City comparison
Albany, NY vs Ogden, UT
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Overall prices in Albany, NY (99.6) and Ogden, UT (100.3, U.S. average = 100) are within 1% of each other, so $100,000 in Albany, NY goes as far as $100,800 in Ogden, UT.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,417 a month in Albany, NY versus $1,281 in Ogden, UT. On $100,000, that's 23% of take-home pay in Albany, NY and 20% in Ogden, UT.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,326 a year higher in Albany, NY than in Ogden, UT.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −3.1% moving from Albany, NY to Ogden, UT ($109,810 → $106,437), while prices change by +0.8%. Net effect of the transfer: −3.8% in real buying power.
- Albany, NY: price level 99.6 (about average)
- Ogden, UT: price level 100.3 (about average)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Albany, NY | Ogden, UT | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 99.6 | 100.3 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $100,786 in Ogden | $99,220 in Albany |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,417/mo | $1,281/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,320 | $75,646 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,860 (NY) | $3,534 (UT) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 23% | 20% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $58,460 | $48,900 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Albany-Schenectady, NY-MA | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY MSA and Ogden, UT MSA. Metro areas: Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY and Ogden, UT.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Albany | Ogden |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 102.6 | 117.9 |
| Goods | 99.7 | 96.4 |
| Utilities | 134.0 | 78.8 |
| Other services | 97.8 | 99.0 |
| Overall | 99.6 | 100.3 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Albany, NY → Ogden, UT
Roughly even
Buying power −0.8%; rent takes 20% of take-home; state tax −$1,326/yr.
66 Fair offer
Ogden, UT → Albany, NY
Roughly even
Buying power +0.8%; rent takes 23% of take-home; state tax +$1,326/yr.
71 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Albany, NY is in the Albany-Schenectady, NY-MA pay area; Ogden, UT is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Albany, NY to Ogden, UT at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Albany, NY | Ogden, UT | Real change, Albany → Ogden |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $63,678 | $61,722 | −3.8% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $77,045 | $74,678 | −3.8% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $92,344 | $89,508 | −3.8% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $109,810 | $106,437 | −3.8% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $129,763 | $125,776 | −3.8% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Albany, NY | Ogden, UT | Ogden pay in Albany dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $79,240 | $63,910 | $63,411 (−20.0%) |
| Software Developers | $127,910 | $109,880 | $109,023 (−14.8%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $84,660 | $82,010 | $81,370 (−3.9%) |
| Registered Nurses | $99,970 | $81,840 | $81,201 (−18.8%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.