City profile · California · Census ACS 2023

Albany, CA

Population, income, housing, safety, climate and schools for Albany - drawn straight from Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA, NCES, HUD and FEMA, refreshed on the 2024–2025 release cycle.

19,768
Residents
$135,927
Median income
$1,188,600
Median home
$2,912
Median rent (state)

Albany - the verdict

Out of every US city with 1,000+ residents, Albany places in the 92nd percentile for household income and the 20th percentile for safety. Source: Census ACS + FBI UCR.

92nd
percentile, household income
98th
percentile, home value
97th
percentile, median rent
20th
percentile, safety
📝 How we sourced this

Population, income, and housing-cost figures come from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-year estimates (B-series tables). Crime data uses FBI UCR; climate uses NOAA Climate Normals; school counts come from NCES Common Core of Data; permits use the Census Building Permits Survey (BPS). See our methodology page for the full ETL pipeline and OMB / FIPS join keys.

Data Snapshot: Albany, CA

Albany is a small town in California, home to 19,768 residents per U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. Albany households earn a median of $135,927 annually, placing it in the top quartile of U.S. cities for household income, with a poverty rate of 6.1%. Home values in Albany run a median of $1,188,600, and the median resident age is 37.8 years. About 76.4% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, while 65.8% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

Housing supply pressure shows in Census Building Permit Survey data: 11 residential units were authorized in 2024 (Slowing), down 8% from five years earlier. Crime here tracks close to the national norm: FBI UCR figures show 2631.5 crimes per 100,000 residents, near the national average (reporting is voluntary across agencies, so treat this as reporting activity rather than a definitive danger score).

California carries a cost-of-living premium: on BEA's 100-equals-national-average cost index, California scores 110.7 (Well Above Average), per the 2024 Regional Price Parities release. HUD Fair Market Rent for a typical two-bedroom in this state is $2,912 per month. Statewide, average monthly utility bills in California run around $275, per EIA 2023 residential energy data. Workers in Albany report an average commute of 21.7 minutes, with 37.4% driving alone and 33.5% working from home. Natural-hazard exposure scores 99.5 out of 100 on FEMA's National Risk Index (Very High).

Population

19,768 residents

Census ACS 2023 - California

Median Household Income

$135,927 /yr

Poverty 6.1%

Cost of Living Index (state)

110.7 (US=100)

Well Above Average - BEA RPP 2024, California average

How does Albany compare to other US cities?

Albany measured against every US city with 1,000+ residents, computed live from the same Census and FBI data shown throughout this page.

Household income 92% higher than other cities
Home value 98% pricier than other cities
Median rent 97% pricier than other cities
Safety 20% safer than other cities

"Safer than" reflects total crime rate from FBI UCR; the others use Census ACS estimates.

Zoom in to just California and the picture shifts: Albany ranks #329 of 441 California cities by lowest crime rate, a different read than the national percentile above.

How we calculate these percentiles & ranks

For each metric we count every US city with population 1,000+ and a non-null value, then compute what share of them fall below Albany's value: round(cities-below ÷ total × 100). Safety is inverted (percentile = share of cities with a higher crime rate) so a higher number always means safer. The in-state rank narrows that same crime-rate comparison to only the cities PlainCities tracks in California, breaking ties alphabetically. See the methodology page for the full source-to-figure lineage.

92ndIncome percentile
20thSafety percentile

92nd percentile nationally for median household income · 20th percentile for safety (lower crime rate). Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

Albany's profile vs. every US city

Income, affordability, and safety percentile

Albany's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown. 3-axis radar comparing 1 series across Income, Affordability, Safety. IncomeAffordabilitySafety 38 Avg. percentile National median
Albany's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown.

How Albany's home value compares nationally

Median home value vs. every US city (population 1,000+)

$1,188,600 2nd percentile more affordable than 2% of 15,600 US cities

$0–$25,000: 5 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $25,000–$50,000: 54 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $50,000–$75,000: 352 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $75,000–$100,000: 1,086 US cities (7%). Below this entry. $100,000–$125,000: 1,516 US cities (10%). Below this entry. $125,000–$150,000: 1,170 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $150,000–$175,000: 1,278 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $175,000–$200,000: 1,229 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $200,000–$225,000: 1,035 US cities (7%). Below this entry. $225,000–$250,000: 976 US cities (6%). Below this entry. $250,000–$275,000: 754 US cities (5%). Below this entry. $275,000–$300,000: 712 US cities (5%). Below this entry. $300,000–$325,000: 521 US cities (3%). Below this entry. $325,000–$350,000: 526 US cities (3%). Below this entry. $350,000–$375,000: 465 US cities (3%). Below this entry. $375,000–$400,000: 393 US cities (3%). Below this entry. $400,000–$425,000: 317 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $425,000–$450,000: 300 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $450,000–$475,000: 307 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $475,000–$500,000: 250 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $500,000–$525,000: 160 US cities (1%). Below this entry. $525,000–$550,000: 156 US cities (1%). Below this entry. $550,000–$575,000: 172 US cities (1%). Below this entry. $575,000–$600,000: 172 US cities (1%). Below this entry. $600,000–$625,000: 163 US cities (1%). Below this entry. $625,000–$650,000: 167 US cities (1%). Below this entry. $650,000–$675,000: 135 US cities (1%). Below this entry. $675,000–$700,000: 101 US cities (1%). Below this entry. $700,000–$725,000: 95 US cities (1%). Below this entry. $725,000–$750,000: 71 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $750,000–$775,000: 65 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $775,000–$800,000: 70 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $800,000–$825,000: 57 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $825,000–$850,000: 67 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $850,000–$875,000: 60 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $875,000–$900,000: 58 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $900,000–$925,000: 47 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $925,000–$950,000: 37 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $950,000–$975,000: 31 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $975,000–$1,000,000: 470 US cities (3%). Below this entry. $1,000,000–$1,025,000: 0 US cities (0%). This entry sits in this band. Albany $0 $1,025,000 every US city, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $25K-wide band; taller bars hold more US cities. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates · 2023

Income distribution context

Household income distribution - Albany, CA Albany, CA's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Albany, CA-specific quintile data). The Lorenz curve traces the national cumulative income share against cumulative population share, perfect equality is the diagonal; observed inequality bows below. $ Household Income Distribution Albany, CA median $135,927/yr, vs. U.S. national quintile pattern QUINTILE SHARE OF AGGREGATE INCOME Lowest 20% 3.4% Second 20% 9.2% Middle 20% 15.1% Fourth 20% 23.2% Top 20% 49.1% LORENZ CURVE cumulative income vs. population 100% 0% 100% pop. 0%
Albany, CA's median household income (Census ACS 5-year estimate) plotted against the U.S. national income-quintile distribution pattern for context; the quintile shares and Lorenz curve are national figures, not computed specifically for Albany, CA. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 76.4%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 6.1%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 65.8%

Census ACS S2301, share of working-age residents in the labor force

Population
19,768
Median Income
$135,927
Median Home Value
$1,188,600
Median Age
37.8
Poverty Rate
6.1%
Labor force participation
65.8%
Bachelor's Degree+
76.4%

Safety & Crime

Total Crime Rate
2631.5
per 100,000 residents
Violent Crime
138.8
per 100,000 residents
Property Crime
2492.7
per 100,000 residents

Reflects incidents reported to the FBI's Uniform Crime Reporting program — agency participation is voluntary and reporting completeness varies by jurisdiction and year, so this reflects reporting activity, not a definitive danger score. Not adjusted for tourism, commuter, or daytime population.

Schools

Total Schools
6
Public schools in this city

Population Change

Annual U.S. Census Bureau Population Estimates Program (PEP) estimates, 2020–2025

See the fastest-growing cities →
18,500 residents19,000 residents19,500 residents20,000 residents20,500 residents 202020212022202320242025 20,206 residents 19,195 residents ▼ -5.0%
Albany's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Housing Supply

Census Bureau Building Permits Survey (BPS) - annual residential permits authorized

🏗️ Slowing
Total Permits (2024)
11
housing units authorized
Single-Family
11
detached homes
Multifamily
0
apartments & condos
Supply Intensity
0.6
permits per 1,000 residents

5-Year Permit Trend (2019–2024)

Year Total
2019 12
2020 20
2021 10
2022 81
2023 5
2024 11

Permit volume decreased 8% from 2019 to 2024.

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Average Commute Time
21.7 minutes
Drive Alone
37.4%
Carpool
3.6%
Public Transit
16.3%
Walk
4.8%
Work from Home
33.5%
Other
4.4%

Based on 10,053 workers 16 and over.

Monthly Utility Costs

State-average estimates for California - EIA 2023 residential energy data

Electricity
$150
avg/month
Natural Gas
$55
avg/month
Water & Sewer
$70
avg/month
Total Utilities
$275
estimated/month

Estimates reflect California state averages. Actual costs vary by home size, usage, and local rates. Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023.

Living Costs & Risk

Cost of living is a California state average from BEA; rent and hazard risk are county-level figures from HUD and FEMA for the county Albany sits in

Cost of Living Index
110.7
Well Above Average
US average = 100 · BEA RPP 2024
Typical 2-BR Rent
$2,912/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent
County-level FMR estimate
Natural Hazard Risk
99.5 / 100
Very High
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in California

Oroville
19,855 people
Agoura Hills
19,881 people
Casa de Oro-Mount Helix
19,651 people
La Crescenta-Montrose
19,940 people
Mead Valley
19,588 people
Arvin
19,478 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Albany's 19,768 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Broadview Heights, OH
19,768 people
Palm Valley, FL
19,775 people
Lackawanna, NY
19,779 people
Crest Hill, IL
19,754 people
Nogales, AZ
19,753 people
Clifton, CO
19,746 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Albany's $135,927 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Linwood, NJ
$135,904 median income
Angostura, SD
$135,893 median income
Chesapeake Beach, MD
$135,888 median income
Big Bend, WI
$136,042 median income
Lake Santee, IN
$135,804 median income
Cape St. Claire, MD
$136,064 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Albany, CA Race categories sum to one hundred percent per Census methodology. Hispanic or Latino is shown separately as an ethnicity overlay; it cuts across all race categories per OMB Directive 15. Race & Ethnicity Composition Albany, CA - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 46.8% 29.2% 14.9% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 13.0% White 46.8% Black or African American 3.7% Asian 29.2% American Indian 0.4% Native Hawaiian 0.0% Some other race 4.9% Two or more races 14.9% Per OMB Directive 15: Hispanic/Latino ethnicity is reported separately from the race categories.
Race categories sum to 100%. Hispanic or Latino ethnicity is reported separately and cuts across race per Census/OMB methodology.

City-level race and ethnicity, Census ACS 5-year 2023 (tables B02001, B03001), OMB Directive 15 categories.

How Albany compares to nearby California cities

Population + median household income, sourced from Census Bureau ACS 5-year B01001 (population) and B19013 (median household income).

City Population Median Household Income
Albany (this city) 19,768 $135,927
Oroville 19,855 $51,893
Agoura Hills 19,881 $171,944
Casa de Oro-Mount Helix 19,651 $123,037
Census ACS 5-year FIPS CA FBI UCR NCES CCD Census BPS 2024 OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Albany, CA?

What is the population of Albany, CA? +

Albany, CA has a population of 19,768 according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the median household income in Albany, CA? +

Median annual household income in Albany runs $135,927, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Albany? +

BEA does not publish a city-level cost-of-living figure for Albany; the closest available measure is the California state average, a cost of living index of 110.7 (U.S. average = 100), rated "Well Above Average" based on BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 data. Costs within California vary by metro area.

Is Albany, CA safe? +

Albany has a total crime rate of 2631.5 per 100,000 residents, which is near the national average. This reflects incidents reported to the FBI UCR program, not a definitive safety score -- agency reporting is voluntary and completeness varies by jurisdiction.

What is the median home value in Albany, CA? +

The median home value in Albany is $1,188,600, according to Census ACS 2023 estimates.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year 2023, FBI UCR, NCES CCD, Census BPS 2024, Census ACS B08301/B08136, U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023, BEA Regional Price Parities 2024, HUD Fair Market Rents 2026, FEMA National Risk Index.

Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.

Primary sources: Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA Climate Normals, NCES.

Citation & verification links Data sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainCities Editorial

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Every figure on PlainCities is rendered directly from Census ACS source data, no number is typed in by an editor. This page draws directly on Census ACS source data, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.