Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Allentown, PA
VS
Philadelphia, PA
🏆 Philadelphia leads 14 of 23 categories
Allentown
Pennsylvania
9
wins
Cost of Living Index
98.4 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$52,449
Violent Crime Index
72 ✓ Safer
Population
125,292
Philadelphia
Pennsylvania
14
wins
Cost of Living Index
103.5⚠ High
Median Household Income
$57,537 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
239⚠ High
Population
1,593,208 ✓ Larger
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Allentown, PA
Pros
70% less violent crime than Philadelphia
Homes cost $47k less ($168,800 vs $215,500)
Commutes run 9 min shorter each way
5% cheaper overall cost of living than Philadelphia
Cons
Median income trails Philadelphia by $5,088/yr
Philadelphia, PA
Pros
More college-educated — 33.6% hold a bachelor's or higher
Stronger job market — unemployment is 0.6 pts lower (8.6%)
Households earn $5,088 more per year on average
Cons
Violent crime (908.7/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Property crime (4548.2/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Longer commutes — 32.8 min average each way
Cost of living runs 5% higher than Allentown
Key Differences at a Glance
Allentown
Cost of Living
5% cheaper
COL index 98.4 vs 103.5 (100 = US avg)
Allentown
Violent Crime
70% lower
272.1 vs 908.7 per 100k
Allentown
Median Home Value
$47k less
$168,800 vs $215,500
Philadelphia
Median Income
$5,088
$57,537 vs $52,449/yr
Philadelphia
Unemployment
0.6 pp lower
8.6% vs 9.2% unemployment
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Allentown, PA | Philadelphia, PA |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 98.4 ✓ Cheaper | 103.5⚠ High |
| Median Home Value | $168,800 ✓ Lower | $215,500 |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,202 ✓ Lower | $1,250 |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $52,449 | $57,537 ✓ Higher |
| Unemployment Rate | 9.2%⚠ High | 8.6%⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 23.6 min ✓ Shorter | 32.8 min⚠ High |
| Work From Home % | 7.4% | 13.8% ✓ Higher |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 73 ✓ Safer | 230⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 72 ✓ Safer | 239⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 75 ✓ Safer | 217⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | C+ (83) | B- (92) ✓ Better |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 15.9:1 | 15.0:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 18.3% | 33.6% ✓ Higher |
| High School or Higher | 81.9% | 86.9% ✓ Higher |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Allentown City SD | Philadelphia City SD |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 38.4°F | 41.6°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 86.4°F | 89.3°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 47.4" ✓ Drier | 50.7" |
| Annual Snowfall | 33.1" | 16.1" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 125,292 | 1,593,208 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 32.4 | 34.8 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 42.3% | 52.2% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 24.6% ✓ More | 21.5% |
| Over 65 | 12.5% | 14.0% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Allentown's cost of living index is 98.4 vs Philadelphia's 103.5 (US average = 100).
Allentown is 5% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Philadelphia leads 14 of 23 categories. Allentown wins 9 and Philadelphia wins 14. 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 Philadelphia or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($168,800 vs $215,500 median home), income ($52,449 vs $57,537), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Allentown, PA and Philadelphia, PA are about 44 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.