City comparison
Allentown, PA is about 250 miles (425 km) from Erie, PA in a straight line. By road, the drive is roughly 325 miles, or about 5 h 30 min behind the wheel at highway speeds.
Driving distance is a rough estimate (great-circle × 1.25); driving time assumes a 60 mph blended average. Real trips run 10–20% longer with stops.
A direct flight from Allentown, PA to Erie, PA takes about 31 min, covering roughly 250 miles in a straight line. Connecting itineraries with a layover typically add 1–3 hours.
Block-to-block estimate at ~500 mph cruise, including taxi, climb, and descent — what an airline would publish, not pure airborne time.
Allentown has a population of 125,292, vs 94,826 in Erie — about 1.3× larger by population. By land area, Erie covers about 19 sq mi vs 18 sq mi for Allentown.
Population from US Census ACS. Land area from the Census Gazetteer (city proper, excluding inland water).
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 | Erie | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $1,202/mo | $809/mo | 48.6% higher in Allentown |
| Median home value | $168,800 | $101,500 | 66.3% higher in Allentown |
| Median household income | $52,449 | $43,135 | 21.6% higher in Allentown |
| Groceries index | 100.6 | 100.7 | ≈ equal (Erie slightly higher) |
| Utilities index | 106.8 | 106.1 | 0.7% higher in Allentown |
| Transportation index | 97.6 | 97.6 | ≈ equal (Allentown slightly higher) |
| Healthcare index | 98.4 | 98.3 | ≈ equal (Allentown slightly higher) |
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 $80,402 in Erie to maintain your standard of living.
Climate, safety, and demographics side by side.
Erie, PA is about 19.6% cheaper overall than Allentown, PA, based on our cost-of-living index. Housing costs are roughly 82% higher in Allentown than in Erie. If you earn $80,000 in Allentown, you'd need about $64,322 in Erie to keep the same standard of living.