Hattiesburg → Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton
Relocation analysis based on 7 federal data sources
Should you move?
Moving from Hattiesburg to Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton is unfavorable: BEA regional price parity goes from 87.6 to 100.0 (US = 100), and HUD 2-bedroom rent rises by $848/mo.
- +$19,038
- BLS median salary higher in Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton
- 143 to 250
- violent crimes per 100K (FBI UCR, state-level)
- 13.3:1 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
- + $19K higher median salary
Cons of Moving
- - 12% higher cost of living
- - $848/mo more expensive rent (2BR)
- - Higher violent crime rate
- - More environmental violations
Purchasing power tightens: BEA RPP rises from 87.6 to 100.0, so the same paycheck buys less in Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton (ratio 1.14). HUD 2BR Fair Market Rent rises $848/mo ($10,176/yr) from $1,047 in Hattiesburg to $1,895 in Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton.
Hattiesburg still leads on 5 of 7 federal dimensions, the origin keeps the edge. Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton sits #244 of 387 metros on PlainRelocate livability (middle third). Hattiesburg is #19/387 on the same ranking. Composite verdict: Unfavorable. Override it with the dimension table below.
BLS OEWS median salary moves $19,038 higher ($51,744 → $70,782). Labor-market size: 54,020 tracked jobs at origin vs 370,630 at destination.
State retirement friendliness favors staying put: Mississippi scores 89 (A, #1/51) vs Pennsylvania at 65 (C, #18/51). 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
- 92
- Property tax
- 75
- Estate tax
- 100
- Healthcare
- 76
- 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 Hattiesburg 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