City comparison
Allentown, PA vs Virginia Beach, VA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Allentown, PA are 2.1% higher than in Virginia Beach, VA. Someone earning $100,000 in Virginia Beach, VA would need about $102,100 in Allentown, PA to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,512 a month in Virginia Beach, VA versus $1,341 in Allentown, PA. On $100,000, that's 24% of take-home pay in Virginia Beach, VA and 21% in Allentown, PA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,866 a year higher in Virginia Beach, VA than in Allentown, PA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −13.9% moving from Allentown, PA to Virginia Beach, VA ($125,431 → $108,019), while prices change by −2.0%. Net effect of the transfer: −12.1% in real buying power.
- Allentown, PA: price level 100.0 (about average)
- Virginia Beach, VA: price level 97.9 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Allentown, PA | Virginia Beach, VA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 100.0 | 97.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $97,972 in Virginia Beach | $102,070 in Allentown |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,341/mo | $1,512/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $76,110 | $74,244 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,070 (PA) | $4,936 (VA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 21% | 24% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $48,990 | $49,430 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA | Virginia Beach-Norfolk, VA-NC |
Rent areas: Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA HUD Metro FMR Area and Virginia Beach-Norfolk-Newport News, VA-NC HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ and Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Allentown | Virginia Beach |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 105.5 | 99.8 |
| Goods | 100.6 | 96.8 |
| Utilities | 107.6 | 89.6 |
| Other services | 97.8 | 98.6 |
| Overall | 100.0 | 97.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Allentown, PA → Virginia Beach, VA
Same pay goes further
Buying power +2.1%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax +$1,866/yr.
75 Strong offer
Virginia Beach, VA → Allentown, PA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −2.0%; rent takes 21% of take-home; state tax −$1,866/yr.
62 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Allentown, PA is in the New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA pay area; Virginia Beach, VA is in Virginia Beach-Norfolk, VA-NC. The last column shows what a transfer from Allentown, PA to Virginia Beach, VA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Allentown, PA | Virginia Beach, VA | Real change, Allentown → Virginia Beach |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $72,737 | $62,640 | −12.1% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $88,005 | $75,788 | −12.1% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $105,481 | $90,838 | −12.1% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $125,431 | $108,019 | −12.1% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $148,222 | $127,646 | −12.1% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Allentown, PA | Virginia Beach, VA | Virginia Beach pay in Allentown dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $79,040 | $63,380 | $64,692 (−18.2%) |
| Software Developers | $122,930 | $129,090 | $131,762 (+7.2%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $78,430 | $79,450 | $81,094 (+3.4%) |
| Registered Nurses | $101,440 | $89,450 | $91,301 (−10.0%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.