Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton Hot Springs

Relocation analysis based on 7 federal data sources

Should you move?

Moving from Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton to Hot Springs is neutral, depends on priorities: BEA regional price parity goes from 100.0 to 85.7 (US = 100), and HUD 2-bedroom rent falls by $805/mo.

-$18,933
BLS median salary lower in Hot Springs
250 to 580
violent crimes per 100K (FBI UCR, state-level)
13.6:1 to 13.6:1
NCES student-teacher ratio

BEA Regional Price Parity, HUD Fair Market Rent, BLS OEWS, FBI UCR, NCES, and DOL. The table below lets you override the composite with your own priorities.

Verdict
Neutral, depends on priorities
Cost Index: 100.0 → 85.7
Rent Delta: -$805/mo

Pros of Moving

  • + 14% lower cost of living
  • + $805/mo cheaper rent (2BR)

Cons of Moving

  • - $19K lower median salary
  • - Higher violent crime rate

Purchasing power opens up: BEA RPP falls from 100.0 to 85.7, so each dollar covers more in Hot Springs (ratio 0.86). HUD 2BR Fair Market Rent drops $805/mo ($9,660/yr) from $1,895 in Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton to $1,090 in Hot Springs.

The seven-dimension ledger splits (2 destination wins · 3 origin wins); priorities decide this move. Hot Springs sits #127 of 387 metros on PlainRelocate livability (top third of the corpus). Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton is #244/387 on the same ranking. Composite verdict: Neutral, depends on priorities. Override it with the dimension table below.

BLS OEWS median salary moves $18,933 lower ($70,782 → $51,849). Labor-market size: 370,630 tracked jobs at origin vs 33,280 at destination.

State retirement friendliness favors the destination: Arkansas scores 74 (B, #6/51) vs Pennsylvania at 65 (C, #18/51). Full state tax and healthcare sub-scores sit in the retirement desk below.

Dimension
Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton
Hot Springs
Winner
Cost of Living
RPP 100.0
RPP 85.7
Hot Springs
Rent (2BR)
$1,895/mo
$1,090/mo
Hot Springs
Wages
$70,782
$51,849
Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton
Crime
250 per 100K
580 per 100K
Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton
Schools
13.6:1
13.6:1
Tie
Childcare
N/A
N/A
Tie
Environment
5292 violations
5952 violations
Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton

State retirement friendliness

Primary-state scores from PlainRelocate's retirement registry (tax + healthcare + climate composite). Metro pairs use each metro's primary state abbreviation.

Origin state · Pennsylvania
65 C #18/51
Income tax
95
Property tax
58
Estate tax
100
Healthcare
72
Destination state · Arkansas
74 B #6/51
Income tax
75
Property tax
78
Estate tax
100
Healthcare
68

Full retirement ranking · Source composite documented on methodology (Tax Foundation + AARP tax guides + federal healthcare/climate inputs).

Salary Adjustment Calculator

Enter your current salary in Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton to see what you'd need to earn in Hot Springs to maintain the same purchasing power.

Equivalent salary in Hot Springs
-

Source: BEA Regional Price Parities, HUD Fair Market Rents, BLS OES, FBI UCR, NCES, DOL, EPA; retirement desk: Tax Foundation + AARP tax guides June 2026