Fort Collins-Loveland Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton

Relocation analysis based on 7 federal data sources

Verdict
Neutral — Depends on Priorities
Cost Index: 101.1 → 100.0
Rent Delta: +$163/mo

Pros of Moving

  • + Lower violent crime rate
  • + Better student-teacher ratios

Cons of Moving

  • - $163/mo more expensive rent (2BR)
  • - $3K lower median salary

Moving from Fort Collins-Loveland to Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton shifts your BEA Regional Price Parity from 101.1 to 100.0 (100 = US average), so a Fort Collins-Loveland salary needs to be multiplied by 0.99 to hold the same purchasing power in Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton. On rent, HUD Fair Market Rent for a 2-bedroom goes from $1,732/month in Fort Collins-Loveland to $1,895/month in Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton - a higher monthly bill of $163, or $1,956/year. That rent delta alone is often the single biggest line item when relocating.

Wages tell the other half. BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics report a median salary of $73,292 in Fort Collins-Loveland versus $70,782 in Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton - a raw gap of $2,510 lower. The Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton labor market has 370,630 tracked jobs against 149,520 in Fort Collins-Loveland, shaping how easy it is to find a comparable role. Combine that with the cost-of-living shift above and you get the real purchasing-power delta, sometimes a "higher salary" is actually a pay cut once rent and RPP are applied.

Safety, schools, and childcare round out the move. FBI UCR violent crime rates near Fort Collins-Loveland and Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton are 481 and 250 per 100,000 (state-level). NCES student-teacher ratios run 16.6:1 at origin versus 13.6:1 at destination. Our composite verdict - Neutral — Depends on Priorities - weighs all seven federal sources; the dimension table below lets you override that with your personal priorities.

Dimension
Fort Collins-Loveland
Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton
Winner
💰 Cost of Living
RPP 101.1
RPP 100.0
Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton
🏠 Rent (2BR)
$1,732/mo
$1,895/mo
Fort Collins-Loveland
💼 Wages
$73,292
$70,782
Fort Collins-Loveland
🔒 Crime
481 per 100K
250 per 100K
Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton
🎓 Schools
16.6:1
13.6:1
Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton
👶 Childcare
$12,821/yr
N/A
Tie
🌿 Environment
5332 violations
5198 violations
Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton

Salary Adjustment Calculator

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

Equivalent salary in Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton
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Frequently Asked Questions

Is Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton more expensive than Fort Collins-Loveland?
Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton has an RPP of 100.0 compared to Fort Collins-Loveland's 101.1 (100 = national average). Fort Collins-Loveland is more expensive overall. The 2BR rent in Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton is $1,895/mo vs $1,732/mo in Fort Collins-Loveland.
What are salaries like in Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton compared to Fort Collins-Loveland?
The median salary in Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton is $70,782 compared to $73,292 in Fort Collins-Loveland. That's a -$2,510 difference.
Is Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton safer than Fort Collins-Loveland?
The violent crime rate near Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton is 250 per 100K vs 481 per 100K near Fort Collins-Loveland (state-level data). Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton has a lower crime rate.
How much would I need to earn in Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton to match my Fort Collins-Loveland salary?
To maintain the same purchasing power, multiply your Fort Collins-Loveland salary by 0.99. For example, a $75,000 salary in Fort Collins-Loveland would need to be $74,140 in Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton. Use the salary calculator above for your exact figure.
What does the "Neutral — Depends on Priorities" verdict mean?
The verdict is computed from 7 dimensions, cost of living, rent, wages, crime, schools, childcare, and environment, using federal data. "Neutral — Depends on Priorities" means both metros are roughly equivalent across the 7 dimensions. Individual priorities may shift the balance, weigh the dimensions that matter most to you.

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Source: BEA Regional Price Parities, HUD Fair Market Rents, BLS OES, FBI UCR, NCES, DOL, EPA June 2026

Data Sources

  • Cost of Living: Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) Regional Price Parities
  • Rent: HUD Fair Market Rents (FMR)
  • Wages: Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OES)
  • Crime: FBI Uniform Crime Reporting (UCR) - state level
  • Schools: National Center for Education Statistics (NCES)
  • Childcare: Department of Labor (DOL) - state level
  • Environment: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)