City comparison
Allentown, PA vs Winston, NC
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Allentown, PA are 8.6% higher than in Winston, NC. Someone earning $100,000 in Winston, NC would need about $108,600 in Allentown, PA to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,341 a month in Allentown, PA versus $1,082 in Winston, NC. On $100,000, that's 21% of take-home pay in Allentown, PA and 17% in Winston, NC.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $411 a year higher in Winston, NC than in Allentown, PA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −15.1% moving from Allentown, PA to Winston, NC ($125,431 → $106,437), while prices change by −7.9%. Net effect of the transfer: −7.8% in real buying power.
- Allentown, PA: price level 100.0 (about average)
- Winston, NC: price level 92.0 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Allentown, PA | Winston, NC | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 100.0 | 92.0 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $92,072 in Winston | $108,610 in Allentown |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,341/mo | $1,082/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $76,110 | $75,699 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,070 (PA) | $3,481 (NC) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 21% | 17% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $48,990 | $46,380 |
| 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 Winston-Salem, NC HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ and Winston-Salem, NC.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Allentown | Winston |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 105.5 | 71.4 |
| Goods | 100.6 | 96.6 |
| Utilities | 107.6 | 88.4 |
| Other services | 97.8 | 98.2 |
| Overall | 100.0 | 92.0 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Allentown, PA → Winston, NC
Same pay goes further
Buying power +8.6%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax +$411/yr.
96 Strong offer
Winston, NC → Allentown, PA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −7.9%; rent takes 21% of take-home; state tax −$411/yr.
44 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Allentown, PA is in the New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA pay area; Winston, NC is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Allentown, PA to Winston, NC at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Allentown, PA | Winston, NC | Real change, Allentown → Winston |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $72,737 | $61,722 | −7.8% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $88,005 | $74,678 | −7.8% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $105,481 | $89,508 | −7.8% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $125,431 | $106,437 | −7.8% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $148,222 | $125,776 | −7.8% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Allentown, PA | Winston, NC | Winston pay in Allentown dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $79,040 | $56,510 | $61,376 (−22.3%) |
| Software Developers | $122,930 | $124,130 | $134,818 (+9.7%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $78,430 | $78,950 | $85,748 (+9.3%) |
| Registered Nurses | $101,440 | $86,120 | $93,535 (−7.8%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.