City comparison
Albany, NY vs Portland, OR
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Portland, OR are 5.9% higher than in Albany, NY. Someone earning $100,000 in Albany, NY would need about $105,900 in Portland, OR to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,677 a month in Portland, OR versus $1,417 in Albany, NY. On $100,000, that's 28% of take-home pay in Portland, OR and 23% in Albany, NY.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,061 a year higher in Portland, OR than in Albany, NY.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +4.4% moving from Albany, NY to Portland, OR ($109,810 → $114,684), while prices change by +5.9%. Net effect of the transfer: −1.4% in real buying power.
- Albany, NY: price level 99.6 (about average)
- Portland, OR: price level 105.4 (pricier)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Albany, NY | Portland, OR | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 99.6 | 105.4 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $105,881 in Portland | $94,446 in Albany |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,417/mo | $1,677/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% | 28% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $58,460 | $60,690 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Albany-Schenectady, NY-MA | Portland-Vancouver-Salem, OR-WA |
Rent areas: Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY MSA and Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA MSA. Metro areas: Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY and Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Albany | Portland |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 102.6 | 125.1 |
| Goods | 99.7 | 105.2 |
| Utilities | 134.0 | 107.0 |
| Other services | 97.8 | 100.1 |
| Overall | 99.6 | 105.4 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Albany, NY → Portland, OR
Same pay buys less
Buying power −5.6%; rent takes 28% of take-home; state tax +$3,061/yr.
47 Fair offer
Portland, OR → Albany, NY
Same pay goes further
Buying power +5.9%; rent takes 23% of take-home; state tax −$3,061/yr.
87 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Albany, NY is in the Albany-Schenectady, NY-MA pay area; Portland, OR is in Portland-Vancouver-Salem, OR-WA. The last column shows what a transfer from Albany, NY to Portland, OR at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Albany, NY | Portland, OR | Real change, Albany → Portland |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $63,678 | $66,505 | −1.4% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $77,045 | $80,465 | −1.4% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $92,344 | $96,443 | −1.4% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $109,810 | $114,684 | −1.4% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $129,763 | $135,522 | −1.4% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Albany, NY | Portland, OR | Portland pay in Albany dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $79,240 | $82,330 | $77,757 (−1.9%) |
| Software Developers | $127,910 | $156,000 | $147,336 (+15.2%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $84,660 | $92,200 | $87,079 (+2.9%) |
| Registered Nurses | $99,970 | $130,310 | $123,073 (+23.1%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.