City comparison
Allentown, PA vs Durham, NC
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Allentown, PA are 2.5% higher than in Durham, NC. Someone earning $100,000 in Durham, NC would need about $102,500 in Allentown, PA to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,507 a month in Durham, NC versus $1,341 in Allentown, PA. On $100,000, that's 24% of take-home pay in Durham, NC and 21% in Allentown, PA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $411 a year higher in Durham, NC than in Allentown, PA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −11.4% moving from Allentown, PA to Durham, NC ($125,431 → $111,147), while prices change by −2.4%. Net effect of the transfer: −9.2% in real buying power.
- Allentown, PA: price level 100.0 (about average)
- Durham, NC: price level 97.6 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Allentown, PA | Durham, NC | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 100.0 | 97.6 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $97,603 in Durham | $102,456 in Allentown |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,341/mo | $1,507/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $76,110 | $75,699 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,070 (PA) | $3,481 (NC) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 21% | 24% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $48,990 | $60,720 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA | Raleigh-Durham-Cary, NC |
Rent areas: Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA HUD Metro FMR Area and Durham-Chapel Hill, NC HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ and Durham-Chapel Hill, NC.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Allentown | Durham |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 105.5 | 98.9 |
| Goods | 100.6 | 96.6 |
| Utilities | 107.6 | 89.3 |
| Other services | 97.8 | 98.2 |
| Overall | 100.0 | 97.6 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Allentown, PA → Durham, NC
Same pay goes further
Buying power +2.5%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax +$411/yr.
76 Strong offer
Durham, NC → Allentown, PA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −2.4%; rent takes 21% of take-home; state tax −$411/yr.
61 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Allentown, PA is in the New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA pay area; Durham, NC is in Raleigh-Durham-Cary, NC. The last column shows what a transfer from Allentown, PA to Durham, NC at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Allentown, PA | Durham, NC | Real change, Allentown → Durham |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $72,737 | $64,453 | −9.2% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $88,005 | $77,983 | −9.2% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $105,481 | $93,468 | −9.2% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $125,431 | $111,147 | −9.2% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $148,222 | $131,342 | −9.2% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Allentown, PA | Durham, NC | Durham pay in Allentown dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $79,040 | $51,400 | $52,662 (−33.4%) |
| Software Developers | $122,930 | $135,620 | $138,950 (+13.0%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $78,430 | $85,090 | $87,179 (+11.2%) |
| Registered Nurses | $101,440 | not published | — |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.