Residential comparison · 13 facts
Altoona, PA vs Wilkes-Barre, PA
Compare the housing, tax, cost, income, safety, school, and climate facts that are available for both places. The table shows the numbers without declaring one city universally better.
A household earning $85,000 in Altoona needs about $87,000 in Wilkes-Barre to keep the same lifestyle.
Coming from Wilkes-Barre, $85,000 of lifestyle costs about $83,000 in Altoona.
A few differences
- Altoona is higher on median household income ($51,250 vs $48,515).
- Altoona is lower on cost of living index (77 vs 79).
- Altoona is lower on 2-bedroom rent ($795/mo vs $973/mo).
Altoona vs Wilkes-Barre · facet by facet
| Facet | Altoona, PA | Wilkes-Barre, PA |
|---|---|---|
| Median home price | $119,900 | $117,200 |
| 2-bedroom rent | $795/mo | $973/mo |
| Property tax rate | 1.5% | 1.5% |
| State & local income tax | 4.57% | 4.57% |
| Sales tax | 6.34% | 6.34% |
| Cost of living index | 77 | 79 |
| Groceries index | 100 | 100 |
| Utilities | $180/mo | $180/mo |
| Median household income | $51,250 | $48,515 |
| Unemployment rate | 3.4% | 3.4% |
| Crime index | 40/100 | 40/100 |
| School rating | 6.3/10 | 6.3/10 |
| Sunny days / year | 180 days | 180 days |
Data: Census ACS 2024 · BLS · Tax Foundation 2024 brackets · HUD/Zillow · NOAA 1991–2020 · FEMA NRI · Values are shown as reported; no universal winner is implied.
Full profiles: Altoona, PA · Wilkes-Barre, PA
Questions & answers
- Is Altoona cheaper than Wilkes-Barre?
- Altoona has the lower day-to-day cost index (77 vs 79 against a national 100). The other differences are shown facet by facet in the table.
- What household income in Wilkes-Barre equals $85,000 in Altoona?
- A household earning $85,000 in Altoona needs about $87,000 in Wilkes-Barre to keep the same lifestyle; coming the other way, $85,000 of Wilkes-Barre lifestyle costs about $83,000 in Altoona.