$100k a year, no longer in Montgomery
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
more expensive each month than Montgomery
Allentown costs more than Montgomery, and you'll feel it. The upside has to come from somewhere other than your budget.
a quick ledger.
$1,809/mo
31% more expensive than Montgomery(vs $1,376/mo)
3.07%
$161/mo less in state tax than Montgomery
vs 5% in Montgomery
$6,269/mo
$272 less than Montgomery
gross of federal tax. a comparison, not a paycheck.
$359k
70% more expensive than Montgomery
vs $212k in Montgomery
874k
vs 385k in Montgomery
field notes, weather & such.
157
pleasant days a year, in allentown.
Montgomery gets 181 pleasant days a year, so you'd be trading some sunshine. A real winter, not a brutal one: 32 days under 20°, vs 1 in Montgomery.
A similar weekend lineup to Montgomery.
73/100
66% higher than Montgomery
vs 44/100 in Montgomery
Closest outdoor draw: Lehigh Gorge State Park, 23.6 mi.
86/100
41% higher than Montgomery
vs 61/100 in Montgomery
9
200% more than Montgomery
vs 3 nonstops in Montgomery
neighbors of allentown on the map of tradeoffs:
compare allentown with:
