Allentown vs Baltimore
The short version
- Allentown is cheaper overall: prices in its metro run 4% lower than in the Baltimore area (BEA 2024).
- The median home costs $206,600 in Allentown and $229,600 in Baltimore.
- Households earn more in Baltimore ($62,177 vs $55,494 median).
- Baltimore has the warmer winter: January highs of 43°F vs 38°F.
- Allentown gets far more snow: 33 inches a year vs 19.
- Allentown is growing faster: +0.1% since 2020 vs -2.7%.
- Commutes are shorter in Allentown (25 vs 29 minutes each way).
Side by side
| Allentown, PA | Baltimore, MD | |
|---|---|---|
| People | ||
| Population (2025) | 126,044 | 569,997 |
| Growth since 2020 | +0.1% | -2.7% |
| People per square mile | 7,176 | 7,042 |
| Median age | 33.1 | 36.2 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 19% | 36% |
| Money and housing | ||
| Median household income | $55,494 | $62,177 |
| Median home value | $206,600 | $229,600 |
| Home value to income | 3.7× | 3.7× |
| Median rent (with utilities) | $1,317 | $1,331 |
| Metro price level (US = 100) | 100.0 | 104.5 |
| Housing price level (US = 100) | 105.5 | 118.2 |
| $75,000 elsewhere equals | $75,000 | $78,400 |
| Homeowners | 43% | 48% |
| Top state income tax | 3.07% | 6.5% |
| Combined sales tax | 6.34% | 6% |
| Work and commute | ||
| Average commute (minutes) | 24.6 | 29.1 |
| Work from home | 9% | 18% |
| Take public transit | 3% | 10% |
| Unemployment (2020-24 avg) | 9% | 6.5% |
| Poverty rate | 21% | 19.7% |
| Weather | ||
| January high / low | 38° / 22° | 43° / 25° |
| July high / low | 86° / 65° | 89° / 68° |
| Precipitation per year | 47 in | 45 in |
| Snowfall per year | 33 in | 19 in |
| Days 90°F or hotter | 18 | 34 |
| Nights below freezing | 118 | 93 |
| Comfortable months | 3 | 5 |
| Risks, air and home prices | ||
| Natural hazard risk (FEMA, county) | Relatively Moderate | Relatively High |
| FEMA risk score (lower is safer) | 93.9 | 95.0 |
| Good air days, 2025 | 67% | 58% |
| Home prices, past year | +4.9% | +2.7% |
| Home prices, past 5 years | +53.5% | +31.8% |
Highlighted cells are the better value where "better" is clear (lower prices, higher income, shorter commutes). Sources: Census Bureau 2025 estimates and ACS 2020-2024, BEA 2024, NOAA 1991-2020, Tax Foundation 2026.
Weather, month by month
Most comfortable months: Allentown: May to June and October. Baltimore: April to June and September to October.
Full monthly tables: Allentown weather by month and Baltimore weather by month.
What $75,000 is worth
A $75,000 salary in an average-priced US city buys about the same as $75,000 in Allentown and $78,400 in Baltimore. Moving from Allentown to Baltimore, you would need about $78,400 to match a $75,000 salary.
Which would you pick?
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