City profile · New York · Census ACS 2023

Albany, NY

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.

100,081
Residents
$59,485
Median income
$223,000
Median home
$1,702
Median rent (state)

Albany - the verdict

Measured against every US city with at least 1,000 residents, Albany lands in the 34th percentile for household income and the 9th percentile for safety. Source: Census ACS + FBI UCR.

34th
percentile, household income
49th
percentile, home value
67th
percentile, median rent
9th
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, NY

Albany is a mid-sized U.S. city in New York, home to 100,081 residents per U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. The typical household in Albany brings in $59,485 a year, below the median for U.S. cities on this measure, with a poverty rate of 13.1%. Home values in Albany run a median of $223,000, and the median resident age is 31.9 years. About 44.8% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, while 58.3% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

In 2024, 242 residential building permits were authorized in Albany (Building Boom), up 2100% from five years earlier, per Census BPS data. Albany's reported crime rate runs above the national norm: FBI UCR reporting places total crime at 3665.2 incidents per 100,000 residents, above the national average (voluntary agency reporting, reflects reporting activity, not a definitive danger score). NOAA puts Albany's yearly average temperature at 49.4°F with 40.7 inches of precipitation per year and 59.2 inches of snowfall.

New York carries a cost-of-living premium: BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 puts New York at 107.9 on a 100-equals-national-average scale (Above Average). Statewide, HUD pegs Fair Market Rent for a two-bedroom unit at $1,702 monthly. Monthly utility costs average around $285 across New York, per EIA 2023 residential energy estimates. FEMA's National Risk Index rates natural-hazard exposure at 85.9 out of 100 (Very High).

Population

100,081 residents

Census ACS 2023 - New York

Median Household Income

$59,485 /yr

Poverty 13.1%

Cost of Living Index (state)

107.9 (US=100)

Above Average - BEA RPP 2024, New York 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 34% higher than other cities
Home value 49% pricier than other cities
Median rent 67% pricier than other cities
Safety 9% safer than other cities

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

National percentiles can mask local variation. Looking only at New York, Albany ranks #45 of 55 New York cities by lowest crime rate - a narrower, more locally useful cut than the national comparison 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 New York, breaking ties alphabetically. See the methodology page for the full source-to-figure lineage.

34thIncome percentile
9thSafety percentile

34th percentile nationally for median household income · 9th 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 28 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+)

$223,000 Among the most affordable more affordable than 51% 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%). This entry sits in this band. $225,000–$250,000: 976 US cities (6%). Above this entry. $250,000–$275,000: 754 US cities (5%). Above this entry. $275,000–$300,000: 712 US cities (5%). Above this entry. $300,000–$325,000: 521 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $325,000–$350,000: 526 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $350,000–$375,000: 465 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $375,000–$400,000: 393 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $400,000–$425,000: 317 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $425,000–$450,000: 300 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $450,000–$475,000: 307 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $475,000–$500,000: 250 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $500,000–$525,000: 160 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $525,000–$550,000: 156 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $550,000–$575,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $575,000–$600,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $600,000–$625,000: 163 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $625,000–$650,000: 167 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $650,000–$675,000: 135 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $675,000–$700,000: 101 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $700,000–$725,000: 95 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $725,000–$750,000: 71 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $750,000–$775,000: 65 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $775,000–$800,000: 70 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $800,000–$825,000: 57 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $825,000–$850,000: 67 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $850,000–$875,000: 60 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $875,000–$900,000: 58 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $900,000–$925,000: 47 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $925,000–$950,000: 37 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $950,000–$975,000: 31 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $975,000–$1,000,000: 470 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $1,000,000–$1,025,000: 0 US cities (0%). Above this entry. 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, NY Albany, NY's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Albany, NY-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, NY median $59,485/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, NY'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, NY. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 44.8%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 13.1%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 58.3%

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

Population
100,081
Median Income
$59,485
Median Home Value
$223,000
Median Age
31.9
Poverty Rate
13.1%
Labor force participation
58.3%
Bachelor's Degree+
44.8%

Safety & Crime

Total Crime Rate
3665.2
per 100,000 residents
Violent Crime
816.9
per 100,000 residents
Property Crime
2848.3
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.

Climate

Avg Temperature
49.4°F
Annual Precipitation
40.7"
Annual Snowfall
59.2"

Schools

Total Schools
34
Public schools in this city

Population Change

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

See the fastest-growing cities →
98,000 residents99,000 residents100,000 residents101,000 residents102,000 residents 202020212022202320242025 98,865 residents 101,698 residents ▲ +2.9%
Albany's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Housing Supply

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

📈 Building Boom
Total Permits (2024)
242
housing units authorized
Single-Family
1
detached homes
Multifamily
241
apartments & condos
Supply Intensity
2.4
permits per 1,000 residents

5-Year Permit Trend (2019–2024)

Year Total
2019 11
2020 48
2021 428
2022 407
2023 57
2024 242

Permit volume increased 2100% from 2019 to 2024.

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Drive Alone
54.8%
Carpool
10.3%
Public Transit
10.9%
Walk
9.3%
Work from Home
11.9%
Other
2.8%

Based on 49,353 workers 16 and over.

Monthly Utility Costs

State-average estimates for New York - EIA 2023 residential energy data

Electricity
$130
avg/month
Natural Gas
$90
avg/month
Water & Sewer
$65
avg/month
Total Utilities
$285
estimated/month

Estimates reflect New York 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 New York 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
107.9
Above Average
US average = 100 · BEA RPP 2024
Typical 2-BR Rent
$1,702/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent
County-level FMR estimate
Natural Hazard Risk
85.9 / 100
Very High
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in New York

New Rochelle
81,591 people
Cheektowaga
76,251 people
Mount Vernon
72,528 people
Schenectady
68,521 people
Utica
64,440 people
White Plains
59,818 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Albany's 100,081 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Hesperia, CA
100,141 people
Buckeye, AZ
99,844 people
Carmel, IN
100,501 people
San Angelo, TX
99,507 people
Norwalk, CA
100,713 people
New Bedford, MA
100,731 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Albany's $59,485 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Independence, MO
$59,480 median income
Akron, IN
$59,479 median income
Sweet Home, OR
$59,479 median income
Elgin, PA
$59,479 median income
Val Verde Park, TX
$59,476 median income
Cade, LA
$59,475 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Albany, NY 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, NY - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 53.0% 26.6% 7.9% 8.1% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 10.7% White 53.0% Black or African American 26.6% Asian 7.9% American Indian 0.2% Native Hawaiian 0.0% Some other race 4.3% Two or more races 8.1% 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 New York 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) 100,081 $59,485
New Rochelle 81,591 $103,813
Cheektowaga 76,251 $66,293
Mount Vernon 72,528 $77,171
Census ACS 5-year FIPS NY FBI UCR NOAA Normals NCES CCD Census BPS 2024 OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Albany, NY?

What is the population of Albany, NY? +

The population of Albany, NY stands at 100,081 according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

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

Median annual household income in Albany runs $59,485, 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 New York state average, a cost of living index of 107.9 (U.S. average = 100), rated "Above Average" based on BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 data. Costs within New York vary by metro area.

Is Albany, NY safe? +

Albany has a total crime rate of 3665.2 per 100,000 residents, which is above 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, NY? +

Albany's median home value sits at $223,000, according to Census ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the climate like in Albany? +

The average annual temperature in Albany runs 49.4°F, 40.7 inches of precipitation, and 59.2 inches of snowfall per year. Source: NOAA Climate Normals.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year 2023, FBI UCR, NOAA Climate Normals, 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.