City comparison
Albany, NY vs Cleveland, OH
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Albany, NY are 6.0% higher than in Cleveland, OH. Someone earning $100,000 in Cleveland, OH would need about $106,000 in Albany, NY to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,417 a month in Albany, NY versus $1,058 in Cleveland, OH. On $100,000, that's 23% of take-home pay in Albany, NY and 16% in Cleveland, OH.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $2,892 a year higher in Albany, NY than in Cleveland, OH.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +1.2% moving from Albany, NY to Cleveland, OH ($109,810 → $111,138), while prices change by −5.7%. Net effect of the transfer: +7.3% in real buying power.
- Albany, NY: price level 99.6 (about average)
- Cleveland, OH: price level 93.9 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Albany, NY | Cleveland, OH | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 99.6 | 93.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $94,332 in Cleveland | $106,008 in Albany |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,417/mo | $1,058/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,320 | $77,212 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,860 (NY) | $1,968 (OH) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 23% | 16% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $58,460 | $50,140 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Albany-Schenectady, NY-MA | Cleveland-Akron-Canton, OH-PA |
Rent areas: Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY MSA and Cleveland, OH HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY and Cleveland, OH.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Albany | Cleveland |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 102.6 | 79.4 |
| Goods | 99.7 | 93.6 |
| Utilities | 134.0 | 96.0 |
| Other services | 97.8 | 98.9 |
| Overall | 99.6 | 93.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Albany, NY → Cleveland, OH
Same pay goes further
Buying power +6.0%; rent takes 16% of take-home; state tax −$2,892/yr.
88 Strong offer
Cleveland, OH → Albany, NY
Same pay buys less
Buying power −5.7%; rent takes 23% of take-home; state tax +$2,892/yr.
51 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Albany, NY is in the Albany-Schenectady, NY-MA pay area; Cleveland, OH is in Cleveland-Akron-Canton, OH-PA. The last column shows what a transfer from Albany, NY to Cleveland, OH at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Albany, NY | Cleveland, OH | Real change, Albany → Cleveland |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $63,678 | $64,448 | +7.3% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $77,045 | $77,977 | +7.3% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $92,344 | $93,461 | +7.3% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $109,810 | $111,138 | +7.3% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $129,763 | $131,331 | +7.3% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Albany, NY | Cleveland, OH | Cleveland pay in Albany dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $79,240 | $76,470 | $81,064 (+2.3%) |
| Software Developers | $127,910 | $111,310 | $117,998 (−7.7%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $84,660 | $80,000 | $84,806 (+0.2%) |
| Registered Nurses | $99,970 | $83,940 | $88,983 (−11.0%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.