City comparison
Albany, NY vs Jacksonville, FL
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Overall prices in Albany, NY (99.6) and Jacksonville, FL (99.5, U.S. average = 100) are within 1% of each other, so $100,000 in Albany, NY goes as far as $99,900 in Jacksonville, FL.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $1,417 a month in Albany, NY and $1,382 in Jacksonville, FL.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $4,860 a year higher in Albany, NY than in Jacksonville, FL.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −3.1% moving from Albany, NY to Jacksonville, FL ($109,810 → $106,437), while prices change by −0.1%. Net effect of the transfer: −3.0% in real buying power.
- Albany, NY: price level 99.6 (about average)
- Jacksonville, FL: price level 99.5 (about average)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Albany, NY | Jacksonville, FL | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 99.6 | 99.5 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $99,918 in Jacksonville | $100,082 in Albany |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,417/mo | $1,382/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,320 | $79,180 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,860 (NY) | $0 (FL) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 23% | 21% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $58,460 | $48,830 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Albany-Schenectady, NY-MA | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY MSA and Jacksonville, FL HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY and Jacksonville, FL.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Albany | Jacksonville |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 102.6 | 109.8 |
| Goods | 99.7 | 96.2 |
| Utilities | 134.0 | 87.5 |
| Other services | 97.8 | 98.9 |
| Overall | 99.6 | 99.5 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Albany, NY → Jacksonville, FL
Roughly even
Buying power +0.1%; rent takes 21% of take-home; state tax −$4,860/yr.
69 Fair offer
Jacksonville, FL → Albany, NY
Roughly even
Buying power −0.1%; rent takes 23% of take-home; state tax +$4,860/yr.
68 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Albany, NY is in the Albany-Schenectady, NY-MA pay area; Jacksonville, FL is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Albany, NY to Jacksonville, FL at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Albany, NY | Jacksonville, FL | Real change, Albany → Jacksonville |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $63,678 | $61,722 | −3.0% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $77,045 | $74,678 | −3.0% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $92,344 | $89,508 | −3.0% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $109,810 | $106,437 | −3.0% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $129,763 | $125,776 | −3.0% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Albany, NY | Jacksonville, FL | Jacksonville pay in Albany dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $79,240 | $61,080 | $61,130 (−22.9%) |
| Software Developers | $127,910 | $130,330 | $130,437 (+2.0%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $84,660 | $79,960 | $80,026 (−5.5%) |
| Registered Nurses | $99,970 | $83,520 | $83,589 (−16.4%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.