Great Falls → Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton
Relocation analysis based on 7 federal data sources
Should you move?
Moving from Great Falls to Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton is less favorable: BEA regional price parity goes from 96.8 to 100.0 (US = 100), and HUD 2-bedroom rent rises by $611/mo.
- +$10,216
- BLS median salary higher in Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton
- 426 to 250
- violent crimes per 100K (FBI UCR, state-level)
- 11.8:1 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.
Pros of Moving
- + $10K higher median salary
- + Lower violent crime rate
Cons of Moving
- - 3% higher cost of living
- - $611/mo more expensive rent (2BR)
- - Higher student-teacher ratios
- - More environmental violations
Purchasing power stays near-even: BEA RPP moves only from 96.8 to 100.0 (ratio 1.03), inside a ±5% band. HUD 2BR Fair Market Rent rises $611/mo ($7,332/yr) from $1,284 in Great Falls to $1,895 in Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton.
The seven-dimension ledger splits (2 destination wins · 4 origin wins); priorities decide this move. Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton sits #244 of 387 metros on PlainRelocate livability (middle third). Great Falls is #315/387 on the same ranking. Composite verdict: Less Favorable. Override it with the dimension table below.
BLS OEWS median salary moves $10,216 higher ($60,566 → $70,782). Labor-market size: 31,100 tracked jobs at origin vs 370,630 at destination.
State retirement friendliness favors the destination: Pennsylvania scores 65 (C, #18/51) vs Montana at 53 (D, #38/51). Full state tax and healthcare sub-scores sit in the retirement desk below.
State retirement friendliness
Primary-state scores from PlainRelocate's retirement registry (tax + healthcare + climate composite). Metro pairs use each metro's primary state abbreviation.
- Income tax
- 62
- Property tax
- 68
- Estate tax
- 100
- Healthcare
- 82
- Income tax
- 95
- Property tax
- 58
- Estate tax
- 100
- Healthcare
- 72
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 Great Falls to see what you'd need to earn in Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton to maintain the same purchasing power.
Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton metro profile · Livability rankings · Methodology
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