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Allentown, PA vs Los Angeles, CA

Moving from Allentown to Los Angeles? Here's what changes — from your equivalent salary to housing ($363,989 → $968,608 median home) and taxes.

Allentown vs Los Angeles at a glance

Bars scaled to the range across all 200 metros; labels show actual values.

Allentown, PA Los Angeles, CA Cost-of-living index Allentown, PA — Cost-of-living index: 99 99 Los Angeles, CA — Cost-of-living index: 115 115 Median home price Allentown, PA — Median home price: $364k $364k Los Angeles, CA — Median home price: $969k $969k Price per sqft Allentown, PA — Price per sqft: $208 $208 Los Angeles, CA — Price per sqft: $646 $646 Median rent Allentown, PA — Median rent: $1,857 $1,857 Los Angeles, CA — Median rent: $2,909 $2,909 Combined sales tax Allentown, PA — Combined sales tax: 6.3% 6.3% Los Angeles, CA — Combined sales tax: 8.8% 8.8% Property tax rate Allentown, PA — Property tax rate: 1.85% 1.85% Los Angeles, CA — Property tax rate: 0.69% 0.69% Violent crime /100k Allentown, PA — Violent crime /100k: 390 390 Los Angeles, CA — Violent crime /100k: 500 500 Electricity ¢/kWh Allentown, PA — Electricity ¢/kWh: 21.5 21.5 Los Angeles, CA — Electricity ¢/kWh: 35.3 35.3 Avg commute (min) Allentown, PA — Avg commute (min): 27 27 Los Angeles, CA — Avg commute (min): 30 30 Avg summer high °F Allentown, PA — Avg summer high °F: 85° 85° Los Angeles, CA — Avg summer high °F: 84° 84° Avg winter low °F Allentown, PA — Avg winter low °F: 22° 22° Los Angeles, CA — Avg winter low °F: 45° 45°

To keep the same standard of living as $100,000 in Allentown, PA, you'd need about $116,049 in Los Angeles, CA (+$16,049).

Livability — Allentown, PA: 63 · Los Angeles, CA: 42 (0–100).

What your home budget buys

A $500,000 home budget gets you about 2,404 sqft in Allentown vs 774 sqft in Los Angeles ($208 vs $646 per sqft).

Annual cost breakdown (at $100,000)

CategoryAllentown, PALos Angeles, CADifference
Housing $22,284 $34,908 +$12,624
Groceries $4,911 $5,354 +$443
Transportation $3,440 $5,125 +$1,685
Utilities $2,316 $3,804 +$1,488
Insurance $1,200 $1,500 +$300
Taxes $10,058 $21,708 +$11,650
Total $44,209 $72,399 +$28,190

Side by side

MetricAllentown, PALos Angeles, CA
Cost-of-living index98.9114.7
Unemployment rate5.48%6.59%
Population growth (5-yr)3.6%-1.1%
Air quality (median AQI)4180
Big Mac price (est.)$5.63$6.53
Median home price$363,989$968,608
Home price ÷ income4.6×10.9×
1-yr home appreciation3.0%0.3%
Price per square foot$208$646
Median rent$1,857$2,909
Total tax burden (% income)10.6%13.5%
Combined sales tax6.34%8.82%
Capital gains tax3.07%13.30%
Property tax rate1.85%0.69%
Healthcare (annual)$7,000$7,200
Childcare (annual, infant)$12,000$19,000
Vehicle property taxNone0.65%
Avg commute (min)2730
Home insurance / yr$1,200$1,500
Auto insurance / yr$1,600$2,400
Flood insurance / yr$650$750
Earthquake insurance / yr$100$950
Electricity ¢/kWh21.535.3
Gas $/gal3.554.85
Violent crime /100k390500
Avg summer high °F8584
Avg winter low °F2245
Permit difficulty (1–5)35
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