$100k a year, no longer in Raleigh
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 each month than Raleigh ran you
A small premium for Allentown. Worth it only if the rest of the city earns it back.
a quick ledger.
$1,809/mo
9% more expensive than Raleigh(vs $1,663/mo)
3.07%
$119/mo less in state tax than Raleigh
vs 4.5% in Raleigh
$6,269/mo
$26 less than Raleigh
gross of federal tax. a comparison, not a paycheck.
$359k
18% cheaper than Raleigh
vs $440k in Raleigh
874k
vs 1.5M in Raleigh
field notes, weather & such.
157
pleasant days a year, in allentown.
Raleigh has the edge here, logging 201 pleasant days a year. Cold snaps are part of the year: 32 days below 20° here, 3 in Raleigh.
But the calendar thins out: Raleigh stays 1.7× busier.
73/100
26% higher than Raleigh
vs 58/100 in Raleigh
Closest outdoor draw: Lehigh Gorge State Park, 23.6 mi.
86/100
11% lower than Raleigh
vs 97/100 in Raleigh
9
77% fewer than Raleigh
vs 39 nonstops in Raleigh
neighbors of allentown on the map of tradeoffs:
compare allentown with:
