City comparison
Allentown, PA vs Portland, OR
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Portland, OR are 5.5% higher than in Allentown, PA. Someone earning $100,000 in Allentown, PA would need about $105,500 in Portland, OR to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,677 a month in Portland, OR versus $1,341 in Allentown, PA. On $100,000, that's 28% of take-home pay in Portland, OR and 21% in Allentown, PA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $4,850 a year higher in Portland, OR than in Allentown, PA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −8.6% moving from Allentown, PA to Portland, OR ($125,431 → $114,684), while prices change by +5.5%. Net effect of the transfer: −13.3% in real buying power.
- Allentown, PA: price level 100.0 (about average)
- Portland, OR: price level 105.4 (pricier)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Allentown, PA | Portland, OR | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 100.0 | 105.4 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $105,455 in Portland | $94,827 in Allentown |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,341/mo | $1,677/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $76,110 | $71,260 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,070 (PA) | $7,920 (OR) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 21% | 28% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $48,990 | $60,690 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA | Portland-Vancouver-Salem, OR-WA |
Rent areas: Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA HUD Metro FMR Area and Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA MSA. Metro areas: Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ and Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Allentown | Portland |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 105.5 | 125.1 |
| Goods | 100.6 | 105.2 |
| Utilities | 107.6 | 107.0 |
| Other services | 97.8 | 100.1 |
| Overall | 100.0 | 105.4 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Allentown, PA → Portland, OR
Same pay buys less
Buying power −5.2%; rent takes 28% of take-home; state tax +$4,850/yr.
48 Fair offer
Portland, OR → Allentown, PA
Same pay goes further
Buying power +5.5%; rent takes 21% of take-home; state tax −$4,850/yr.
86 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Allentown, PA is in the New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA pay area; Portland, OR is in Portland-Vancouver-Salem, OR-WA. The last column shows what a transfer from Allentown, PA to Portland, OR at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Allentown, PA | Portland, OR | Real change, Allentown → Portland |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $72,737 | $66,505 | −13.3% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $88,005 | $80,465 | −13.3% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $105,481 | $96,443 | −13.3% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $125,431 | $114,684 | −13.3% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $148,222 | $135,522 | −13.3% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Allentown, PA | Portland, OR | Portland pay in Allentown dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $79,040 | $82,330 | $78,071 (−1.2%) |
| Software Developers | $122,930 | $156,000 | $147,931 (+20.3%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $78,430 | $92,200 | $87,431 (+11.5%) |
| Registered Nurses | $101,440 | $130,310 | $123,570 (+21.8%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.