CostIndexUSA

Albany, NY vs Allentown, PA Cost of Living

Data: BEA Regional Price Parities · Census ACS · 2024

≈ Equal CostNY
Albany
99.6
overall index
$1,575/mo rent
PA
Allentown
100
overall index
$1,750/mo rent

Albany and Allentown have nearly identical costs of living.

Category Breakdown

Index values: 100 = U.S. national average. Higher = more expensive.

🏠 Housing+2.8%
Albany
102.6
Allentown
105.5
🛒 Groceries+0.9%
Albany
99.7
Allentown
100.6
🚗 Transportation≈ Equal
Albany
102.6
Allentown
102.6
🏥 Healthcare≈ Equal
Albany
92.9
Allentown
92.9
Utilities19.7%
Albany
134
Allentown
107.6

Salary Equivalency Calculator

Enter your current salary in Albany to see what you'd need to earn in Allentown to maintain the same purchasing power.

$
Equivalent salary in Allentown, PA
$80,300
$300 more needed in Allentown

Formula: salary × (100 ÷ 99.6) = salary × 1.0040. Based on BEA Regional Price Parities.

Housing Market

Albany, NY

Median Home Price
$350,000
Median Monthly Rent
$1,575
Housing Index
102.6
Price-to-Rent Ratio
18.5×

Allentown, PA

Median Home Price
$349,000
Median Monthly Rent
$1,750
Housing Index
105.5
Price-to-Rent Ratio
16.6×

Allentown has 2.8% higher housing costs compared to Albany.

Income & Job Market

Albany, NY

Median Household Income
$82,400
Per Capita Income
$47,000
Unemployment Rate
3.9%
Population
98,111
Top Industries
GovernmentHealthcareEducationFinanceTechnology

Allentown, PA

Median Household Income
$81,200
Per Capita Income
$46,300
Unemployment Rate
4.7%
Population
125,845
Top Industries
HealthcareManufacturingRetailLogisticsFinance

Affordability at a Glance

Income-to-rent ratio: higher is better (more income relative to housing costs).

Albany, NY
4.4×income-to-rent ratio

77% of income left after rent (median)

Allentown, PA
3.9×income-to-rent ratio

74% of income left after rent (median)

Data Sources: Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) Regional Price Parities 2024; U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS); Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Local Area Unemployment Statistics; Zillow Research.

Cost indices use 100 as the U.S. national average. Values above 100 indicate costs above the national average. Data is updated annually.

This data is for informational purposes only and should not be used as the sole basis for relocation or financial decisions.