City comparison
Albany, NY vs Youngstown, OH
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Albany, NY are 13.9% higher than in Youngstown, OH. Someone earning $100,000 in Youngstown, OH would need about $113,900 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 $771 in Youngstown, OH. On $100,000, that's 23% of take-home pay in Albany, NY and 12% in Youngstown, OH.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $2,892 a year higher in Albany, NY than in Youngstown, OH.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +1.2% moving from Albany, NY to Youngstown, OH ($109,810 → $111,138), while prices change by −12.2%. Net effect of the transfer: +15.3% in real buying power.
- Albany, NY: price level 99.6 (about average)
- Youngstown, OH: price level 87.4 (much cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Albany, NY | Youngstown, OH | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 99.6 | 87.4 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $87,775 in Youngstown | $113,928 in Albany |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,417/mo | $771/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,320 | $77,212 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,860 (NY) | $1,968 (OH) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 23% | 12% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $58,460 | $43,800 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Albany-Schenectady, NY-MA | Cleveland-Akron-Canton, OH-PA |
Rent areas: Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY MSA and Youngstown-Warren, OH MSA. Metro areas: Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY and Youngstown-Warren, OH.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Albany | Youngstown |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 102.6 | 53.4 |
| Goods | 99.7 | 93.6 |
| Utilities | 134.0 | 96.3 |
| Other services | 97.8 | 98.9 |
| Overall | 99.6 | 87.4 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Albany, NY → Youngstown, OH
Same pay goes further
Buying power +13.9%; rent takes 12% of take-home; state tax −$2,892/yr.
100 Strong offer
Youngstown, OH → Albany, NY
Same pay buys less
Buying power −12.2%; rent takes 23% of take-home; state tax +$2,892/yr.
38 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Albany, NY is in the Albany-Schenectady, NY-MA pay area; Youngstown, OH is in Cleveland-Akron-Canton, OH-PA. The last column shows what a transfer from Albany, NY to Youngstown, OH at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Albany, NY | Youngstown, OH | Real change, Albany → Youngstown |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $63,678 | $64,448 | +15.3% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $77,045 | $77,977 | +15.3% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $92,344 | $93,461 | +15.3% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $109,810 | $111,138 | +15.3% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $129,763 | $131,331 | +15.3% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Albany, NY | Youngstown, OH | Youngstown pay in Albany dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $79,240 | $72,560 | $82,666 (+4.3%) |
| Software Developers | $127,910 | $107,990 | $123,031 (−3.8%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $84,660 | $73,080 | $83,258 (−1.7%) |
| Registered Nurses | $99,970 | $78,680 | $89,638 (−10.3%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.