$100k salary, packing up from Hickory
changea dispatch from
allentown
PA
40.60°N
75.49°W
Allentown is the heart of the Lehigh Valley, with old industrial bones turning into a quietly resilient mid-sized city. The Lehigh River runs past, the historic downtown has been steadily finding its footing with breweries and restaurants in the old buildings, and the surrounding farmland is gorgeous. It's an hour and change from both Philly and NYC. Cheaper than both, by a lot.
the verdict
the monthly cost of moving past Hickory
Allentown costs more than Hickory, and you'll feel it. The upside has to come from somewhere other than your budget.
a quick ledger.
$1,809/mo
26% more expensive than Hickory(vs $1,434/mo)
3.07%
$119/mo less in state tax than Hickory
vs 4.5% in Hickory
$6,269/mo
$255 less than Hickory
gross of federal tax. a comparison, not a paycheck.
$359k
34% more expensive than Hickory
vs $268k in Hickory
874k
vs 370k in Hickory
field notes, weather & such.
157
pleasant days a year, in allentown.
Hickory gets 189 pleasant days a year, so you'd be trading some sunshine. A real winter, not a brutal one: 32 days under 20°, vs 4 in Hickory.
Nights and weekends fill up faster. 1.4× more on the calendar than Hickory.
73/100
14% higher than Hickory
vs 64/100 in Hickory
Closest outdoor draw: Lehigh Gorge State Park, 23.6 mi.
86/100
23% higher than Hickory
vs 70/100 in Hickory
9
0% fewer than Hickory
vs 0 nonstops in Hickory
compare allentown with:
