Allegheny County vs Bucks County
Allegheny County, Pennsylvania versus Bucks County, Pennsylvania: a factual, side-by-side comparison of cost of living, housing, safety, schools, and climate. Greener figures rank better among US counties.
Allegheny County and Bucks County score about the same overall (51 vs 53 of 100) — the differences are in the individual factors below.
Factor-by-factor comparison
| Factor | Allegheny County | Bucks County |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | ||
| Median Household Income | $73k | $108k |
| Cost of Living | $47k | $58k |
| Home Value | $200k | $396k |
| Monthly Rent | $1k | $1k |
| Monthly Owner Costs | $2k | $2k |
| Property Tax Rate | 1.68% | 1.45% |
| Income Tax | 4.18% | 3.48% |
| Sales Tax | 6.34% | 6.34% |
| Estimated total tax burden | 10.90% | 10.90% |
| Unemployment | 4.9% | 4.6% |
| Weather | ||
| Winter Temp (Jan) | 29°F | 32°F |
| Summer Temp (Jul) | 73°F | 76°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 41.1 in | 49.3 in |
| Annual Snowfall | 29.9 in | 19.1 in |
| Sunny Days | 228 days | 239 days |
| Summer Humidity | 60°F | 64°F |
| Comfortable Days | 100 days | 82 days |
| Safety & Wellbeing | ||
| Natural Disaster Risk | 98.1 | 94.8 |
| Air Quality | 56 AQI | 39 AQI |
| School Quality | 100.0 | 95.0 |
| Violent Crime | 753/100k | 151/100k |
| Property Crime | 1050/100k | 531/100k |
| Community | ||
| Population | 1,245,310 | 645,163 |
| Median Age | 40.6 | 44.0 |
| Racial Diversity | 0.37 | 0.29 |
| Male/Female Ratio | 0.95 | 0.98 |
| Political Leaning | D+21 | Even |
| White (%) | 77.0% | 81.7% |
| Black (%) | 12.6% | 3.7% |
| Hispanic (%) | 2.4% | 5.9% |
| Asian (%) | 4.1% | 4.9% |
| Other / Multiracial (%) | 4.0% | 3.8% |
| Getting Around | ||
| Commute Time | 26 min | 30 min |
| Walkability | 12.0/20 | 9.6/20 |
| Airport Distance | 12 mi | 32 mi |
| Lifestyle & Connectivity | ||
| Broadband Access | 88.7% | 93.0% |
| Amenities Nearby | 8.69 | 2.82 |
| Park & Nature Access | Moderate | Excellent |
Each figure is colored by how it ranks among all US counties: green is strong, amber average, red weaker. Neutral factors (population, demographics, target-style climate) show their percentile without a better/worse claim.
Frequently asked questions
- Is Allegheny County or Bucks County more affordable?
- Allegheny County has the lower cost of living: its index is $47k, compared with Allegheny County's $47k and Bucks County's $58k. Median rent is $1k in Allegheny County versus $1k in Bucks County.
- Is Allegheny County or Bucks County safer?
- Bucks County has the lower violent crime rate. Allegheny County reports 753/100k and Bucks County reports 151/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
- Are homes cheaper in Allegheny County or Bucks County?
- The median home value is $200k in Allegheny County and $396k in Bucks County, so homes are more affordable in Allegheny County.