City comparison
Allentown, PA vs Santa Maria, CA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Santa Maria, CA are 8.8% higher than in Allentown, PA. Someone earning $100,000 in Allentown, PA would need about $108,800 in Santa Maria, CA to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $2,746 a month in Santa Maria, CA versus $1,341 in Allentown, PA. On $100,000, that's 44% of take-home pay in Santa Maria, CA and 21% in Allentown, PA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $2,000 a year higher in Santa Maria, CA than in Allentown, PA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −1.1% moving from Allentown, PA to Santa Maria, CA ($125,431 → $124,085), while prices change by +8.8%. Net effect of the transfer: −9.1% in real buying power.
- Allentown, PA: price level 100.0 (about average)
- Santa Maria, CA: price level 108.8 (much pricier)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Allentown, PA | Santa Maria, CA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 100.0 | 108.8 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $108,833 in Santa Maria | $91,884 in Allentown |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,341/mo | $2,746/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $76,110 | $74,110 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,070 (PA) | $5,070 (CA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 21% | 44% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $48,990 | $51,690 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA | Los Angeles-Long Beach, CA |
Rent areas: Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA HUD Metro FMR Area and Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA MSA. Metro areas: Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ and Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Allentown | Santa Maria |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 105.5 | 151.4 |
| Goods | 100.6 | 105.2 |
| Utilities | 107.6 | 149.8 |
| Other services | 97.8 | 100.3 |
| Overall | 100.0 | 108.8 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Allentown, PA → Santa Maria, CA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −8.1%; rent takes 44% of take-home; state tax +$2,000/yr.
14 Weak offer
Santa Maria, CA → Allentown, PA
Same pay goes further
Buying power +8.8%; rent takes 21% of take-home; state tax −$2,000/yr.
96 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Allentown, PA is in the New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA pay area; Santa Maria, CA is in Los Angeles-Long Beach, CA. The last column shows what a transfer from Allentown, PA to Santa Maria, CA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Allentown, PA | Santa Maria, CA | Real change, Allentown → Santa Maria |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $72,737 | $71,957 | −9.1% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $88,005 | $87,061 | −9.1% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $105,481 | $104,349 | −9.1% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $125,431 | $124,085 | −9.1% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $148,222 | $146,632 | −9.1% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Allentown, PA | Santa Maria, CA | Santa Maria pay in Allentown dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $79,040 | $101,030 | $92,830 (+17.4%) |
| Software Developers | $122,930 | $158,290 | $145,443 (+18.3%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $78,430 | $91,610 | $84,175 (+7.3%) |
| Registered Nurses | $101,440 | $137,360 | $126,212 (+24.4%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.