Williamsport, PA vs Altoona, PA: cost of living compared
Price levels from BEA (2024); rent and home values from Zillow (September 2026).
The short answer
- Overall, Altoona, PA is 3.1% less expensive than Williamsport, PA (BEA, 2024).
- To keep the same standard of living, $75,000 in Williamsport works out to about $72,700 in Altoona, before taxes.
- Most of the difference is housing, which costs 14.6% less in Altoona. Goods are 0.0% higher and other services 0.0% higher.
- Typical asking rent is $1,004 a month in Altoona and $1,087 in Williamsport, $996 a year less in Altoona (Zillow, September 2026).
- A typical home is valued at about $175,000 in Altoona and $236,000 in Williamsport.
- The gap is about where it was in 2019 (1.7%).
derived Calculated from BEA Regional Price Parities (2024) and Zillow data. Based on an average household's spending; taxes not included. How we calculate.
Category by category
Both cities against the US average (100). The gap in each row is what matters for a move.
Housing drives the gap: 14.6% lower in Altoona than in Williamsport
Price level by category, 2024. US average = 100.
- Williamsport, PA
- Altoona, PA
Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities by metropolitan area, 2024 (US = 100).
Show the numbers
| Williamsport, PA | Altoona, PA | |
|---|---|---|
| All items | 92.4 | 89.5 |
| Goods | 100.7 | 100.7 |
| Housing (rents) | 64.4 | 55.0 |
| Utilities | 107.5 | 107.7 |
| Other services | 97.7 | 97.7 |
| Category | Williamsport | Altoona | Altoona vs Williamsport |
|---|---|---|---|
| All items | 92.4 | 89.5 | −3.1% |
| Goods | 100.7 | 100.7 | 0.0% |
| Housing (rents) | 64.4 | 55.0 | −14.6% |
| Utilities | 107.5 | 107.7 | +0.2% |
| Other services | 97.7 | 97.7 | 0.0% |
| Typical asking rent | $1,087 | $1,004 | −7.6% |
| Typical home value | $236,000 | $175,000 | −25.6% |
| Salary to match $75,000 in Williamsport | $75,000 | $72,700 | −3.1% |
Index values: BEA, 2024, US = 100. Rent and home values: Data Provided by Zillow Group, September 2026.
How the gap has changed since 2008
The price gap between Williamsport and Altoona has widened since 2008: 1.1 points then, 2.8 now
Overall price level each year, 2008–2024. US average = 100.
- Williamsport, PA
- Altoona, PA
Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities by metropolitan area, 2024 (US = 100).
Show the numbers
| Williamsport, PA | Altoona, PA | |
|---|---|---|
| 2008 | 95.0 | 93.9 |
| 2009 | 91.5 | 91.7 |
| 2010 | 92.2 | 93.7 |
| 2011 | 93.3 | 93.5 |
| 2012 | 92.9 | 92.3 |
| 2013 | 95.0 | 92.8 |
| 2014 | 94.0 | 89.3 |
| 2015 | 95.2 | 92.5 |
| 2016 | 95.4 | 91.5 |
| 2017 | 96.1 | 91.2 |
| 2018 | 94.6 | 91.3 |
| 2019 | 92.3 | 90.7 |
| 2020 | 93.6 | 89.7 |
| 2021 | 91.5 | 89.3 |
| 2022 | 89.7 | 89.0 |
| 2023 | 93.1 | 88.7 |
| 2024 | 92.4 | 89.5 |
Goods
- Williamsport, PA
- Altoona, PA
Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities by metropolitan area, 2024 (US = 100).
Show the numbers
| Williamsport, PA | Altoona, PA | |
|---|---|---|
| 2008 | 101.0 | 101.0 |
| 2009 | 101.1 | 101.1 |
| 2010 | 98.0 | 98.0 |
| 2011 | 97.8 | 97.8 |
| 2012 | 97.6 | 97.6 |
| 2013 | 97.8 | 97.8 |
| 2014 | 97.9 | 97.9 |
| 2015 | 99.3 | 99.3 |
| 2016 | 98.4 | 98.4 |
| 2017 | 99.4 | 99.4 |
| 2018 | 100.4 | 100.4 |
| 2019 | 97.1 | 97.1 |
| 2020 | 98.8 | 98.8 |
| 2021 | 95.7 | 95.7 |
| 2022 | 97.6 | 97.6 |
| 2023 | 98.3 | 98.3 |
| 2024 | 100.7 | 100.7 |
Housing (rents)
- Williamsport, PA
- Altoona, PA
Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities by metropolitan area, 2024 (US = 100).
Show the numbers
| Williamsport, PA | Altoona, PA | |
|---|---|---|
| 2008 | 68.5 | 61.0 |
| 2009 | 56.2 | 55.1 |
| 2010 | 62.2 | 69.5 |
| 2011 | 67.4 | 70.5 |
| 2012 | 68.9 | 64.9 |
| 2013 | 71.0 | 60.9 |
| 2014 | 75.3 | 54.6 |
| 2015 | 72.8 | 59.0 |
| 2016 | 73.7 | 58.6 |
| 2017 | 71.8 | 54.1 |
| 2018 | 72.3 | 58.7 |
| 2019 | 65.7 | 56.6 |
| 2020 | 70.5 | 54.0 |
| 2021 | 60.9 | 55.8 |
| 2022 | 55.3 | 53.6 |
| 2023 | 66.8 | 53.0 |
| 2024 | 64.4 | 55.0 |
Utilities
- Williamsport, PA
- Altoona, PA
Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities by metropolitan area, 2024 (US = 100).
Show the numbers
| Williamsport, PA | Altoona, PA | |
|---|---|---|
| 2008 | 109.6 | 113.9 |
| 2009 | 112.6 | 118.8 |
| 2010 | 109.6 | 110.4 |
| 2011 | 112.1 | 112.5 |
| 2012 | 105.9 | 106.2 |
| 2013 | 105.4 | 105.7 |
| 2014 | 104.4 | 104.4 |
| 2015 | 104.1 | 103.9 |
| 2016 | 107.1 | 107.0 |
| 2017 | 111.2 | 111.6 |
| 2018 | 113.9 | 113.8 |
| 2019 | 113.4 | 114.9 |
| 2020 | 108.8 | 111.0 |
| 2021 | 108.9 | 109.3 |
| 2022 | 109.7 | 110.2 |
| 2023 | 116.9 | 117.1 |
| 2024 | 107.5 | 107.7 |
Other services
- Williamsport, PA
- Altoona, PA
Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities by metropolitan area, 2024 (US = 100).
Show the numbers
| Williamsport, PA | Altoona, PA | |
|---|---|---|
| 2008 | 101.1 | 101.1 |
| 2009 | 101.3 | 101.3 |
| 2010 | 99.9 | 99.9 |
| 2011 | 98.8 | 98.8 |
| 2012 | 98.8 | 98.8 |
| 2013 | 101.4 | 101.4 |
| 2014 | 97.8 | 97.8 |
| 2015 | 100.4 | 100.4 |
| 2016 | 101.0 | 101.0 |
| 2017 | 102.5 | 102.5 |
| 2018 | 98.0 | 98.0 |
| 2019 | 98.8 | 98.8 |
| 2020 | 99.2 | 99.2 |
| 2021 | 100.0 | 100.0 |
| 2022 | 96.6 | 96.6 |
| 2023 | 98.6 | 98.6 |
| 2024 | 97.7 | 97.7 |
Rent and home values
Typical asking rent: $1,004 in Altoona vs $1,087 in Williamsport
Typical asking rent for a new lease, dollars per month. Quarterly.
- Williamsport, PA
- Altoona, PA
- United States
Source: Zillow Observed Rent Index (typical asking rent, all homes, smoothed), through September 2026. Data Provided by Zillow Group.
Show the numbers
| Williamsport, PA | Altoona, PA | United States | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mar 2015 | – | – | $1,145 |
| Jun 2015 | – | – | $1,170 |
| Sep 2015 | – | – | $1,181 |
| Dec 2015 | – | – | $1,182 |
| Mar 2016 | – | – | $1,195 |
| Jun 2016 | – | – | $1,219 |
| Sep 2016 | – | – | $1,225 |
| Dec 2016 | – | – | $1,222 |
| Mar 2017 | – | – | $1,245 |
| Jun 2017 | – | – | $1,270 |
| Sep 2017 | – | – | $1,276 |
| Dec 2017 | – | – | $1,275 |
| Mar 2018 | – | – | $1,296 |
| Jun 2018 | – | – | $1,320 |
| Sep 2018 | – | – | $1,327 |
| Dec 2018 | – | – | $1,329 |
| Mar 2019 | – | – | $1,349 |
| Jun 2019 | – | – | $1,376 |
| Sep 2019 | – | – | $1,383 |
| Dec 2019 | – | – | $1,381 |
| Mar 2020 | – | – | $1,402 |
| Jun 2020 | – | – | $1,406 |
| Sep 2020 | – | – | $1,410 |
| Dec 2020 | – | – | $1,407 |
| Mar 2021 | – | – | $1,443 |
| Jun 2021 | – | – | $1,512 |
| Sep 2021 | – | – | $1,590 |
| Dec 2021 | – | – | $1,622 |
| Mar 2022 | – | – | $1,661 |
| Jun 2022 | – | – | $1,721 |
| Sep 2022 | – | – | $1,748 |
| Dec 2022 | – | – | $1,735 |
| Mar 2023 | – | $841 | $1,757 |
| Jun 2023 | $974 | $847 | $1,785 |
| Sep 2023 | $985 | $845 | $1,797 |
| Dec 2023 | $977 | $857 | $1,786 |
| Mar 2024 | $969 | $864 | $1,807 |
| Jun 2024 | $998 | $870 | $1,837 |
| Sep 2024 | $1,026 | $897 | $1,845 |
| Dec 2024 | $1,009 | $897 | $1,836 |
| Mar 2025 | $1,029 | $894 | $1,860 |
| Jun 2025 | $1,035 | $922 | $1,880 |
| Sep 2025 | $1,054 | $956 | $1,881 |
| Dec 2025 | $1,053 | $948 | $1,873 |
| Mar 2026 | $1,076 | $954 | $1,894 |
| Jun 2026 | $1,115 | $986 | $1,921 |
| Sep 2026 | $1,087 | $1,004 | $1,932 |
Typical home value: $175,000 in Altoona vs $236,000 in Williamsport
Typical home value, dollars. Quarterly.
- Williamsport, PA
- Altoona, PA
- United States
Source: Zillow Home Value Index (typical home value, middle tier, smoothed, seasonally adjusted), through September 2026. Data Provided by Zillow Group.
Show the numbers
| Williamsport, PA | Altoona, PA | United States | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mar 2015 | $148K | $117K | $189K |
| Jun 2015 | $149K | $120K | $192K |
| Sep 2015 | $151K | $122K | $195K |
| Dec 2015 | $151K | $124K | $199K |
| Mar 2016 | $153K | $124K | $202K |
| Jun 2016 | $154K | $126K | $204K |
| Sep 2016 | $154K | $126K | $206K |
| Dec 2016 | $153K | $127K | $209K |
| Mar 2017 | $154K | $129K | $213K |
| Jun 2017 | $156K | $134K | $216K |
| Sep 2017 | $156K | $134K | $219K |
| Dec 2017 | $157K | $132K | $223K |
| Mar 2018 | $158K | $131K | $227K |
| Jun 2018 | $158K | $131K | $230K |
| Sep 2018 | $158K | $129K | $234K |
| Dec 2018 | $157K | $130K | $236K |
| Mar 2019 | $159K | $130K | $239K |
| Jun 2019 | $162K | $129K | $242K |
| Sep 2019 | $164K | $134K | $244K |
| Dec 2019 | $166K | $137K | $247K |
| Mar 2020 | $167K | $140K | $252K |
| Jun 2020 | $169K | $142K | $255K |
| Sep 2020 | $173K | $143K | $260K |
| Dec 2020 | $179K | $148K | $271K |
| Mar 2021 | $182K | $149K | $282K |
| Jun 2021 | $187K | $149K | $296K |
| Sep 2021 | $187K | $151K | $306K |
| Dec 2021 | $188K | $151K | $314K |
| Mar 2022 | $197K | $152K | $330K |
| Jun 2022 | $202K | $153K | $346K |
| Sep 2022 | $202K | $151K | $348K |
| Dec 2022 | $203K | $149K | $345K |
| Mar 2023 | $205K | $150K | $343K |
| Jun 2023 | $208K | $150K | $347K |
| Sep 2023 | $211K | $152K | $352K |
| Dec 2023 | $211K | $153K | $354K |
| Mar 2024 | $214K | $153K | $357K |
| Jun 2024 | $216K | $156K | $361K |
| Sep 2024 | $215K | $155K | $361K |
| Dec 2024 | $218K | $158K | $363K |
| Mar 2025 | $221K | $161K | $364K |
| Jun 2025 | $223K | $163K | $362K |
| Sep 2025 | $228K | $165K | $362K |
| Dec 2025 | $229K | $169K | $364K |
| Mar 2026 | $230K | $174K | $366K |
| Jun 2026 | $233K | $175K | $365K |
| Sep 2026 | $236K | $175K | $366K |
More about each city
What this comparison leaves out
- Taxes. State and local income, sales and property taxes can change the result a lot, especially between states.
- Neighborhoods. These are metro-wide averages; a city center and its outer suburbs can differ by more than two metros do.
- Your own spending mix. The default uses an average household. Use the housing slider above if rent is a bigger share of your budget.
- Timing. BEA price levels are for 2024; Zillow figures are monthly and newer.