

Altoona vs Johnstown
$118/mo more in Johnstown
AltoonaJohnstownAbout 21 miles apart, close enough to drive.
- Johnstown leaves you more
- Rent under 30% of pay
Same paycheck, two cities. $2,399/mo in Johnstown. $2,281/mo in Altoona. +$1,416 a year.
Altoona
$2,281
left each month
Johnstown
$2,399
+$118 vs Altoona
Compare
Same paycheck, another city.
Next
In 2022-2023, 187 households moved Altoona → Johnstown (avg AGI $48,888). 228 went the other way. The whole move →
+$118 / mo
See full breakdown
| Per month | Altoona | Johnstown | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gross pay | $6,792 | $6,737 | −$55 |
| Income and payroll tax | $1,591 | $1,573 | −$18 |
| Take-home pay | $5,200 | $5,164 | −$36 |
| Rent | $847 | $722 | −$125 |
| Getting around | $617 | $589 | −$28 |
| Groceries | $401 | $401 | $0 |
| Healthcare | $451 | $451 | $0 |
| Utilities | $251 | $251 | $0 |
| Everything else | $351 | $351 | $0 |
| Left over | $2,281 | $2,399 | +$118 |
Salary to match Altoona
$78,500
Gross pay in Johnstown that leaves the same amount as $81,500 in Altoona.
Tax difference
+$27
A year, in state and local income tax. Effective rates: 23.4% in Altoona, 23.3% in Johnstown.
More about Johnstown
Altoona, PA in full
A flat 3.07% state income tax, a median 2-bedroom asking rent of $1,008 and 179 sunny days; commutes average 21 minutes.
Johnstown, PA in full
A flat 3.07% state income tax, a median 2-bedroom asking rent of $859 and 170 sunny days; commutes average 23 minutes.
The other way
Start in Johnstown.
Johnstown → Altoona →Questions
Is the cost of living lower in Johnstown than Altoona?
For one adult in a one-bedroom, Johnstown leaves about $118 more a month. A one-bedroom is about $847 in Altoona and $722 in Johnstown.
Does Johnstown have state income tax?
Johnstown is in Pennsylvania, which taxes wage income, plus a local wage tax of 1.00%.
What changes if you move from Altoona to Johnstown?
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 Altoona and Johnstown 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.