New York vs Albany: Cost of Living & Housing Comparison

Comparing home values: New York sits at $732,100, 224% higher than Albany's $225,800.

Households earn a median $76,607 in New York, compared with $53,284 in Albany.

New York's median rent sits at $1,714, against $1,098 in Albany.

Metric	New York, NY	Albany, NY
Population	8,622,467	99,224
Median home value	$732,100	$225,800
Median household income	$76,607	$53,284
Median gross rent	$1,714	$1,098
Climate risk (FEMA)	Relatively High	—

Albany, NY beats New York, NY on both housing metrics we track — home value and rent — though this doesn't capture the full cost of living.

Moving between New York and Albany

New York and Albany are 139 miles apart in a straight line.

What changes when you move	New York → Albany	Albany → New York
Median rent	−$616/mo (−36%)	+$616/mo (+56%)
Median home value	−$506,300 (−69%)	+$506,300 (+224%)
Median household income	−$23,323 (−30%)	+$23,323 (+44%)

Estimated moving cost (either direction)

Home size	Estimated cost
Studio / 1-bedroom	$576 – $880
2-3 bedroom	$1,741 – $2,643
4+ bedroom house	$3,213 – $4,868

Estimates based on typical per-mile and per-room moving-industry rates; actual quotes vary by mover, season, and access. Not a quote from any specific company.

New York, NY Albany, NY

159 miles estimated driving distance · 2.7 hours of highway driving

DIY Truck Rental

$287 – $368

Includes an estimated $56 in fuel (16 gal at ~10 mpg) over 1 driving day.

Professional Movers

$1,546 – $2,502

Full-service crew, loading and unloading included.

Estimates based on typical rental-truck, fuel, and professional-mover industry rates; actual quotes vary by carrier, season, and access. Not a quote from any specific company.

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey; FEMA National Risk Index

Data last updated July 2026.