Allentown vs Pittsburgh
Compare Allentown, PA and Pittsburgh, PA on cost, HUD rent, safety, climate, commute, schools, outdoor access, food, and source-labeled relocation data.
The verdict
Pittsburgh is the cheaper metro on paper: ACS median rent runs $968/mo versus $1,246/mo in Allentown — a gap of about $278/mo — and HUD 2-bedroom Fair Market Rents show $1,161/mo against $1,426/mo. Across the four public-data screens Pittsburgh comes out ahead (258 vs 226 summed points), though Allentown still wins specific categories below.
Their climates screen similarly — summer highs near 84°F and 83°F respectively. If lower housing cost leads your list, start with Pittsburgh; if walkable daily life matters more, Pittsburgh screens stronger on the walkability proxy (25 vs 21). These are metro-level public-data screens — verify neighborhoods, school districts, commutes, and actual listings before deciding.
Category summary
Pittsburgh leads 75 to 68 on the cost and climate screen.
Pittsburgh leads 81 to 71 on the work screen.
Pittsburgh leads 52 to 34 on the daily life screen.
Allentown leads 53 to 50 on the community screen.
$85,000 in Allentown is roughly $127,500 in Pittsburgh using WhereToThrive's cost index and state-tax adjustment.
Category comparison
| Metric | Allentown | Pittsburgh | Edge |
|---|---|---|---|
| ACS median gross rent | $1,246/mo | $968/mo | Pittsburgh |
| HUD 2BR FMR | $1,426/mo | $1,161/mo | Pittsburgh |
| Median home value | $258,000 | $192,000 | Pittsburgh |
| State income tax | 3.1% | 3.1% | Tie |
| Average commute | 29.4 min | 28.7 min | Pittsburgh |
| Safety score | 61/100 | 61/100 | Tie |
| School score | 4/10 | 6/10 | Pittsburgh |
| Walkability estimate | 21/100 | 25/100 | Pittsburgh |
| Outdoor score | 6/10 | 5/10 | Allentown |
| Restaurants per 100k | 172.2 | 186.2 | Pittsburgh |
| Mountain distance | 13 mi | 1 mi | Pittsburgh |
| Coast distance | 48 mi | 190 mi | Allentown |
What stands out
Allentown stronger signals
- Public park/protected-area signal within 1 miles
- Ski location within 6 miles
- Coast access within 48 miles
- Mountain access within 13 miles
Allentown tradeoffs
- No major generic tradeoffs identified
Pittsburgh stronger signals
- Major airport access
- Strong food and nightlife amenities score
- Public park/protected-area signal within 1 miles
- Ski location within 13 miles
Pittsburgh tradeoffs
- No major generic tradeoffs identified
Common questions
Is Allentown cheaper than Pittsburgh?
On public benchmarks Pittsburgh is the cheaper metro: ACS median rent is $1,246/mo in Allentown vs $968/mo in Pittsburgh; HUD 2-bedroom Fair Market Rents are $1,426/mo vs $1,161/mo; state income tax is 3.1% vs 3.1%.
Is Allentown or Pittsburgh safer?
Allentown screens safer at the metro level: safety scores are 61/100 for Allentown and 61/100 for Pittsburgh (FBI-reported metro rates; neighborhood variation is larger than metro averages).
Which is better for families, Allentown or Pittsburgh?
School screens show 4/10 for Allentown vs 6/10 for Pittsburgh, alongside the safety scores above. It is a metro-level screen; verify specific school districts before weighting it heavily.
How different is the climate between Allentown and Pittsburgh?
Allentown: summer highs near 84°F, winter lows near 20°F, disaster-risk band 2/3. Pittsburgh: 83°F / 21°F, disaster-risk band 2/3 (NOAA climate normals).
Keep researching
Score this comparison with your own constraints
Public comparison pages use equal-weighted signals. The questionnaire reweights cities around your housing budget, climate preferences, work needs, family needs, and daily-life priorities.
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