City comparison
Albany, NY vs Crestview, FL
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Albany, NY are 2.6% higher than in Crestview, FL. Someone earning $100,000 in Crestview, FL would need about $102,600 in Albany, NY to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,581 a month in Crestview, FL versus $1,417 in Albany, NY. On $100,000, that's 24% of take-home pay in Crestview, FL and 23% in Albany, NY.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $4,860 a year higher in Albany, NY than in Crestview, FL.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −3.1% moving from Albany, NY to Crestview, FL ($109,810 → $106,437), while prices change by −2.5%. Net effect of the transfer: −0.5% in real buying power.
- Albany, NY: price level 99.6 (about average)
- Crestview, FL: price level 97.0 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Albany, NY | Crestview, FL | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 99.6 | 97.0 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $97,454 in Crestview | $102,613 in Albany |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,417/mo | $1,581/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,320 | $79,180 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,860 (NY) | $0 (FL) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 23% | 24% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $58,460 | $47,510 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Albany-Schenectady, NY-MA | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY MSA and Crestview-Fort Walton Beach-Destin, FL HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY and Crestview-Fort Walton Beach-Destin, FL.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Albany | Crestview |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 102.6 | 94.9 |
| Goods | 99.7 | 96.2 |
| Utilities | 134.0 | 89.0 |
| Other services | 97.8 | 98.9 |
| Overall | 99.6 | 97.0 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Albany, NY → Crestview, FL
Same pay goes further
Buying power +2.6%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax −$4,860/yr.
77 Strong offer
Crestview, FL → Albany, NY
Same pay buys less
Buying power −2.5%; rent takes 23% of take-home; state tax +$4,860/yr.
61 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Albany, NY is in the Albany-Schenectady, NY-MA pay area; Crestview, FL is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Albany, NY to Crestview, FL at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Albany, NY | Crestview, FL | Real change, Albany → Crestview |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $63,678 | $61,722 | −0.5% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $77,045 | $74,678 | −0.5% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $92,344 | $89,508 | −0.5% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $109,810 | $106,437 | −0.5% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $129,763 | $125,776 | −0.5% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Albany, NY | Crestview, FL | Crestview pay in Albany dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $79,240 | $60,330 | $61,906 (−21.9%) |
| Software Developers | $127,910 | $130,640 | $134,053 (+4.8%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $84,660 | $79,510 | $81,587 (−3.6%) |
| Registered Nurses | $99,970 | $81,260 | $83,383 (−16.6%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.