Allentown vs Pittsburgh
Allentown, Pennsylvania versus Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania: a factual, side-by-side comparison of cost of living, housing, safety, schools, and climate. Greener figures rank better among US places.
Pittsburgh edges out Allentown on overall objective livability (52 vs 45 of 100), though each leads on different factors below.
Factor-by-factor comparison
| Factor | Allentown | Pittsburgh |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | ||
| Median Household Income | $52k | $60k |
| Cost of Living | $48k | $47k |
| Home Value | $169k | $172k |
| Monthly Rent | $1k | $1k |
| Monthly Owner Costs | $1k | $1k |
| Property Tax Rate | 2.09% | 1.05% |
| Income Tax | 4.95% | 6.10% |
| Sales Tax | 6.34% | 6.34% |
| Estimated total tax burden | 13.78% | 11.19% |
| Unemployment | 9.2% | 5.7% |
| Weather | ||
| Winter Temp (Jan) | 31°F | 29°F |
| Summer Temp (Jul) | 75°F | 73°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 47.4 in | 41.3 in |
| Annual Snowfall | 33.1 in | 44.1 in |
| Sunny Days | 223 days | 254 days |
| Summer Humidity | 63°F | 60°F |
| Comfortable Days | 87 days | 99 days |
| Safety & Wellbeing | ||
| Natural Disaster Risk | 76.7 | 42.8 |
| Air Quality | 53 AQI | 51 AQI |
| School Quality | 86.7 | 100.0 |
| Violent Crime | 515/100k | 1811/100k |
| Property Crime | 907/100k | 2203/100k |
| Community | ||
| Population | 125,292 | 303,843 |
| Median Age | 32.4 | 33.5 |
| Racial Diversity | 0.69 | 0.52 |
| Male/Female Ratio | 0.96 | 0.96 |
| Political Leaning | Even | D+21 |
| White (%) | 29.9% | 63.1% |
| Black (%) | 10.6% | 23.1% |
| Hispanic (%) | 54.3% | 3.6% |
| Asian (%) | 2.7% | 5.6% |
| Other / Multiracial (%) | 2.4% | 4.6% |
| Getting Around | ||
| Commute Time | 24 min | 23 min |
| Walkability | 16.2/20 | 16.4/20 |
| Airport Distance | 51 mi | 14 mi |
| Lifestyle & Connectivity | ||
| Broadband Access | 84.0% | 87.7% |
| Amenities Nearby | 42.94 | 39.53 |
| Park & Nature Access | Moderate | Moderate |
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 Pittsburgh more affordable?
- Pittsburgh has the lower cost of living: its index is $47k, compared with Allentown's $48k and Pittsburgh's $47k. Median rent is $1k in Allentown versus $1k in Pittsburgh.
- Is Allentown or Pittsburgh safer?
- Allentown has the lower violent crime rate. Allentown reports 515/100k and Pittsburgh reports 1811/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
- Are homes cheaper in Allentown or Pittsburgh?
- The median home value is $169k in Allentown and $172k in Pittsburgh, so homes are more affordable in Allentown.