Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Allentown, PA
VS
Billings, MT
🏆 Billings leads 13 of 23 categories
Allentown
Pennsylvania
10
wins
Cost of Living Index
98.4
Median Household Income
$52,449
Violent Crime Index
72 ✓ Safer
Population
125,292 ✓ Larger
Billings
Montana
13
wins
Cost of Living Index
89.6 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$69,692 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
196⚠ High
Population
117,093
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Allentown, PA
Pros
Homes cost $117k less ($168,800 vs $285,300)
64% less violent crime than Billings
Smaller class sizes — 15.9:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Median income trails Billings by $17,243/yr
Higher unemployment (9.2% vs 3.6%)
Cost of living runs 9% higher than Billings
Billings, MT
Pros
Stronger job market — unemployment is 5.6 pts lower (3.6%)
Households earn $17,243 more per year on average
More college-educated — 37.2% hold a bachelor's or higher
Commutes run 6 min shorter each way
Rent averages $138/mo less ($1,064 vs $1,202)
9% cheaper overall cost of living than Allentown
Cons
Violent crime (746.1/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Property crime (3083.4/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Snowy winters — about 57" of snow per year
Key Differences at a Glance
Allentown
Violent Crime
64% lower
272.1 vs 746.1 per 100k
Allentown
Median Home Value
$117k less
$168,800 vs $285,300
Billings
Cost of Living
9% cheaper
COL index 89.6 vs 98.4 (100 = US avg)
Billings
Median Income
$17,243
$69,692 vs $52,449/yr
Billings
Unemployment
5.6 pp lower
3.6% vs 9.2% unemployment
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Allentown, PA | Billings, MT |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 98.4 | 89.6 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $168,800 ✓ Lower | $285,300 |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,202 | $1,064 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $52,449 | $69,692 ✓ Higher |
| Unemployment Rate | 9.2%⚠ High | 3.6% ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 23.6 min | 17.2 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 7.4% ✓ Higher | 6.7% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 73 ✓ Safer | 177⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 72 ✓ Safer | 196⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 75 ✓ Safer | 147⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | C+ (83) | B- (94) ✓ Better |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 15.9:1 ✓ Smaller | 19.3:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 18.3% | 37.2% ✓ Higher |
| High School or Higher | 81.9% | 95.7% ✓ Higher |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Allentown City SD | Elder Grove Elem |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 38.4°F ✓ Warmer | 36.0°F |
| Avg High — July | 86.4°F | 87.3°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 47.4" | 14.3" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 33.1" ✓ Less | 57.4" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 125,292 ✓ Larger | 117,093 |
| Median Age | 32.4 | 37.7 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 42.3% | 64.8% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 24.6% ✓ More | 22.7% |
| Over 65 | 12.5% | 18.0% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Allentown's cost of living index is 98.4 vs Billings's 89.6 (US average = 100).
Billings is 9% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Billings leads 13 of 23 categories. Allentown wins 10 and Billings wins 13. The right choice depends on your priorities — use the Pros & Cons and full table above to weigh what matters to you.
Whether you're moving from Allentown to Billings or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($168,800 vs $285,300 median home), income ($52,449 vs $69,692), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Allentown, PA and Billings, MT are about 1,692 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.