City comparison
Albany, NY vs Boston, MA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Boston, MA are 8.7% higher than in Albany, NY. Someone earning $100,000 in Albany, NY would need about $108,700 in Boston, MA to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $2,476 a month in Boston, MA versus $1,417 in Albany, NY. On $100,000, that's 40% of take-home pay in Boston, MA and 23% in Albany, NY.
- Estimated state income tax on $100,000 is close: $4,860 a year in NY and $4,780 in MA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +9.8% moving from Albany, NY to Boston, MA ($109,810 → $120,548), while prices change by +8.7%. Net effect of the transfer: +1.0% in real buying power.
- Albany, NY: price level 99.6 (about average)
- Boston, MA: price level 108.3 (much pricier)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Albany, NY | Boston, MA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 99.6 | 108.3 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $108,738 in Boston | $91,964 in Albany |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,417/mo | $2,476/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,320 | $74,400 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,860 (NY) | $4,780 (MA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 23% | 40% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $58,460 | $66,620 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Albany-Schenectady, NY-MA | Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT |
Rent areas: Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY MSA and Boston-Cambridge-Quincy, MA-NH HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY and Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Albany | Boston |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 102.6 | 148.4 |
| Goods | 99.7 | 99.7 |
| Utilities | 134.0 | 148.8 |
| Other services | 97.8 | 103.6 |
| Overall | 99.6 | 108.3 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Albany, NY → Boston, MA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −8.0%; rent takes 40% of take-home; state tax −$80/yr.
21 Weak offer
Boston, MA → Albany, NY
Same pay goes further
Buying power +8.7%; rent takes 23% of take-home; state tax +$80/yr.
96 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Albany, NY is in the Albany-Schenectady, NY-MA pay area; Boston, MA is in Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT. The last column shows what a transfer from Albany, NY to Boston, MA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Albany, NY | Boston, MA | Real change, Albany → Boston |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $63,678 | $69,905 | +1.0% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $77,045 | $84,579 | +1.0% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $92,344 | $101,375 | +1.0% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $109,810 | $120,548 | +1.0% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $129,763 | $142,452 | +1.0% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Albany, NY | Boston, MA | Boston pay in Albany dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $79,240 | $98,060 | $90,180 (+13.8%) |
| Software Developers | $127,910 | $166,090 | $152,743 (+19.4%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $84,660 | $100,150 | $92,102 (+8.8%) |
| Registered Nurses | $99,970 | $106,180 | $97,648 (−2.3%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.