on $100k a year, leaving Allentown
changea dispatch from
raleigh
NC
35.78°N
78.64°W
Raleigh is the third leg of the Research Triangle, full of oaks (its nickname is the City of Oaks), state museums that are all free, and a downtown that's grown up fast without losing its quiet edges. NC State pumps young energy in, the food scene is sneaky-good, and the surrounding pine forests make summer evenings smell incredible. Beaches are two hours east, mountains three hours west.
in our guides
the verdict
under Allentown, every month
Cost barely budges between Raleigh and Allentown. Pick this one for the texture of the days, not the math.
a quick ledger.
$1,663/mo
8% cheaper than Allentown(vs $1,809/mo)
4.5%
$119/mo more in state tax than Allentown
vs 3.07% in Allentown
$6,295/mo
$26 more than Allentown
gross of federal tax. a comparison, not a paycheck.
$440k
23% more expensive than Allentown
vs $359k in Allentown
1.5M
vs 874k in Allentown
field notes, weather & such.
201
pleasant days a year, in raleigh.
Allentown only manages 157 of those.
74% more happening than in Allentown.
58/100
21% lower than Allentown
vs 73/100 in Allentown
Closest outdoor draw: William B. Umstead State Park, 9.9 mi.
97/100
13% higher than Allentown
vs 86/100 in Allentown
39
333% more than Allentown
vs 9 nonstops in Allentown
if raleigh appeals, also worth a look:
