Relocation: Chicago Metro, IL-IN to Allentown Metro, PA-NJ
Data updated · Sources: HUD FY 2027 Fair Market Rents, EPI 2026 Family Budget, 2026 tax tables · Methodology
Income tax, HUD Fair Market Rents and EPI living costs for a move from Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN to Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ.
Interactive Purchasing Power Equivalency Workbench
Adjust your current salary at origin to dynamically compute the statutory tax burden, housing costs, and discretionary cash in both markets.
Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN
Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ
Itemized Cost of Living Expenditure Arbitrage
Category-by-category breakdown of monthly baseline consumption between origin and destination.
| Expenditure Category | Chicago-Naperville-Elgin (Monthly) | Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton (Monthly) | Monthly Delta ($) | Difference (%) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Housing (1BR Fair Market Rent) | $1,780 | $1,519 | -$261 | -14.7% |
| Food & Groceries | $385 | $371 | -$14 | -3.6% |
| Transportation | $947 | $1,004 | +$57 | +6.0% |
| Healthcare | $416 | $442 | +$26 | +6.3% |
| Other Necessities | $572 | $436 | -$136 | -23.8% |
| Total Taxes (Federal, State, Local, FICA) | $2,135 | $2,160 | +$25 | +1.2% |
HUD Fair Market Rent Differential
EPI Living Wage Benchmark Comparison
Top Local Occupations Wage Parity
BLS median wage comparisons across benchmark roles between both metropolitan labor markets.
| Occupation Title | Industry Sector | Chicago-Naperville-Elgin Median | Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton Median | Nominal Wage Delta | Action |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| General and Operations ManagersFinance & Management | Finance & Management | $109,390 | $101,260 | -$8,130 (-7.4%) | View Dossier |
| Registered Nurse (RN)Healthcare | Healthcare | $100,490 | $101,440 | +$950 (+0.9%) | View Dossier |
| Accountant & AuditorFinance | Finance | $82,360 | $78,430 | -$3,930 (-4.8%) | View Dossier |
| Financial ManagerFinance | Finance | $168,810 | $146,030 | -$22,780 (-13.5%) | View Dossier |
| Software EngineerTechnology | Technology | $134,380 | $122,930 | -$11,450 (-8.5%) | View Dossier |
| Management AnalystBusiness Operations | Business Operations | $105,090 | $95,780 | -$9,310 (-8.9%) | View Dossier |
| Sales ManagersFinance & Management | Finance & Management | $158,690 | $135,220 | -$23,470 (-14.8%) | View Dossier |
| Computer and Information Systems ManagersFinance & Management | Finance & Management | $173,760 | $165,660 | -$8,100 (-4.7%) | View Dossier |
| Quality Control InspectorIndustrial Manufacturing | Industrial Manufacturing | $48,230 | $48,420 | +$190 (+0.4%) | View Dossier |
| Project Management SpecialistBusiness Operations | Business Operations | $105,320 | $100,050 | -$5,270 (-5.0%) | View Dossier |
| ElectricianSkilled Trades | Skilled Trades | $102,350 | $66,500 | -$35,850 (-35.0%) | View Dossier |
| Medical and Health Services ManagersFinance & Management | Finance & Management | $123,090 | $109,380 | -$13,710 (-11.1%) | View Dossier |
Major US Inter-Metro Relocation Corridors
Empirical cost differentials and statutory tax savings across high-volume migration routes.
On $100k: $8,301 less tax and $14,388 less 1BR rent a year
On $100k: $6,211 less tax and $17,676 less 1BR rent a year
On $100k: $4,805 less tax and $2,928 less 1BR rent a year
On $100k: $1,729 less tax and $19,884 less 1BR rent a year
On $100k: $4,113 less tax and $10,908 less 1BR rent a year
On $100k: $3,761 more tax and $4,188 less 1BR rent a year
On $100k: $1,299 less tax and $11,592 less 1BR rent a year
On $100k: $8,301 less tax and $7,296 less 1BR rent a year
Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN to Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ Relocation FAQs
About $84,000. That scales $100,000 by the ratio of the metros' cost-of-living indexes (125.8 in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN, 105.6 in Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ, from EPI family budgets); taxes are compared separately below.
Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN to Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ: State Paychecks, Rents & Reciprocal Corridor
Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN to Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ: 2026 federal, state & local income tax, HUD Fair Market Rents & EPI living costs compared. Official 2026 economic data for Relocation: Chicago Metro, IL-IN to Allentown Metro, PA-NJ compiled from Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS surveys, HUD Fair Market Rents, and statutory tax codes.
Quick answers
About $84,000. That scales $100,000 by the ratio of the metros' cost-of-living indexes (125.8 in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN, 105.6 in Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ, from EPI family budgets); taxes are compared separately below.
EPI's family budgets for a single adult put overall living costs 16.0% lower in Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ than in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN. The budgets cover housing, food, transportation, health care and other necessities.