City comparison
Albany, NY vs Madison, WI
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent, state taxes and federal GS pay.
Key findings
- Prices in Albany, NY are 2.3% higher than in Madison, WI. Someone earning $100,000 in Madison, WI would need about $102,300 in Albany, NY to live the same way.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $1,417 a month in Albany, NY and $1,482 in Madison, WI.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $940 a year higher in Albany, NY than in Madison, WI.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −3.1% moving from Albany, NY to Madison, WI ($109,810 → $106,437), while prices change by −2.3%. Net effect of the transfer: −0.8% in real buying power.
- Albany, NY: price level 99.6 (about average)
- Madison, WI: price level 97.3 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Albany, NY | Madison, WI | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 99.6 | 97.3 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $97,711 in Madison | $102,343 in Albany |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,417/mo | $1,482/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,320 | $75,261 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,860 (NY) | $3,919 (WI) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 23% | 24% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $58,460 | $58,080 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Albany-Schenectady, NY-MA | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY MSA and Madison, WI HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY and Madison, WI.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Albany | Madison |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 102.6 | 99.7 |
| Goods | 99.7 | 93.8 |
| Utilities | 134.0 | 89.8 |
| Other services | 97.8 | 99.4 |
| Overall | 99.6 | 97.3 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Albany, NY → Madison, WI
Same pay goes further
Buying power +2.3%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax −$940/yr.
76 Strong offer
Madison, WI → Albany, NY
Same pay buys less
Buying power −2.3%; rent takes 23% of take-home; state tax +$940/yr.
62 Fair offer
Federal employees: GS pay
Albany, NY is in the Albany-Schenectady, NY-MA pay area; Madison, WI is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Albany, NY to Madison, WI at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Albany, NY | Madison, WI | Real change, Albany → Madison |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $63,678 | $61,722 | −0.8% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $77,045 | $74,678 | −0.8% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $92,344 | $89,508 | −0.8% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $109,810 | $106,437 | −0.8% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $129,763 | $125,776 | −0.8% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Albany, NY | Madison, WI | Madison pay in Albany dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Information Security Analysts | $103,890 | $104,110 | $106,549 (+2.6%) |
| Software Developers | $127,910 | $130,630 | $133,690 (+4.5%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $84,660 | $81,130 | $83,031 (−1.9%) |
| Registered Nurses | $99,970 | $101,190 | $103,560 (+3.6%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.