City comparison
Allentown, PA vs Olympia, WA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Olympia, WA are 3.7% higher than in Allentown, PA. Someone earning $100,000 in Allentown, PA would need about $103,700 in Olympia, WA to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,682 a month in Olympia, WA versus $1,341 in Allentown, PA. On $100,000, that's 25% of take-home pay in Olympia, WA and 21% in Allentown, PA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,070 a year higher in Allentown, PA than in Olympia, WA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −4.6% moving from Allentown, PA to Olympia, WA ($125,431 → $119,630), while prices change by +3.7%. Net effect of the transfer: −8.0% in real buying power.
- Allentown, PA: price level 100.0 (about average)
- Olympia, WA: price level 103.7 (pricier)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Allentown, PA | Olympia, WA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 100.0 | 103.7 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $103,703 in Olympia | $96,429 in Allentown |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,341/mo | $1,682/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $76,110 | $79,180 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,070 (PA) | $0 (WA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 21% | 25% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $48,990 | $61,960 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA | Seattle-Tacoma, WA |
Rent areas: Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA HUD Metro FMR Area and Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater, WA MSA. Metro areas: Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ and Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater, WA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Allentown | Olympia |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 105.5 | 116.7 |
| Goods | 100.6 | 105.0 |
| Utilities | 107.6 | 91.7 |
| Other services | 97.8 | 99.5 |
| Overall | 100.0 | 103.7 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Allentown, PA → Olympia, WA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −3.6%; rent takes 25% of take-home; state tax −$3,070/yr.
57 Fair offer
Olympia, WA → Allentown, PA
Same pay goes further
Buying power +3.7%; rent takes 21% of take-home; state tax +$3,070/yr.
80 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Allentown, PA is in the New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA pay area; Olympia, WA is in Seattle-Tacoma, WA. The last column shows what a transfer from Allentown, PA to Olympia, WA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Allentown, PA | Olympia, WA | Real change, Allentown → Olympia |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $72,737 | $69,373 | −8.0% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $88,005 | $83,935 | −8.0% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $105,481 | $100,602 | −8.0% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $125,431 | $119,630 | −8.0% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $148,222 | $141,367 | −8.0% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Allentown, PA | Olympia, WA | Olympia pay in Allentown dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $79,040 | $104,650 | $100,913 (+27.7%) |
| Software Developers | $122,930 | $124,060 | $119,630 (−2.7%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $78,430 | $94,470 | $91,097 (+16.2%) |
| Registered Nurses | $101,440 | $125,020 | $120,556 (+18.8%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.