Allentown, PA vs Schenectady, NY: Cost of Living

Which city costs less?

Schenectady, NY has a modeled overall cost index 1.1% lower than Allentown, PA.

Allentown, PA · modeled 2BR rent: $1,635 / month
Schenectady, NY · modeled 2BR rent: $1,550 / month

These are saved estimates, not current rental listings. Some cities use adjusted regional data. Your household budget can differ from the overall index. Sources and assumptions

Adjust your income and compare the budget ↓

Tap to swap

Cost of Living Comparison 2026

Compare Allentown, PA and Schenectady, NY using saved regional data and explicit budgeting assumptions. Rent estimates are not live listings. Change the salary below, then check the source notes before applying a result to your household.

Saved regional estimates · Sources and assumptions

Current salary in Allentown, PA

Numbers update automatically as you type

Estimated savings: $56.20/month in Schenectady, NY

$150,000 in your current city has a modeled equivalent of $149,326 in Schenectady, NY

Regional cost estimates: Allentown, PA uses Philadelphia, PA. Schenectady, NY uses Newark, NJ. Available city ZIP rent estimates are shown separately.

Overall Cost

↓ 1.1%

Less expensive

Monthly Impact

$56.20

Savings

Annual Impact

$674

Per year

Assumes 60% of current gross income goes to living costs. The headline uses the category budget below; taxes, moving costs and savings goals are excluded.

Allentown, PA

Population:125K

Cost Index:

95.0

100 = national average

Typical Home:$257K

Schenectady, NY

Population:69K

Cost Index:

94.0

100 = national average

Typical Home:$252K

Planning the move to Schenectady?

Organize packing, address changes, and moving-day tasks with a free checklist. Your progress saves in this browser. No account needed.

Plan my move with the free checklist

Allentown, PA

The Keystone State

125K

Population

State Tax

Yes

Located in Pennsylvania, this city has a population of 125K residents.

Schenectady, NY

The Empire State

69K

Population

State Tax

Yes

Located in New York, this city has a population of 69K residents.

Cost Breakdown by Category

Estimated monthly spending: Allentown, PA vs Schenectady, NY

Assumes 60% of your current gross income is spent on these categories. The headline and totals use this same budget. Rent estimates below are separate reference data. Rounded amounts may differ by $1.

Category	Allentown, PA	Schenectady, NY	Difference	Change
Housing	$2,036/mo	$1,844/mo	↓ $191less	9.4%
Other	$1,735/mo	$1,836/mo	↑ $101more	5.8%
Transportation	$1,389/mo	$1,449/mo	↑ $59.23more	4.3%
Healthcare	$613/mo	$668/mo	↑ $55.39more	9.0%
Groceries	$1,114/mo	$1,068/mo	↓ $46.43less	4.2%
All Utilities	$612/mo	$579/mo	↓ $33.45less	5.5%

Housing

↓ 9.4%

Allentown, PA

$2,036

Schenectady, NY

$1,844

Difference

$191

less

Other

↑ 5.8%

Allentown, PA

$1,735

Schenectady, NY

$1,836

Difference

$101

Transportation

↑ 4.3%

Allentown, PA

$1,389

Schenectady, NY

$1,449

Difference

$59.23

Healthcare

↑ 9.0%

Allentown, PA

$613

Schenectady, NY

$668

Difference

$55.39

Groceries

↓ 4.2%

Allentown, PA

$1,114

Schenectady, NY

$1,068

Difference

$46.43

less

All Utilities

↓ 5.5%

Allentown, PA

$612

Schenectady, NY

$579

Difference

$33.45

less

🏛️ Local Income Taxes

Allentown, PA: Allentown Earned Income Tax$4,425/yr (2.9%)

Schenectady, NY has no local income tax recorded in this dataset.

Local taxes are shown separately and are not included in the living-cost totals. Coverage is incomplete; an absent entry does not establish that no tax applies.

🏠Rent Comparison

Studio

From$1,130

To$1,110

↓ $20.00

1 Bed

From$1,340

To$1,290

↓ $50.00

2 Bed

From$1,635

To$1,550

↓ $85.00

3 Bed

From$2,090

To$1,860

↓ $230

Allentown, PAZIP-level data

1BR range: $1,240–$1,640/mo

Schenectady, NYZIP-level data

1BR range: $1,200–$1,340/mo

💡 Note: HUD Fair Market Rents estimate 40th-percentile gross rents, including most tenant-paid utilities. City ZIP summaries are medians of those estimates, not market median rents. Actual prices vary by neighborhood, amenities, and condition. Source: HUD Small Area Fair Market Rents FY2026.

$7,500

Monthly in Allentown, PA

$7,444

Monthly in Schenectady, NY

$56.20

Difference

Home Values

Allentown

Schenectady

$257K

Median Value

$252K

↑ +4.7%

YoY Change

↑ +4.4%

↑ +55.7%

5-Year Change

↑ +48%

$203K - $384K

Price Range

$168K - $282K

Homes in Schenectady are 2% less expensive than Allentown

Calculate payment - Allentown Calculate payment - Schenectady

Source: Zillow Home Value Index (ZHVI), January 2026

Tax Comparison

Annual tax burden comparison at $150.0K salary

Tax Savings

↓ $4.9K

More taxes

Monthly Difference

$412

Less take-home

Effective Rate Diff

3.3%

Rate difference

Allentown, PA

Federal Income Tax

Effective: 18.9%

$25.5K

Pennsylvania State Tax

Effective: 3.1%

$4.6K

FICA Taxes

Social Security + Medicare

$11.5K

Total Taxes

Effective: 27.7%

$41.6K

Take-Home Pay

$9,032/month

$108.4K

Schenectady, NY

Federal Income Tax

Effective: 18.9%

$25.5K

New York State Tax

Effective: 6.4%

$9.5K

FICA Taxes

Social Security + Medicare

$11.5K

Total Taxes

Effective: 31.0%

$46.6K

Take-Home Pay

$8,620/month

$103.4K

Additional Tax Information

Allentown, PA Tax Rates

Sales Tax:6.5%

Property Tax:1.4%

Schenectady, NY Tax Rates

Sales Tax:8.8%

Property Tax:1.2%

💡 Note: Tax calculations are estimates based on 2024/2025 tax brackets for single filers with standard deduction. Actual taxes may vary based on filing status, deductions, credits, and local variations.

Environment

Allentown

Schenectady

52 Moderate

Air Quality

N/A

47.3%

Good Air Days

100 Very High

Climate Risk

98 High

🌊🌅🌀

Top Hazards

🌊🌡🌪

▲+2.9°F

2050 Outlook

▲+2.9°F

22 days

Heat Days >95°F

15 days

▲+2.9°F

2050 Outlook

▲+2.9°F

22 days

Heat Days >95°F

15 days

Before moving from Allentown, PA to Schenectady, NY

Use this comparison to shortlist a move, then check the costs that depend on your household.

Compare actual homes. Get current quotes in Schenectady, NY for the same bedroom count and included utilities as your home in Allentown, PA. Add parking, deposits, insurance and any overlapping leases. The rent estimates above are a starting point, not available listings.
Confirm your income. Check your expected pay with your employer, including any location adjustment. Use “Different salary at destination?” above to compare two incomes. The budget model excludes taxes and one-time moving costs; it is not a take-home-pay calculation.
Price your daily routine. Check the commute from a specific address to work, school or childcare. Add household expenses missing from this model, such as childcare, debt payments and medical needs. Verify local services before signing a lease.
Plan the transition. Get moving quotes and budget for travel, setup costs and time off. Open your Allentown to Schenectady moving checklist to organize the tasks and timing.

Still choosing a destination? Explore cities similar to Schenectady, NY by cost, housing, population and region.

Frequently Asked Questions: Allentown, PA vs Schenectady, NY

How do the cost estimates for Allentown, PA and Schenectady, NY compare?

Schenectady, NY has a modeled overall cost index 1.1% lower than Allentown, PA. This is a broad model comparison, not a survey of today's prices or a forecast of your household spending. Some cities use adjusted regional fallback data.

What does the equivalent salary mean?

At a $150,000 salary in Allentown, PA, the model estimates $149,326 in Schenectady, NY. It allocates 60% of gross income to the origin city’s category budget and applies each destination category’s relative cost. The equivalent salary adds the total category difference to your income. The monthly difference is the same category difference divided by 12; it is not take-home pay or guaranteed savings. Household size, childcare and your actual lease are not inputs to this calculation.

What rent estimates are available for Allentown, PA and Schenectady, NY?

The modeled two-bedroom rents are $1,635/month in Allentown, PA and $1,550/month in Schenectady, NY. Where available, the source is a city median of HUD FY2026 ZIP-level estimates; otherwise a saved metro table is used. City adjustments may also apply. These are not asking rents or available listings. Compare actual properties with the same bedroom count and included utilities.

How should I use this comparison before moving?

Use it to shortlist locations, then replace modeled costs with a current housing quote, employer-confirmed income, commute costs, insurance and your household's other expenses. Add one-time moving costs separately. Source years differ and the saved datasets are not a live price feed. Read the methodology for the formulas and fallback rules.

💰 See how taxes change too — compare take-home pay between Pennsylvania and New York on TaxTakeHome.com