Allentown, PA Relocation Guide (2026)
Cost of living, housing, and income data for Allentown, sourced from the US Census Bureau.
Salary needed to live in Allentown →
Source: US Census Bureau ACS 5-Year (2022). Last updated July 2026.
With a population near 125,292, Allentown, Pennsylvania sits below the multi-city income median: households earn a typical $52,449 per year (-27% vs. that benchmark).
Home values in Allentown run a median $168,800, below the benchmark across cities in our dataset (-48%). Renters see a median monthly cost of $1,202. Mortgage rates and property taxes are worth checking before you commit either way.
With home values running about 3.2× median income, Allentown lands on the affordable side of the housing-cost spectrum. Prices in the area have surged 6.12% year over year, a hot pace that's pushed up competition for buyers near Allentown. Allentown carries a Relatively Moderate hazard rating from FEMA, on the lower end of what we track.
Personal Affordability Check
Renting at $1,202/mo in Allentown would take 27.5% of your income.
$109/mo under the 30% guideline.
Buying the median home ($168,800) would take 20.6% of your income toward principal & interest.
$323/mo under the 28% guideline.
Cost of housing in Allentown
Median home value is $168,800 and median gross rent is $1,202/month. For buyers, monthly costs depend heavily on current mortgage rates — worth checking before you commit.
FHFA's county-level home price index for Lehigh rose 6.12% over the past year (as of 2025).
HUD's FY 2026 Fair Market Rent for a 2-bedroom unit in the surrounding county is $1,634/month.
Climate & home insurance
FEMA rates Allentown's overall natural-hazard risk as Relatively Moderate. Risk level is a major driver of home insurance premiums.
Safety
Allentown reported a violent crime rate of 264.3 per 100,000 residents in 2025, per FBI data.
Moving to Allentown
Planning a move to Allentown? Compare licensed movers and get quotes based on your origin and move date.
Frequently asked questions
- What is the cost of living in Allentown, PA?
- In Allentown, the median home value is $168,800 and median rent is $1,202 per month, against a median household income of $52,449. These figures come from the US Census Bureau ACS 5-Year (2022).
- How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Allentown?
- Using the standard 30%-of-income rule of thumb, affording Allentown's median rent of $1,202/month takes an income of roughly $48,080 a year. See the full salary breakdown (renting and buying) for Allentown.
- Is it better to rent or buy in Allentown?
- In Allentown, comfortably renting the median unit ($1,202/month) takes about $48,080 in annual income, while buying the median home ($168,800) takes roughly $38,621 a year in principal and interest alone (assumes 20% down, a 30-year fixed loan, and current mortgage rates).
- Is Allentown safe?
- Per FBI Crime Data Explorer figures, Allentown's violent crime rate was 264.3 per 100,000 residents in 2025.
See the full salary breakdown for Allentown →
Cities with a similar cost of living
Matched on median rent and household income within 15% of Allentown's.