CostIndexUSA

Albany, NY vs Waterbury, CT Cost of Living

Data: BEA Regional Price Parities · Census ACS · 2024

≈ Equal CostNY
Albany
99.6
overall index
$1,575/mo rent
CT
Waterbury
99.8
overall index
$1,325/mo rent

Albany and Waterbury have nearly identical costs of living.

Category Breakdown

Index values: 100 = U.S. national average. Higher = more expensive.

🏠 Housing13.2%
Albany
102.6
Waterbury
89.1
🛒 Groceries2.4%
Albany
99.7
Waterbury
97.3
🚗 Transportation+5.1%
Albany
102.6
Waterbury
107.8
🏥 Healthcare+5.0%
Albany
92.9
Waterbury
97.5
Utilities+10.1%
Albany
134
Waterbury
147.6

Salary Equivalency Calculator

Enter your current salary in Albany to see what you'd need to earn in Waterbury to maintain the same purchasing power.

$
Equivalent salary in Waterbury, CT
$80,200
$200 more needed in Waterbury

Formula: salary × (99.8 ÷ 99.6) = salary × 1.0020. Based on BEA Regional Price Parities.

Housing Market

Albany, NY

Median Home Price
$350,000
Median Monthly Rent
$1,575
Housing Index
102.6
Price-to-Rent Ratio
18.5×

Waterbury, CT

Median Home Price
$420,000
Median Monthly Rent
$1,325
Housing Index
89.1
Price-to-Rent Ratio
26.4×

Albany has 13.2% lower housing costs compared to Waterbury.

Income & Job Market

Albany, NY

Median Household Income
$82,400
Per Capita Income
$47,000
Unemployment Rate
3.9%
Population
98,111
Top Industries
GovernmentHealthcareEducationFinanceTechnology

Waterbury, CT

Median Household Income
$81,300
Per Capita Income
$46,300
Unemployment Rate
5.3%
Population
114,403
Top Industries
HealthcareManufacturingFinanceEducationGovernment

Affordability at a Glance

Income-to-rent ratio: higher is better (more income relative to housing costs).

Albany, NY
4.4×income-to-rent ratio

77% of income left after rent (median)

Waterbury, CT
5.1×income-to-rent ratio

80% of income left after rent (median)

Data Sources: Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) Regional Price Parities 2024; U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS); Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Local Area Unemployment Statistics; Zillow Research.

Cost indices use 100 as the U.S. national average. Values above 100 indicate costs above the national average. Data is updated annually.

This data is for informational purposes only and should not be used as the sole basis for relocation or financial decisions.