City comparison
Allentown, PA vs Des Moines, IA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Allentown, PA are 9.0% higher than in Des Moines, IA. Someone earning $100,000 in Des Moines, IA would need about $109,000 in Allentown, PA to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,341 a month in Allentown, PA versus $1,109 in Des Moines, IA. On $100,000, that's 21% of take-home pay in Allentown, PA and 18% in Des Moines, IA.
- Estimated state income tax on $100,000 is close: $3,070 a year in PA and $3,148 in IA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −14.5% moving from Allentown, PA to Des Moines, IA ($125,431 → $107,301), while prices change by −8.3%. Net effect of the transfer: −6.7% in real buying power.
- Allentown, PA: price level 100.0 (about average)
- Des Moines, IA: price level 91.7 (much cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Allentown, PA | Des Moines, IA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 100.0 | 91.7 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $91,730 in Des Moines | $109,015 in Allentown |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,341/mo | $1,109/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $76,110 | $76,032 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,070 (PA) | $3,148 (IA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 21% | 18% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $48,990 | $51,820 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA | Des Moines-Ames-West Des Moines, IA |
Rent areas: Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA HUD Metro FMR Area and Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ and Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Allentown | Des Moines |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 105.5 | 84.7 |
| Goods | 100.6 | 93.7 |
| Utilities | 107.6 | 84.6 |
| Other services | 97.8 | 92.9 |
| Overall | 100.0 | 91.7 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Allentown, PA → Des Moines, IA
Same pay goes further
Buying power +9.0%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax +$78/yr.
97 Strong offer
Des Moines, IA → Allentown, PA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −8.3%; rent takes 21% of take-home; state tax −$78/yr.
43 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Allentown, PA is in the New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA pay area; Des Moines, IA is in Des Moines-Ames-West Des Moines, IA. The last column shows what a transfer from Allentown, PA to Des Moines, IA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Allentown, PA | Des Moines, IA | Real change, Allentown → Des Moines |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $72,737 | $62,223 | −6.7% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $88,005 | $75,284 | −6.7% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $105,481 | $90,234 | −6.7% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $125,431 | $107,301 | −6.7% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $148,222 | $126,797 | −6.7% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Allentown, PA | Des Moines, IA | Des Moines pay in Allentown dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $79,040 | $61,650 | $67,208 (−15.0%) |
| Software Developers | $122,930 | $126,460 | $137,861 (+12.1%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $78,430 | $79,290 | $86,438 (+10.2%) |
| Registered Nurses | $101,440 | $78,630 | $85,719 (−15.5%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.