100,000, that's 25% of take-home pay in Atlantic City, NJ and 21% in Allentown, PA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,110 a year higher in Atlantic City, NJ than in Allentown, PA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −6.5% moving from Allentown, PA to Atlantic City, NJ ($125,431 → $117,284), while prices change by −1.1%. Net effect of the transfer: −5.4% in real buying power.
- Allentown, PA: price level 100.0 (about average)
- Atlantic City, NJ: price level 98.9 (about average)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Allentown, PA | Atlantic City, NJ | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 100.0 | 98.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $98,889 in Atlantic City | $101,124 in Allentown |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,341/mo | $1,537/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $76,110 | $75,000 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,070 (PA) | $4,180 (NJ) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 21% | 25% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $48,990 | $47,520 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA | Philadelphia-Reading-Camden, PA-NJ-DE-MD |
Rent areas: Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA HUD Metro FMR Area and Atlantic City-Hammonton, NJ HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ and Atlantic City-Hammonton, NJ.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Allentown | Atlantic City |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 105.5 | 98.7 |
| Goods | 100.6 | 99.8 |
| Utilities | 107.6 | 109.2 |
| Other services | 97.8 | 97.9 |
| Overall | 100.0 | 98.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Allentown, PA → Atlantic City, NJ
Roughly even
Buying power +1.1%; rent takes 25% of take-home; state tax +$1,110/yr.
72 Strong offer
Atlantic City, NJ → Allentown, PA
Roughly even
Buying power −1.1%; rent takes 21% of take-home; state tax −$1,110/yr.
65 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Allentown, PA is in the New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA pay area; Atlantic City, NJ is in Philadelphia-Reading-Camden, PA-NJ-DE-MD. The last column shows what a transfer from Allentown, PA to Atlantic City, NJ at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Allentown, PA | Atlantic City, NJ | Real change, Allentown → Atlantic City |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $72,737 | $68,013 | −5.4% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $88,005 | $82,289 | −5.4% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $105,481 | $98,630 | −5.4% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $125,431 | $117,284 | −5.4% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $148,222 | $138,595 | −5.4% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Allentown, PA | Atlantic City, NJ | Atlantic City pay in Allentown dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $79,040 | $80,480 | $81,384 (+3.0%) |
| Software Developers | $122,930 | $126,670 | $128,094 (+4.2%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $78,430 | $83,040 | $83,973 (+7.1%) |
| Registered Nurses | $101,440 | $99,320 | $100,436 (−1.0%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.