Residential comparison · 13 facts
Albany, NY vs Buffalo, NY
Compare the housing, tax, cost, income, safety, school, and climate facts that are available for both places. The table shows the numbers without declaring one city universally better.
A household earning $85,000 in Albany needs about $84,500 in Buffalo to keep the same lifestyle.
Coming from Buffalo, $85,000 of lifestyle costs about $85,500 in Albany.
A few differences
- Albany is lower on property tax rate (1.6% vs 1.9%).
- Albany is lower on sales tax (8.5% vs 8.75%).
- Buffalo is lower on groceries index (98 vs 108).
Albany vs Buffalo · facet by facet
| Facet | Albany, NY | Buffalo, NY |
|---|---|---|
| Median home price | $234,700 | $220,000 |
| 2-bedroom rent | $1,309/mo | $1,450/mo |
| Property tax rate | 1.6% | 1.9% |
| State & local income tax | 4.07% | 4.07% |
| Sales tax | 8.5% | 8.75% |
| Cost of living index | 98 | 91 |
| Groceries index | 108 | 98 |
| Utilities | $190/mo | $175/mo |
| Median household income | $61,986 | $46,000 |
| Unemployment rate | 4.3% | 4.4% |
| Crime index | 40/100 | 52/100 |
| School rating | 6.5/10 | 5.0/10 |
| Sunny days / year | 180 days | 166 days |
Data: Census ACS 2024 · BLS · Tax Foundation 2024 brackets · HUD/Zillow · NOAA 1991–2020 · FEMA NRI · Values are shown as reported; no universal winner is implied.
Full profiles: Albany, NY · Buffalo, NY
Questions & answers
- Is Albany cheaper than Buffalo?
- Buffalo has the lower day-to-day cost index (91 vs 98 against a national 100). The other differences are shown facet by facet in the table.
- What household income in Buffalo equals $85,000 in Albany?
- A household earning $85,000 in Albany needs about $84,500 in Buffalo to keep the same lifestyle; coming the other way, $85,000 of Buffalo lifestyle costs about $85,500 in Albany.