Allegheny County vs Montgomery County
Allegheny County, Pennsylvania versus Montgomery 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 Montgomery County score about the same overall (51 vs 50 of 100) — the differences are in the individual factors below.
Factor-by-factor comparison
| Factor | Allegheny County | Montgomery County |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | ||
| Median Household Income | $73k | $107k |
| Cost of Living | $47k | $60k |
| Home Value | $200k | $382k |
| Monthly Rent | $1k | $2k |
| Monthly Owner Costs | $2k | $2k |
| Property Tax Rate | 1.68% | 1.48% |
| Income Tax | 4.18% | 3.39% |
| Sales Tax | 6.34% | 6.34% |
| Estimated total tax burden | 10.90% | 10.74% |
| Unemployment | 4.9% | 4.5% |
| Weather | ||
| Winter Temp (Jan) | 29°F | 31°F |
| Summer Temp (Jul) | 73°F | 75°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 41.1 in | 48.6 in |
| Annual Snowfall | 29.9 in | 17.7 in |
| Sunny Days | 228 days | 225 days |
| Summer Humidity | 60°F | 64°F |
| Comfortable Days | 100 days | 88 days |
| Safety & Wellbeing | ||
| Natural Disaster Risk | 98.1 | 96.8 |
| Air Quality | 56 AQI | 44 AQI |
| School Quality | 100.0 | 100.0 |
| Violent Crime | 753/100k | 318/100k |
| Property Crime | 1050/100k | 1301/100k |
| Community | ||
| Population | 1,245,310 | 856,399 |
| Median Age | 40.6 | 41.2 |
| Racial Diversity | 0.37 | 0.41 |
| Male/Female Ratio | 0.95 | 0.96 |
| Political Leaning | D+21 | D+27 |
| White (%) | 77.0% | 73.6% |
| Black (%) | 12.6% | 9.0% |
| Hispanic (%) | 2.4% | 5.7% |
| Asian (%) | 4.1% | 7.8% |
| Other / Multiracial (%) | 4.0% | 4.0% |
| Getting Around | ||
| Commute Time | 26 min | 28 min |
| Walkability | 12.0/20 | 11.1/20 |
| Airport Distance | 12 mi | 24 mi |
| Lifestyle & Connectivity | ||
| Broadband Access | 88.7% | 93.0% |
| Amenities Nearby | 8.69 | 1.80 |
| Park & Nature Access | Moderate | Good |
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 Montgomery County more affordable?
- Allegheny County has the lower cost of living: its index is $47k, compared with Allegheny County's $47k and Montgomery County's $60k. Median rent is $1k in Allegheny County versus $2k in Montgomery County.
- Is Allegheny County or Montgomery County safer?
- Montgomery County has the lower violent crime rate. Allegheny County reports 753/100k and Montgomery County reports 318/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
- Are homes cheaper in Allegheny County or Montgomery County?
- The median home value is $200k in Allegheny County and $382k in Montgomery County, so homes are more affordable in Allegheny County.