City comparison
Cost indices by category, with the US city average (100) marked.
Index: 100 = US city average. Lower is more affordable.
Side-by-side costs, salaries, and sub-category indices.
| Metric | Allentown | College Station | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $1,202/mo | $1,129/mo | 6.5% higher in A |
| Median home value | $168,800 | $305,800 | 44.8% lower in A |
| Median household income | $52,449 | $52,397 | 0.1% higher in A |
| Groceries index | 100.7 | 95.2 | 5.7% higher in A |
| Utilities index | 105.1 | 87.5 | 20.1% higher in A |
| Transportation index | 97.2 | 97.5 | ≈ equal |
| Healthcare index | 99.8 | 95.8 | 4.2% higher in A |
How much you'd need to earn in the other city to keep the same standard of living.
If you earn $100,000 in Allentown, you'd need $87,535 in College Station to maintain your standard of living.
Climate, safety, and demographics side by side.
College Station, TX is about 12.5% cheaper overall than Allentown, PA, based on our cost-of-living index. Housing costs are roughly 23% lower in College Station than in Allentown. If you earn $80,000 in Allentown, you'd need about $70,028 in College Station to keep the same standard of living.