City comparison
Albany, NY vs Harrisburg, PA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Overall prices in Albany, NY (99.6) and Harrisburg, PA (98.7, U.S. average = 100) are within 1% of each other, so $100,000 in Albany, NY goes as far as $99,100 in Harrisburg, PA.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,417 a month in Albany, NY versus $1,212 in Harrisburg, PA. On $100,000, that's 23% of take-home pay in Albany, NY and 19% in Harrisburg, PA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,790 a year higher in Albany, NY than in Harrisburg, PA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −1.1% moving from Albany, NY to Harrisburg, PA ($109,810 → $108,592), while prices change by −0.9%. Net effect of the transfer: −0.2% in real buying power.
- Albany, NY: price level 99.6 (about average)
- Harrisburg, PA: price level 98.7 (about average)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Albany, NY | Harrisburg, PA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 99.6 | 98.7 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $99,080 in Harrisburg | $100,929 in Albany |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,417/mo | $1,212/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,320 | $76,110 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,860 (NY) | $3,070 (PA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 23% | 19% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $58,460 | $49,610 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Albany-Schenectady, NY-MA | Harrisburg-Lebanon, PA |
Rent areas: Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY MSA and Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA MSA. Metro areas: Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY and Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Albany | Harrisburg |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 102.6 | 96.3 |
| Goods | 99.7 | 100.7 |
| Utilities | 134.0 | 108.1 |
| Other services | 97.8 | 97.7 |
| Overall | 99.6 | 98.7 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Albany, NY → Harrisburg, PA
Roughly even
Buying power +0.9%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax −$1,790/yr.
72 Strong offer
Harrisburg, PA → Albany, NY
Roughly even
Buying power −0.9%; rent takes 23% of take-home; state tax +$1,790/yr.
66 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Albany, NY is in the Albany-Schenectady, NY-MA pay area; Harrisburg, PA is in Harrisburg-Lebanon, PA. The last column shows what a transfer from Albany, NY to Harrisburg, PA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Albany, NY | Harrisburg, PA | Real change, Albany → Harrisburg |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $63,678 | $62,972 | −0.2% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $77,045 | $76,190 | −0.2% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $92,344 | $91,320 | −0.2% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $109,810 | $108,592 | −0.2% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $129,763 | $128,323 | −0.2% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Albany, NY | Harrisburg, PA | Harrisburg pay in Albany dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $79,240 | $77,160 | $77,876 (−1.7%) |
| Software Developers | $127,910 | $109,470 | $110,486 (−13.6%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $84,660 | $76,510 | $77,220 (−8.8%) |
| Registered Nurses | $99,970 | $96,770 | $97,669 (−2.3%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.