Living Cost Compare
Allentown

Pennsylvania

$1,320/mo est.

vs
Shreveport

Louisiana

$1,000/mo est.

Monthly estimate = 1BR rent + electricity + gas

A one-person monthly baseline (1BR rent plus typical utilities) runs $1,320 in Allentown, PA versus $1,000 in Shreveport, LA. Overall, Shreveport, LA is roughly 24% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Allentown, PA, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $53,403 in Allentown, PA and $48,465 in Shreveport, LA — about 9% higher in Allentown, PA. Pennsylvania has a top state income tax rate of 3.07% and a 6% state sales tax; Louisiana has a top state income tax rate of 3.00% and a 5% state sales tax.

Allentown, PA
Shreveport, LA

Rent

Studio
$1,043
$756
+28% in Allentown, PA
1 Bedroom
$1,100
$843
+23% in Allentown, PA
2 Bedroom
$1,271
$978
+23% in Allentown, PA
3 Bedroom
$1,431
$1,136
+21% in Allentown, PA

Buying a Home

Median Home Value
$188,900
$178,100
+6% in Allentown, PA

Income

Median Household Income
$53,403
$48,465
+9% in Allentown, PA
Metro Median Wage (annual)
$48,990
$44,820
+9% in Allentown, PA

People & Lifestyle

Median Age
32.4 yr
37.5 yr
+5.1 yr in Shreveport, LA
Homeownership
42.3%
53.8%
+11.5 pp in Shreveport, LA
Bachelor's+ (25+)
19.4%
27.5%
+8.1 pp in Shreveport, LA
Avg Commute
24.8 min
19.0 min
+5.8 min in Allentown, PA

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime
274.5
1,235.4
+350% in Shreveport, LA
Property Crime
1,591.5
4,048.2
+154% in Shreveport, LA

FBI Crime Data Explorer. Offenses per 100,000 residents per year; agency reporting practices vary, so this is approximate.

Climate

Avg Annual Temperature
51.2°F
65.5°F
+14.3°F in Shreveport, LA
Annual Precipitation
45.4 in
51.0 in
+5.6 in in Shreveport, LA

Gas

Regular Gasoline
$3.86/gal
$3.62/gal
+6% in Allentown, PA

Area: East Coast (PADD 1) vs Gulf Coast (PADD 3).

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)
21.6
14.2
+34% in Allentown, PA
Natural Gas ($/MCF)
$19.17
$16.62
+13% in Allentown, PA

Residential, state-level averages (EIA). MCF = 1,000 cubic feet.

Groceries

Milk (gal)
$4.31
$4.00
+7% in Allentown, PA
Bread (lb)
$1.92
$1.75
+9% in Allentown, PA
Eggs (doz)
$2.19
$2.21
+1% in Shreveport, LA
Ground Beef (lb)
$6.90
$6.45
+6% in Allentown, PA
Chicken (lb)
$2.19
$1.90
+13% in Allentown, PA
Bananas (lb)
$0.69
$0.62
+11% in Allentown, PA

Average prices — Northeast vs South (BLS). Regional where available, otherwise U.S. average.

State Taxes

Sales Tax (PA / LA)
6%
5%
+1.0 pp in PA
Income Tax (top rate)
3.07%
3.00%
+0.1 pp in PA

Allentown vs Shreveport — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Allentown or Shreveport?
Shreveport, LA is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,000 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 24% below Allentown, PA's $1,320, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Allentown than in Shreveport?
To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $44,000 a year in Allentown versus $34,000 in Shreveport.
Which has lower taxes, Allentown or Shreveport?
Allentown is taxed under Pennsylvania's rules (a top state income tax rate of 3.07% and a 6% state sales tax); Shreveport under Louisiana's (a top state income tax rate of 3.00% and a 5% state sales tax).

Sources: US Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year (rent, income, home value, demographics); NOAA Climate Normals 1981–2010 (climate); EIA weekly retail (gas); Tax Foundation 2026 (state taxes).