City comparison
Albany, NY vs Atlanta, GA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Overall prices in Albany, NY (99.6) and Atlanta, GA (100.1, U.S. average = 100) are within 1% of each other, so $100,000 in Albany, NY goes as far as $100,500 in Atlanta, GA.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,660 a month in Atlanta, GA versus $1,417 in Albany, NY. On $100,000, that's 27% of take-home pay in Atlanta, GA and 23% in Albany, NY.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $293 a year higher in Albany, NY than in Atlanta, GA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +2.5% moving from Albany, NY to Atlanta, GA ($109,810 → $112,556), while prices change by +0.5%. Net effect of the transfer: +2.0% in real buying power.
- Albany, NY: price level 99.6 (about average)
- Atlanta, GA: price level 100.1 (about average)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Albany, NY | Atlanta, GA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 99.6 | 100.1 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $100,494 in Atlanta | $99,508 in Albany |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,417/mo | $1,660/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,320 | $74,613 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,860 (NY) | $4,567 (GA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 23% | 27% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $58,460 | $51,170 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Albany-Schenectady, NY-MA | Atlanta-Athens-Clarke County-Sandy Springs, GA-AL |
Rent areas: Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY MSA and Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY and Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Albany | Atlanta |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 102.6 | 111.0 |
| Goods | 99.7 | 100.4 |
| Utilities | 134.0 | 96.2 |
| Other services | 97.8 | 96.7 |
| Overall | 99.6 | 100.1 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Albany, NY → Atlanta, GA
Roughly even
Buying power −0.5%; rent takes 27% of take-home; state tax −$293/yr.
65 Fair offer
Atlanta, GA → Albany, NY
Roughly even
Buying power +0.5%; rent takes 23% of take-home; state tax +$293/yr.
70 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Albany, NY is in the Albany-Schenectady, NY-MA pay area; Atlanta, GA is in Atlanta-Athens-Clarke County-Sandy Springs, GA-AL. The last column shows what a transfer from Albany, NY to Atlanta, GA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Albany, NY | Atlanta, GA | Real change, Albany → Atlanta |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $63,678 | $65,271 | +2.0% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $77,045 | $78,972 | +2.0% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $92,344 | $94,654 | +2.0% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $109,810 | $112,556 | +2.0% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $129,763 | $133,007 | +2.0% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Albany, NY | Atlanta, GA | Atlanta pay in Albany dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $79,240 | $76,570 | $76,193 (−3.8%) |
| Software Developers | $127,910 | $132,960 | $132,306 (+3.4%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $84,660 | $85,820 | $85,398 (+0.9%) |
| Registered Nurses | $99,970 | $100,490 | $99,996 (+0.0%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.