City comparison
Albany, NY vs Eugene, OR
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Eugene, OR are 2.0% higher than in Albany, NY. Someone earning $100,000 in Albany, NY would need about $102,000 in Eugene, OR to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,417 a month in Albany, NY versus $1,286 in Eugene, OR. On $100,000, that's 23% of take-home pay in Albany, NY and 22% in Eugene, OR.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,061 a year higher in Eugene, OR than in Albany, NY.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −3.1% moving from Albany, NY to Eugene, OR ($109,810 → $106,437), while prices change by +2.0%. Net effect of the transfer: −5.0% in real buying power.
- Albany, NY: price level 99.6 (about average)
- Eugene, OR: price level 101.6 (about average)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Albany, NY | Eugene, OR | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 99.6 | 101.6 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $102,011 in Eugene | $98,029 in Albany |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,417/mo | $1,286/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,320 | $71,260 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,860 (NY) | $7,920 (OR) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 23% | 22% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $58,460 | $49,680 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Albany-Schenectady, NY-MA | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY MSA and Eugene-Springfield, OR MSA. Metro areas: Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY and Eugene-Springfield, OR.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Albany | Eugene |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 102.6 | 98.3 |
| Goods | 99.7 | 105.3 |
| Utilities | 134.0 | 102.5 |
| Other services | 97.8 | 100.3 |
| Overall | 99.6 | 101.6 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Albany, NY → Eugene, OR
Roughly even
Buying power −2.0%; rent takes 22% of take-home; state tax +$3,061/yr.
63 Fair offer
Eugene, OR → Albany, NY
Same pay goes further
Buying power +2.0%; rent takes 23% of take-home; state tax −$3,061/yr.
75 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Albany, NY is in the Albany-Schenectady, NY-MA pay area; Eugene, OR is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Albany, NY to Eugene, OR at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Albany, NY | Eugene, OR | Real change, Albany → Eugene |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $63,678 | $61,722 | −5.0% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $77,045 | $74,678 | −5.0% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $92,344 | $89,508 | −5.0% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $109,810 | $106,437 | −5.0% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $129,763 | $125,776 | −5.0% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Albany, NY | Eugene, OR | Eugene pay in Albany dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $79,240 | $64,260 | $62,993 (−20.5%) |
| Software Developers | $127,910 | $121,050 | $118,664 (−7.2%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $84,660 | $79,930 | $78,355 (−7.4%) |
| Registered Nurses | $99,970 | $113,720 | $111,478 (+11.5%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.