City comparison
Albany, NY vs Birmingham, AL
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Albany, NY are 8.6% higher than in Birmingham, AL. Someone earning $100,000 in Birmingham, AL would need about $108,600 in Albany, NY to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,417 a month in Albany, NY versus $1,155 in Birmingham, AL. On $100,000, that's 23% of take-home pay in Albany, NY and 19% in Birmingham, AL.
- Estimated state income tax on $100,000 is close: $4,860 a year in NY and $4,735 in AL.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −2.1% moving from Albany, NY to Birmingham, AL ($109,810 → $107,510), while prices change by −8.0%. Net effect of the transfer: +6.4% in real buying power.
- Albany, NY: price level 99.6 (about average)
- Birmingham, AL: price level 91.6 (much cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Albany, NY | Birmingham, AL | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 99.6 | 91.6 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $92,043 in Birmingham | $108,644 in Albany |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,417/mo | $1,155/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,320 | $74,445 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,860 (NY) | $4,735 (AL) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 23% | 19% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $58,460 | $47,770 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Albany-Schenectady, NY-MA | Birmingham-Hoover-Talladega, AL |
Rent areas: Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY MSA and Birmingham-Hoover, AL HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY and Birmingham, AL.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Albany | Birmingham |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 102.6 | 71.9 |
| Goods | 99.7 | 96.4 |
| Utilities | 134.0 | 83.8 |
| Other services | 97.8 | 96.7 |
| Overall | 99.6 | 91.6 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Albany, NY → Birmingham, AL
Same pay goes further
Buying power +8.6%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax −$125/yr.
96 Strong offer
Birmingham, AL → Albany, NY
Same pay buys less
Buying power −8.0%; rent takes 23% of take-home; state tax +$125/yr.
44 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Albany, NY is in the Albany-Schenectady, NY-MA pay area; Birmingham, AL is in Birmingham-Hoover-Talladega, AL. The last column shows what a transfer from Albany, NY to Birmingham, AL at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Albany, NY | Birmingham, AL | Real change, Albany → Birmingham |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $63,678 | $62,344 | +6.4% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $77,045 | $75,431 | +6.4% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $92,344 | $90,410 | +6.4% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $109,810 | $107,510 | +6.4% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $129,763 | $127,044 | +6.4% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Albany, NY | Birmingham, AL | Birmingham pay in Albany dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $79,240 | $62,630 | $68,044 (−14.1%) |
| Software Developers | $127,910 | $125,410 | $136,251 (+6.5%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $84,660 | $78,660 | $85,460 (+0.9%) |
| Registered Nurses | $99,970 | $78,680 | $85,481 (−14.5%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.