City comparison
Albany, NY vs Stockton, CA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent, state taxes and federal GS pay.
Key findings
- Prices in Stockton, CA are 5.5% higher than in Albany, NY. Someone earning $100,000 in Albany, NY would need about $105,500 in Stockton, CA to live the same way.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $1,417 a month in Albany, NY and $1,395 in Stockton, CA.
- Estimated state income tax on $100,000 is close: $4,860 a year in NY and $5,070 in CA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +21.2% moving from Albany, NY to Stockton, CA ($109,810 → $133,060), while prices change by +5.5%. Net effect of the transfer: +14.8% in real buying power.
- Albany, NY: price level 99.6 (about average)
- Stockton, CA: price level 105.1 (pricier)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Albany, NY | Stockton, CA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 99.6 | 105.1 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $105,547 in Stockton | $94,744 in Albany |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,417/mo | $1,395/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,320 | $74,110 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,860 (NY) | $5,070 (CA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 23% | 23% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $58,460 | $48,990 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Albany-Schenectady, NY-MA | San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland, CA |
Rent areas: Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY MSA and Stockton-Lodi, CA MSA. Metro areas: Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY and Stockton-Lodi, CA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Albany | Stockton |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 102.6 | 115.6 |
| Goods | 99.7 | 105.2 |
| Utilities | 134.0 | 158.2 |
| Other services | 97.8 | 100.3 |
| Overall | 99.6 | 105.1 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Albany, NY → Stockton, CA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −5.3%; rent takes 23% of take-home; state tax +$211/yr.
52 Fair offer
Stockton, CA → Albany, NY
Same pay goes further
Buying power +5.5%; rent takes 23% of take-home; state tax −$211/yr.
86 Strong offer
Federal employees: GS pay
Albany, NY is in the Albany-Schenectady, NY-MA pay area; Stockton, CA is in San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland, CA. The last column shows what a transfer from Albany, NY to Stockton, CA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Albany, NY | Stockton, CA | Real change, Albany → Stockton |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $63,678 | $77,161 | +14.8% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $77,045 | $93,358 | +14.8% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $92,344 | $111,896 | +14.8% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $109,810 | $133,060 | +14.8% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $129,763 | $157,236 | +14.8% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Albany, NY | Stockton, CA | Stockton pay in Albany dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Information Security Analysts | $103,890 | $101,320 | $95,995 (−7.6%) |
| Software Developers | $127,910 | $138,550 | $131,268 (+2.6%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $84,660 | $83,570 | $79,178 (−6.5%) |
| Registered Nurses | $99,970 | $134,580 | $127,507 (+27.5%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.