Uprootmap
Altoona vs Harrisburg
Altoona and Harrisburg
Photo: PA Uploader / Wikimedia, CC BY-SA 4.0
Assumed income $83,730, same in both cities. Example, until you change it.
Other cities
So you know: homicide deaths in Harrisburg are under the US rate in this release, 4.6 versus 6.5 per 100,000. CDC via County Health Rankings, CDC NVSS 2017–2023 (CHR 2025 release).
Why people look at Altoona to Harrisburg
IRS migration on this site does not list a filed flow from Altoona to Harrisburg above the cutoff in 2022-2023.
A one-bedroom asking rent is about $847 in Altoona and $1,115 in Harrisburg. Altoona has a state tax on wages. Harrisburg has a state tax on wages. Local pay in Harrisburg is 99% of the national level for the same work, against 87% in Altoona.
Harrisburg averages 197 sunny days, with July highs around 88°F and January nights around 30°F. Altoona is 179 sunny days, 85°F in July, 26°F in January. Commutes average 23 minutes in Harrisburg and 21 in Altoona.
These figures are projections built from available public data. Conditions change, and the numbers may not reflect current prices, taxes, or immigration rules. Check official sources before you make decisions.
Who already made this move
The IRS did not publish a large enough Altoona → Harrisburg pair for 2022-2023. That usually means fewer than a few dozen tax returns, not that nobody moved.
Source: IRS SOI county-to-county migration. Not a moving company; not a recommendation.
The monthly number is take-home pay minus rent and the other bills. The gap between Altoona and Harrisburg changes with the job, remote or local pay, and bedrooms. How we figure this.
What the move itself costs
About 80 road miles, 1 bedroom. Typical ranges, not quotes.
- Full-service mover
- $1,600–$3,000
- Container or pod
- $1,100–$2,000
- Rent a truck
- $400–$700
Explore more
Dig into Harrisburg
Questions
Is Harrisburg cheaper than Altoona after tax and rent?
No. Harrisburg leaves about $178 less a month, so the cost of living is higher there for this household. A one-bedroom is about $847 in Altoona and $1,115 in Harrisburg.
Does Harrisburg have state income tax?
Harrisburg is in Pennsylvania, which taxes wage income, plus a local wage tax of 1.00%.
Did people actually move from Altoona to Harrisburg?
Yes, when the IRS published that flow. The count and their average income are on this page. Leftover prices the same household in both cities.