City comparison
Albany, NY vs Kennewick, WA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Overall prices in Albany, NY (99.6) and Kennewick, WA (100.1, U.S. average = 100) are within 1% of each other, so $100,000 in Albany, NY goes as far as $100,500 in Kennewick, WA.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,417 a month in Albany, NY versus $1,268 in Kennewick, WA. On $100,000, that's 23% of take-home pay in Albany, NY and 19% in Kennewick, WA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $4,860 a year higher in Albany, NY than in Kennewick, WA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −3.1% moving from Albany, NY to Kennewick, WA ($109,810 → $106,437), while prices change by +0.5%. Net effect of the transfer: −3.6% in real buying power.
- Albany, NY: price level 99.6 (about average)
- Kennewick, WA: price level 100.1 (about average)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Albany, NY | Kennewick, WA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 99.6 | 100.1 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $100,515 in Kennewick | $99,487 in Albany |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,417/mo | $1,268/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,320 | $79,180 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,860 (NY) | $0 (WA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 23% | 19% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $58,460 | $57,290 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Albany-Schenectady, NY-MA | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY MSA and Kennewick-Richland, WA MSA. Metro areas: Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY and Kennewick-Richland, WA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Albany | Kennewick |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 102.6 | 94.8 |
| Goods | 99.7 | 105.0 |
| Utilities | 134.0 | 93.6 |
| Other services | 97.8 | 99.5 |
| Overall | 99.6 | 100.1 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Albany, NY → Kennewick, WA
Roughly even
Buying power −0.5%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax −$4,860/yr.
67 Fair offer
Kennewick, WA → Albany, NY
Roughly even
Buying power +0.5%; rent takes 23% of take-home; state tax +$4,860/yr.
70 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Albany, NY is in the Albany-Schenectady, NY-MA pay area; Kennewick, WA is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Albany, NY to Kennewick, WA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Albany, NY | Kennewick, WA | Real change, Albany → Kennewick |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $63,678 | $61,722 | −3.6% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $77,045 | $74,678 | −3.6% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $92,344 | $89,508 | −3.6% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $109,810 | $106,437 | −3.6% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $129,763 | $125,776 | −3.6% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Albany, NY | Kennewick, WA | Kennewick pay in Albany dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $79,240 | $100,380 | $99,865 (+26.0%) |
| Software Developers | $127,910 | $127,800 | $127,145 (−0.6%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $84,660 | $93,280 | $92,802 (+9.6%) |
| Registered Nurses | $99,970 | $106,410 | $105,865 (+5.9%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.