Cost of living in Albany 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 Albany is expensive. An index value below 100 means the city is a relatively cheap place to live.
On a city-by-city basis in New York, 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 Albany is 101, with 100 being the average.
The cost of living index in Albany is 1.0x higher than the national average.
Albany ranks as the #89 cheapest in New York out of 341.
Albany ranks as the #2,735 cheapest out of 6,489 in the US.
The median home value in Albany is $317,640.
The median income in Albany is $59,485.
According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Albany has an overall cost of living index of 101, which is 1.0x higher than the national index of 100.
Compared to New York, Albany has a cost of living index that's 0.8x lower than New York's index of 119.
The standard of living in Albany ranks as #89 most affordable out of the 341 places we measured in New York. By definition, that implies Albany ranks as the #252 most expensive place in the Empire State.
For more reading on life in Albany, check out:
Six factors go into calculating the cost of living index in Albany. Here is how it fairs on each of the criteria:
The Services index in Albany is 106.
The Groceries index in Albany is 101.
The Health index in Albany is 91.
The Housing index in Albany is 101.
The Transportation index in Albany is 97.
The Utilities index in Albany is 104.
| Living Expense | Albany | New York | National Average | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 101 | 119 | 100 | |
| Services | 106 | 110 | 100 | |
| Groceries | 101 | 103 | 100 | |
| Health | 91 | 101 | 100 | |
| Housing | 101 | 145 | 100 | |
| Transportation | 97 | 105 | 100 | |
| Utilities | 104 | 99 | 100 | |
Housing swings affordability the most between places in New York, 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 Albany is $317,640.
The Median Rent in Albany is $1,178.
The Median Income in Albany is $59,485.
The Home Value To Income in Albany is 5.3x.
The Rent To Monthly Income in Albany is 0.24x.
The cost of living varies in the cities and towns around Albany. Here's a quick look at the cost of living in the most populous nearby places:
Troy, NY has a cost of living index of 100, 1.0x Albany.
Rotterdam, NY has a cost of living index of 102, 1.0x Albany.
Niskayuna, NY has a cost of living index of 115, 1.1x Albany.
| City | Population | Cost Of Living | Vs. Albany |
|---|---|---|---|
| Troy, NY | 51,054 | 100 | 1.0x |
| Rotterdam, NY | 22,798 | 102 | 1.0x |
| Niskayuna, NY | 20,774 | 115 | 1.1x |
| Cohoes, NY | 18,043 | 99 | 1.0x |
| East Glenville, NY | 11,399 | 107 | 1.1x |
| Watervliet, NY | 10,285 | 100 | 1.0x |
| Rensselaer, NY | 9,247 | 100 | 1.0x |
| Colonie, NY | 7,705 | 109 | 1.1x |
| Westmere, NY | 7,616 | 113 | 1.1x |
| Scotia, NY | 7,260 | 98 | 1.0x |