Allentown vs Philadelphia
Allentown, Pennsylvania versus Philadelphia, Pennsylvania: a factual, side-by-side comparison of cost of living, housing, safety, schools, and climate. Greener figures rank better among US places.
Allentown edges out Philadelphia on overall objective livability (45 vs 40 of 100), though each leads on different factors below.
Factor-by-factor comparison
| Factor | Allentown | Philadelphia |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | ||
| Median Household Income | $52k | $58k |
| Cost of Living | $48k | $49k |
| Home Value | $169k | $216k |
| Monthly Rent | $1k | $1k |
| Monthly Owner Costs | $1k | $2k |
| Property Tax Rate | 2.09% | 0.86% |
| Income Tax | 4.95% | 6.85% |
| Sales Tax | 6.34% | 6.34% |
| Estimated total tax burden | 13.78% | 12.18% |
| Unemployment | 9.2% | 8.6% |
| Weather | ||
| Winter Temp (Jan) | 31°F | 34°F |
| Summer Temp (Jul) | 75°F | 78°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 47.4 in | 50.7 in |
| Annual Snowfall | 33.1 in | 16.1 in |
| Sunny Days | 223 days | 241 days |
| Summer Humidity | 63°F | 64°F |
| Comfortable Days | 87 days | 78 days |
| Safety & Wellbeing | ||
| Natural Disaster Risk | 76.7 | 75.0 |
| Air Quality | 53 AQI | 56 AQI |
| School Quality | 86.7 | 100.0 |
| Violent Crime | 515/100k | 2615/100k |
| Property Crime | 907/100k | 4345/100k |
| Community | ||
| Population | 125,292 | 1,593,208 |
| Median Age | 32.4 | 34.8 |
| Racial Diversity | 0.69 | 0.68 |
| Male/Female Ratio | 0.96 | 0.91 |
| Political Leaning | Even | D+64 |
| White (%) | 29.9% | 33.5% |
| Black (%) | 10.6% | 39.0% |
| Hispanic (%) | 54.3% | 15.7% |
| Asian (%) | 2.7% | 7.5% |
| Other / Multiracial (%) | 2.4% | 4.3% |
| Getting Around | ||
| Commute Time | 24 min | 33 min |
| Walkability | 16.2/20 | 14.7/20 |
| Airport Distance | 51 mi | 11 mi |
| Lifestyle & Connectivity | ||
| Broadband Access | 84.0% | 85.2% |
| Amenities Nearby | 42.94 | 8.98 |
| Park & Nature Access | Moderate | Limited |
Each figure is colored by how it ranks among all US places: 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 Allentown or Philadelphia more affordable?
- Allentown has the lower cost of living: its index is $48k, compared with Allentown's $48k and Philadelphia's $49k. Median rent is $1k in Allentown versus $1k in Philadelphia.
- Is Allentown or Philadelphia safer?
- Allentown has the lower violent crime rate. Allentown reports 515/100k and Philadelphia reports 2615/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
- Are homes cheaper in Allentown or Philadelphia?
- The median home value is $169k in Allentown and $216k in Philadelphia, so homes are more affordable in Allentown.