City comparison
Allentown, PA is about 30 miles (50 km) from Reading, PA in a straight line. By road, the drive is roughly 40 miles, or about 37 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 Reading, PA takes about 4 min, covering roughly 30 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 94,601 in Reading — about 1.3× larger by population. By land area, Allentown covers about 18 sq mi vs 9.8 sq mi for Reading.
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 | Reading | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $1,202/mo | $942/mo | 27.6% higher in Allentown |
| Median home value | $168,800 | $96,900 | 74.2% higher in Allentown |
| Median household income | $52,449 | $42,852 | 22.4% higher in Allentown |
| Groceries index | 100.6 | 100.7 | ≈ equal (Reading slightly higher) |
| Utilities index | 106.8 | 107.4 | 0.5% higher in Reading |
| 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 $91,702 in Reading to maintain your standard of living.
Climate, safety, and demographics side by side.
Reading, PA is about 8.3% cheaper overall than Allentown, PA, based on our cost-of-living index. Housing costs are roughly 24% higher in Allentown than in Reading. If you earn $80,000 in Allentown, you'd need about $73,361 in Reading to keep the same standard of living.