City comparison
Albany, NY vs Greenville, SC
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Albany, NY are 6.8% higher than in Greenville, SC. Someone earning $100,000 in Greenville, SC would need about $106,800 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 $1,221 in Greenville, SC. On $100,000, that's 23% of take-home pay in Albany, NY and 20% in Greenville, SC.
- Estimated state income tax on $100,000 is close: $4,860 a year in NY and $4,843 in SC.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −3.1% moving from Albany, NY to Greenville, SC ($109,810 → $106,437), while prices change by −6.3%. Net effect of the transfer: +3.5% in real buying power.
- Albany, NY: price level 99.6 (about average)
- Greenville, SC: price level 93.3 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Albany, NY | Greenville, SC | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 99.6 | 93.3 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $93,667 in Greenville | $106,762 in Albany |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,417/mo | $1,221/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,320 | $74,337 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,860 (NY) | $4,843 (SC) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 23% | 20% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $58,460 | $46,580 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Albany-Schenectady, NY-MA | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY MSA and Greenville-Mauldin-Easley, SC HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY and Greenville-Anderson-Greer, SC.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Albany | Greenville |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 102.6 | 76.8 |
| Goods | 99.7 | 96.3 |
| Utilities | 134.0 | 88.8 |
| Other services | 97.8 | 98.3 |
| Overall | 99.6 | 93.3 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Albany, NY → Greenville, SC
Same pay goes further
Buying power +6.8%; rent takes 20% of take-home; state tax −$17/yr.
90 Strong offer
Greenville, SC → Albany, NY
Same pay buys less
Buying power −6.3%; rent takes 23% of take-home; state tax +$17/yr.
49 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Albany, NY is in the Albany-Schenectady, NY-MA pay area; Greenville, SC is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Albany, NY to Greenville, SC at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Albany, NY | Greenville, SC | Real change, Albany → Greenville |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $63,678 | $61,722 | +3.5% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $77,045 | $74,678 | +3.5% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $92,344 | $89,508 | +3.5% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $109,810 | $106,437 | +3.5% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $129,763 | $125,776 | +3.5% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Albany, NY | Greenville, SC | Greenville pay in Albany dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $79,240 | $60,680 | $64,783 (−18.2%) |
| Software Developers | $127,910 | $121,790 | $130,025 (+1.7%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $84,660 | $76,870 | $82,068 (−3.1%) |
| Registered Nurses | $99,970 | $81,400 | $86,904 (−13.1%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.