City comparison
Albany, NY vs Grand Rapids, MI
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Albany, NY are 4.2% higher than in Grand Rapids, MI. Someone earning $100,000 in Grand Rapids, MI would need about $104,200 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 $1,278 in Grand Rapids, MI. On $100,000, that's 23% of take-home pay in Albany, NY and 20% in Grand Rapids, MI.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $860 a year higher in Albany, NY than in Grand Rapids, MI.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −3.1% moving from Albany, NY to Grand Rapids, MI ($109,810 → $106,437), while prices change by −4.0%. Net effect of the transfer: +1.0% in real buying power.
- Albany, NY: price level 99.6 (about average)
- Grand Rapids, MI: price level 95.5 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Albany, NY | Grand Rapids, MI | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 99.6 | 95.5 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $95,962 in Grand Rapids | $104,207 in Albany |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,417/mo | $1,278/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,320 | $75,181 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,860 (NY) | $3,999 (MI) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 23% | 20% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $58,460 | $47,570 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Albany-Schenectady, NY-MA | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY MSA and Grand Rapids-Wyoming, MI HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY and Grand Rapids-Wyoming-Kentwood, MI.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Albany | Grand Rapids |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 102.6 | 86.6 |
| Goods | 99.7 | 93.7 |
| Utilities | 134.0 | 93.8 |
| Other services | 97.8 | 99.6 |
| Overall | 99.6 | 95.5 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Albany, NY → Grand Rapids, MI
Same pay goes further
Buying power +4.2%; rent takes 20% of take-home; state tax −$860/yr.
82 Strong offer
Grand Rapids, MI → Albany, NY
Same pay buys less
Buying power −4.0%; rent takes 23% of take-home; state tax +$860/yr.
56 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Albany, NY is in the Albany-Schenectady, NY-MA pay area; Grand Rapids, MI is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Albany, NY to Grand Rapids, MI at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Albany, NY | Grand Rapids, MI | Real change, Albany → Grand Rapids |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $63,678 | $61,722 | +1.0% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $77,045 | $74,678 | +1.0% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $92,344 | $89,508 | +1.0% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $109,810 | $106,437 | +1.0% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $129,763 | $125,776 | +1.0% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Albany, NY | Grand Rapids, MI | Grand Rapids pay in Albany dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $79,240 | $61,900 | $64,504 (−18.6%) |
| Software Developers | $127,910 | $107,520 | $112,044 (−12.4%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $84,660 | $76,270 | $79,479 (−6.1%) |
| Registered Nurses | $99,970 | $83,920 | $87,451 (−12.5%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.