Palmerton, PA Cost Of Living

Demographics | Crime | Cost Of Living
Updated: 2025-10-24

Cost Of Living In Palmerton, PA Summary

Cost of living in Palmerton research summary. The cost of living index is set to 100 for the average place in the United States. A cost of living index above 100 means Palmerton is expensive. An index value below 100 means the city is a relatively cheap place to live.

On a city-by-city basis in Pennsylvania, home prices and rent have the biggest impact on the cost of living. Here are the key takeaways based on Saturday Night Science:

  • The cost of living index in Palmerton is 95, with 100 being the average.

  • The cost of living index in Palmerton is 0.9x lower than the national average.

  • Palmerton ranks as the #96 cheapest in Pennsylvania out of 255.

  • Palmerton ranks as the #1,954 cheapest out of 6,489 in the US.

  • The median home value in Palmerton is $256,418.

  • The median income in Palmerton is $71,471.

Table Of Contents

  1. Summary
  2. National Comparison
  3. Housing Breakdown
  4. Detailed Pricing
  5. Nearby Comparisons
95
Palmerton's Overall Cost Of Living
0.9x
Lower Than The National Average

What is the cost of living in Palmerton, PA?

According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Palmerton has an overall cost of living index of 95, which is 0.9x lower than the national index of 100.

Compared to Pennsylvania, Palmerton has a cost of living index that's 0.9x lower than Pennsylvania's index of 100.

The standard of living in Palmerton ranks as #96 most affordable out of the 255 places we measured in Pennsylvania. By definition, that implies Palmerton ranks as the #159 most expensive place in the Keystone State.

For more reading on life in Palmerton, check out:

96 out of 255
In Pennsylvania
1,954 out of 6,489
In America

Palmerton Cost Of Living Vs. Pennsylvania

Six factors go into calculating the cost of living index in Palmerton. Here is how it fairs on each of the criteria:

  • The Services index in Palmerton is 108.

  • The Groceries index in Palmerton is 96.

  • The Health index in Palmerton is 97.

  • The Housing index in Palmerton is 71.

  • The Transportation index in Palmerton is 102.

  • The Utilities index in Palmerton is 106.

Living Expense Palmerton Pennsylvania National Average
Overall 95 100 100
Services 108 101 100
Groceries 96 101 100
Health 97 95 100
Housing 71 93 100
Transportation 102 108 100
Utilities 106 108 100
For more reading on cost of living around Pennsylvania, check out:
Palmerton Cost of Living Vs. PA

Palmerton, PA Housing Cost Breakdown

Housing swings affordability the most between places in Pennsylvania, so we broke down housing costs into more detail. Home and income data comes from the most recent US Census ACS 2019-2023. The key points are:

  • The Median Home Value in Palmerton is $256,418.

  • The Median Rent in Palmerton is $913.

  • The Median Income in Palmerton is $71,471.

  • The Home Value To Income in Palmerton is 3.6x.

  • The Rent To Monthly Income in Palmerton is 0.15x.

Statistic Palmerton Pennsylvania United States
Median Home Value $256,418 $281,782 $303,400
Median Rent $913 $1,162 $1,348
Median Income $71,471 $76,081 $78,538
Home Value To Income 3.6x 3.7x 3.9x
Rent To Monthly Income 0.15x 0.18x 0.21x
$256,418
Median Home Value
$913
Median Rent
$71,471
Median Income

Palmerton, PA Costs By Category

Detailed Palmerton Services Costs Vs. Pennsylvania

Item Palmerton Pennsylvania
Shampoo $1.42 $1.28
Movie $12.43 $12.13
Bowling $19.33 $18
Haircut $23.2 $24.26
Beauty Salon $52.92 $45.56

Detailed Palmerton Groceries Costs Vs. Pennsylvania

Item Palmerton Pennsylvania
Ground Beef $5.76 $5.84
Fried Chicken $1.42 $1.57
Milk $4.54 $4.67
Potatoes $5.37 $4.93
Pizza $11.57 $12.09
Beer $11.46 $10.41
Toothpaste $3.83 $3.7

Detailed Palmerton Health Costs Vs. Pennsylvania

Item Palmerton Pennsylvania
Optometrist $125.11 $125.68
Doctor $86.42 $135.78
Dentist $137.77 $113.29

Detailed Palmerton Transportation Costs Vs. Pennsylvania

Item Palmerton Pennsylvania
Gasoline $3.51 $3.46
Tire Balancing $64.44 $59.92

Detailed Palmerton Utilities Costs Vs. Pennsylvania

Item Palmerton Pennsylvania
All Electricity $210.1 $193.99
Phone $195.81 $192.25

Palmerton SnackAbility

5
/10
Overall SnackAbility
Jobs
8.5/10
Housing
6
Affordability
9
Diversity
3
Safety
N/A
Amenities
8
Education
6
Commute
6

Cost Of Living In Cities Around Palmerton

The cost of living varies in the cities and towns around Palmerton. Here's a quick look at the cost of living in the most populous nearby places:

  • Fullerton, PA has a cost of living index of 105, 1.1x Palmerton.

  • Emmaus, PA has a cost of living index of 108, 1.1x Palmerton.

  • Northampton, PA has a cost of living index of 100, 1.1x Palmerton.

City Population Cost Of Living Vs. Palmerton
Fullerton, PA 16,729 105 1.1x
Emmaus, PA 11,727 108 1.1x
Northampton, PA 10,366 100 1.1x
Ancient Oaks, PA 7,731 124 1.3x
Middletown, PA 7,620 93 1.0x
Wescosville, PA 7,156 123 1.3x
Catasauqua, PA 6,491 100 1.1x
Nazareth, PA 6,032 104 1.1x
Sierra View, PA 5,795 104 1.1x
Lehighton, PA 5,268 94 1.0x

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