City comparison
Allentown, PA vs Denver, CO
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Denver, CO are 5.8% higher than in Allentown, PA. Someone earning $100,000 in Allentown, PA would need about $105,800 in Denver, CO to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,754 a month in Denver, CO versus $1,341 in Allentown, PA. On $100,000, that's 28% of take-home pay in Denver, CO and 21% in Allentown, PA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $622 a year higher in Denver, CO than in Allentown, PA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −5.4% moving from Allentown, PA to Denver, CO ($125,431 → $118,675), while prices change by +5.8%. Net effect of the transfer: −10.6% in real buying power.
- Allentown, PA: price level 100.0 (about average)
- Denver, CO: price level 105.8 (pricier)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Allentown, PA | Denver, CO | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 100.0 | 105.8 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $105,816 in Denver | $94,504 in Allentown |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,341/mo | $1,754/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $76,110 | $75,488 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,070 (PA) | $3,692 (CO) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 21% | 28% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $48,990 | $62,320 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA | Denver-Aurora, CO |
Rent areas: Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA HUD Metro FMR Area and Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO MSA. Metro areas: Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ and Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Allentown | Denver |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 105.5 | 146.9 |
| Goods | 100.6 | 101.0 |
| Utilities | 107.6 | 87.9 |
| Other services | 97.8 | 99.4 |
| Overall | 100.0 | 105.8 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Allentown, PA → Denver, CO
Same pay buys less
Buying power −5.5%; rent takes 28% of take-home; state tax +$622/yr.
47 Fair offer
Denver, CO → Allentown, PA
Same pay goes further
Buying power +5.8%; rent takes 21% of take-home; state tax −$622/yr.
87 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Allentown, PA is in the New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA pay area; Denver, CO is in Denver-Aurora, CO. The last column shows what a transfer from Allentown, PA to Denver, CO at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Allentown, PA | Denver, CO | Real change, Allentown → Denver |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $72,737 | $68,819 | −10.6% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $88,005 | $83,265 | −10.6% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $105,481 | $99,800 | −10.6% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $125,431 | $118,675 | −10.6% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $148,222 | $140,239 | −10.6% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Allentown, PA | Denver, CO | Denver pay in Allentown dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $79,040 | $76,910 | $72,683 (−8.0%) |
| Software Developers | $122,930 | $137,610 | $130,047 (+5.8%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $78,430 | $100,020 | $94,523 (+20.5%) |
| Registered Nurses | $101,440 | $101,130 | $95,572 (−5.8%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.