City comparison
Allentown, PA vs Chicago, IL
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Chicago, IL are 3.6% higher than in Allentown, PA. Someone earning $100,000 in Allentown, PA would need about $103,600 in Chicago, IL to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,581 a month in Chicago, IL versus $1,341 in Allentown, PA. On $100,000, that's 26% of take-home pay in Chicago, IL and 21% in Allentown, PA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,735 a year higher in Chicago, IL than in Allentown, PA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −5.1% moving from Allentown, PA to Chicago, IL ($125,431 → $118,984), while prices change by +3.6%. Net effect of the transfer: −8.5% in real buying power.
- Allentown, PA: price level 100.0 (about average)
- Chicago, IL: price level 103.6 (pricier)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Allentown, PA | Chicago, IL | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 100.0 | 103.6 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $103,628 in Chicago | $96,499 in Allentown |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,341/mo | $1,581/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $76,110 | $74,375 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,070 (PA) | $4,805 (IL) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 21% | 26% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $48,990 | $54,720 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA | Chicago-Naperville, IL-IN-WI |
Rent areas: Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA HUD Metro FMR Area and Chicago-Joliet-Naperville, IL HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ and Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Allentown | Chicago |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 105.5 | 112.0 |
| Goods | 100.6 | 107.3 |
| Utilities | 107.6 | 83.6 |
| Other services | 97.8 | 100.5 |
| Overall | 100.0 | 103.6 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Allentown, PA → Chicago, IL
Same pay buys less
Buying power −3.5%; rent takes 26% of take-home; state tax +$1,735/yr.
57 Fair offer
Chicago, IL → Allentown, PA
Same pay goes further
Buying power +3.6%; rent takes 21% of take-home; state tax −$1,735/yr.
80 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Allentown, PA is in the New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA pay area; Chicago, IL is in Chicago-Naperville, IL-IN-WI. The last column shows what a transfer from Allentown, PA to Chicago, IL at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Allentown, PA | Chicago, IL | Real change, Allentown → Chicago |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $72,737 | $68,999 | −8.5% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $88,005 | $83,482 | −8.5% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $105,481 | $100,059 | −8.5% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $125,431 | $118,984 | −8.5% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $148,222 | $140,604 | −8.5% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Allentown, PA | Chicago, IL | Chicago pay in Allentown dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $79,040 | $78,390 | $75,645 (−4.3%) |
| Software Developers | $122,930 | $134,380 | $129,675 (+5.5%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $78,430 | $82,360 | $79,476 (+1.3%) |
| Registered Nurses | $101,440 | $100,490 | $96,972 (−4.4%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.