City comparison
Albany, NY vs Boulder, CO
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Boulder, CO are 5.7% higher than in Albany, NY. Someone earning $100,000 in Albany, NY would need about $105,700 in Boulder, CO to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,795 a month in Boulder, CO versus $1,417 in Albany, NY. On $100,000, that's 29% of take-home pay in Boulder, CO and 23% in Albany, NY.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,168 a year higher in Albany, NY than in Boulder, CO.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +8.1% moving from Albany, NY to Boulder, CO ($109,810 → $118,675), while prices change by +5.7%. Net effect of the transfer: +2.3% in real buying power.
- Albany, NY: price level 99.6 (about average)
- Boulder, CO: price level 105.2 (pricier)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Albany, NY | Boulder, CO | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 99.6 | 105.2 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $105,661 in Boulder | $94,643 in Albany |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,417/mo | $1,795/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,320 | $75,488 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,860 (NY) | $3,692 (CO) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 23% | 29% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $58,460 | $69,580 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Albany-Schenectady, NY-MA | Denver-Aurora, CO |
Rent areas: Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY MSA and Boulder, CO MSA. Metro areas: Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY and Boulder, CO.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Albany | Boulder |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 102.6 | 157.0 |
| Goods | 99.7 | 96.1 |
| Utilities | 134.0 | 82.7 |
| Other services | 97.8 | 99.8 |
| Overall | 99.6 | 105.2 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Albany, NY → Boulder, CO
Same pay buys less
Buying power −5.4%; rent takes 29% of take-home; state tax −$1,168/yr.
47 Fair offer
Boulder, CO → Albany, NY
Same pay goes further
Buying power +5.7%; rent takes 23% of take-home; state tax +$1,168/yr.
86 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Albany, NY is in the Albany-Schenectady, NY-MA pay area; Boulder, CO is in Denver-Aurora, CO. The last column shows what a transfer from Albany, NY to Boulder, CO at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Albany, NY | Boulder, CO | Real change, Albany → Boulder |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $63,678 | $68,819 | +2.3% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $77,045 | $83,265 | +2.3% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $92,344 | $99,800 | +2.3% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $109,810 | $118,675 | +2.3% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $129,763 | $140,239 | +2.3% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Albany, NY | Boulder, CO | Boulder pay in Albany dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $79,240 | $80,640 | $76,320 (−3.7%) |
| Software Developers | $127,910 | $164,560 | $155,744 (+21.8%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $84,660 | $99,990 | $94,633 (+11.8%) |
| Registered Nurses | $99,970 | $103,290 | $97,756 (−2.2%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.