

Allentown vs Reading
$157/mo more in Reading
AllentownReadingAbout 38 miles apart, close enough to drive.
- Reading leaves you more
- Property tax 1.77%
- Rent under 30% of pay
Same paycheck, two cities. $2,382/mo in Reading. $2,225/mo in Allentown. +$1,884 a year.
Allentown
$2,225
left each month
Reading
$2,382
+$157 vs Allentown
Compare
Same paycheck, another city.
Next
In 2022-2023, 733 households moved Allentown → Reading (avg AGI $53,367). 667 went the other way. The whole move →
+$157 / mo
See full breakdown
| Per month | Allentown | Reading | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gross pay | $7,500 | $7,344 | −$156 |
| Income and payroll tax | $1,830 | $1,778 | −$53 |
| Take-home pay | $5,670 | $5,566 | −$103 |
| Rent | $1,431 | $1,167 | −$264 |
| Getting around | $559 | $563 | +$4 |
| Groceries | $401 | $401 | $0 |
| Healthcare | $451 | $451 | $0 |
| Utilities | $251 | $251 | $0 |
| Everything else | $351 | $351 | $0 |
| Left over | $2,225 | $2,382 | +$157 |
Salary to match Allentown
$85,500
Gross pay in Reading that leaves the same amount as $90,000 in Allentown.
Tax difference
+$76
A year, in state and local income tax. Effective rates: 24.4% in Allentown, 24.2% in Reading.
More about Reading
Allentown, PA in full
A flat 3.07% state income tax, a median 2-bedroom asking rent of $1,704 and 188 sunny days; commutes average 28 minutes.
Reading, PA in full
A flat 3.07% state income tax, a median 2-bedroom asking rent of $1,389 and 195 sunny days; commutes average 25 minutes.
The other way
Start in Reading.
Reading → Allentown →Questions
Is the cost of living lower in Reading than Allentown?
For one adult in a one-bedroom, Reading leaves about $157 more a month. A one-bedroom is about $1,431 in Allentown and $1,167 in Reading.
Does Reading have state income tax?
Reading is in Pennsylvania, which taxes wage income, plus a local wage tax of 1.00%.
What changes if you move from Allentown to Reading?
The paycheck is taxed in Pennsylvania. Rent stays at the same bedroom count. What you keep is the difference.
Left over each month is take-home pay minus rent and the rest of the bills. The gap between Allentown and Reading changes with the job, remote or local pay, and bedrooms. How we figure this · Leftover vs a COL index · Why a cheaper COL% can still lose leftover.
Estimate, not a quote. How we figure this.