City comparison
Albany, NY vs Atlantic City, NJ
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Overall prices in Albany, NY (99.6) and Atlantic City, NJ (98.9, U.S. average = 100) are within 1% of each other, so $100,000 in Albany, NY goes as far as $99,300 in Atlantic City, NJ.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,537 a month in Atlantic City, NJ versus $1,417 in Albany, NY. On $100,000, that's 25% of take-home pay in Atlantic City, NJ and 23% in Albany, NY.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $680 a year higher in Albany, NY than in Atlantic City, NJ.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +6.8% moving from Albany, NY to Atlantic City, NJ ($109,810 → $117,284), while prices change by −0.7%. Net effect of the transfer: +7.6% in real buying power.
- Albany, NY: price level 99.6 (about average)
- Atlantic City, NJ: price level 98.9 (about average)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Albany, NY | Atlantic City, NJ | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 99.6 | 98.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $99,288 in Atlantic City | $100,717 in Albany |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,417/mo | $1,537/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,320 | $75,000 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,860 (NY) | $4,180 (NJ) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 23% | 25% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $58,460 | $47,520 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Albany-Schenectady, NY-MA | Philadelphia-Reading-Camden, PA-NJ-DE-MD |
Rent areas: Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY MSA and Atlantic City-Hammonton, NJ HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY and Atlantic City-Hammonton, NJ.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Albany | Atlantic City |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 102.6 | 98.7 |
| Goods | 99.7 | 99.8 |
| Utilities | 134.0 | 109.2 |
| Other services | 97.8 | 97.9 |
| Overall | 99.6 | 98.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Albany, NY → Atlantic City, NJ
Roughly even
Buying power +0.7%; rent takes 25% of take-home; state tax −$680/yr.
71 Strong offer
Atlantic City, NJ → Albany, NY
Roughly even
Buying power −0.7%; rent takes 23% of take-home; state tax +$680/yr.
67 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Albany, NY is in the Albany-Schenectady, NY-MA pay area; Atlantic City, NJ is in Philadelphia-Reading-Camden, PA-NJ-DE-MD. The last column shows what a transfer from Albany, NY to Atlantic City, NJ at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Albany, NY | Atlantic City, NJ | Real change, Albany → Atlantic City |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $63,678 | $68,013 | +7.6% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $77,045 | $82,289 | +7.6% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $92,344 | $98,630 | +7.6% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $109,810 | $117,284 | +7.6% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $129,763 | $138,595 | +7.6% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Albany, NY | Atlantic City, NJ | Atlantic City pay in Albany dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $79,240 | $80,480 | $81,057 (+2.3%) |
| Software Developers | $127,910 | $126,670 | $127,578 (−0.3%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $84,660 | $83,040 | $83,636 (−1.2%) |
| Registered Nurses | $99,970 | $99,320 | $100,032 (+0.1%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.