City comparison
Allentown, PA vs Myrtle Beach, SC
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Allentown, PA are 6.8% higher than in Myrtle Beach, SC. Someone earning $100,000 in Myrtle Beach, SC would need about $106,800 in Allentown, PA to live the same way.
- Rent differs too: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,341 a month in Allentown, PA versus $1,229 in Myrtle Beach, SC. On $100,000, that's 21% of take-home pay in Allentown, PA and 20% in Myrtle Beach, SC.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,773 a year higher in Myrtle Beach, SC than in Allentown, PA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −15.1% moving from Allentown, PA to Myrtle Beach, SC ($125,431 → $106,437), while prices change by −6.3%. Net effect of the transfer: −9.4% in real buying power.
- Allentown, PA: price level 100.0 (about average)
- Myrtle Beach, SC: price level 93.6 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Allentown, PA | Myrtle Beach, SC | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 100.0 | 93.6 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $93,672 in Myrtle Beach | $106,756 in Allentown |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,341/mo | $1,229/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $76,110 | $74,337 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,070 (PA) | $4,843 (SC) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 21% | 20% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $48,990 | $37,930 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA HUD Metro FMR Area and Myrtle Beach-North Myrtle Beach-Conway, SC HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ and Myrtle Beach-Conway-North Myrtle Beach, SC.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Allentown | Myrtle Beach |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 105.5 | 83.1 |
| Goods | 100.6 | 96.3 |
| Utilities | 107.6 | 88.0 |
| Other services | 97.8 | 98.3 |
| Overall | 100.0 | 93.6 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Allentown, PA → Myrtle Beach, SC
Same pay goes further
Buying power +6.8%; rent takes 20% of take-home; state tax +$1,773/yr.
90 Strong offer
Myrtle Beach, SC → Allentown, PA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −6.3%; rent takes 21% of take-home; state tax −$1,773/yr.
49 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Allentown, PA is in the New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA pay area; Myrtle Beach, SC is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Allentown, PA to Myrtle Beach, SC at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Allentown, PA | Myrtle Beach, SC | Real change, Allentown → Myrtle Beach |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $72,737 | $61,722 | −9.4% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $88,005 | $74,678 | −9.4% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $105,481 | $89,508 | −9.4% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $125,431 | $106,437 | −9.4% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $148,222 | $125,776 | −9.4% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Allentown, PA | Myrtle Beach, SC | Myrtle Beach pay in Allentown dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $79,040 | not published | — |
| Software Developers | $122,930 | not published | — |
| Accountants and Auditors | $78,430 | $74,520 | $79,554 (+1.4%) |
| Registered Nurses | $101,440 | $80,640 | $86,088 (−15.1%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.