City comparison
Albany, NY vs Houston, TX
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Overall prices in Albany, NY (99.6) and Houston, TX (98.6, U.S. average = 100) are within 1% of each other, so $100,000 in Albany, NY goes as far as $99,100 in Houston, TX.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,417 a month in Albany, NY versus $1,323 in Houston, TX. On $100,000, that's 23% of take-home pay in Albany, NY and 20% in Houston, TX.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $4,860 a year higher in Albany, NY than in Houston, TX.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +11.8% moving from Albany, NY to Houston, TX ($109,810 → $122,749), while prices change by −0.9%. Net effect of the transfer: +12.8% in real buying power.
- Albany, NY: price level 99.6 (about average)
- Houston, TX: price level 98.6 (about average)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Albany, NY | Houston, TX | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 99.6 | 98.6 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $99,059 in Houston | $100,950 in Albany |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,417/mo | $1,323/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,320 | $79,180 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,860 (NY) | $0 (TX) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 23% | 20% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $58,460 | $49,410 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Albany-Schenectady, NY-MA | Houston-The Woodlands, TX |
Rent areas: Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY MSA and Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY and Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Albany | Houston |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 102.6 | 104.5 |
| Goods | 99.7 | 100.6 |
| Utilities | 134.0 | 95.3 |
| Other services | 97.8 | 95.6 |
| Overall | 99.6 | 98.6 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Albany, NY → Houston, TX
Roughly even
Buying power +1.0%; rent takes 20% of take-home; state tax −$4,860/yr.
72 Strong offer
Houston, TX → Albany, NY
Roughly even
Buying power −0.9%; rent takes 23% of take-home; state tax +$4,860/yr.
66 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Albany, NY is in the Albany-Schenectady, NY-MA pay area; Houston, TX is in Houston-The Woodlands, TX. The last column shows what a transfer from Albany, NY to Houston, TX at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Albany, NY | Houston, TX | Real change, Albany → Houston |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $63,678 | $71,181 | +12.8% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $77,045 | $86,123 | +12.8% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $92,344 | $103,225 | +12.8% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $109,810 | $122,749 | +12.8% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $129,763 | $145,052 | +12.8% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Albany, NY | Houston, TX | Houston pay in Albany dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $79,240 | $64,500 | $65,113 (−17.8%) |
| Software Developers | $127,910 | $129,440 | $130,670 (+2.2%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $84,660 | $85,090 | $85,898 (+1.5%) |
| Registered Nurses | $99,970 | $99,830 | $100,778 (+0.8%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.