Smart Movers Club

    Moving to Albany, NY

    Is Albany a good place to live?

    Watch Albany

    Albany ranks #25 of 66 New York cities with 25,000+ people on the Smart Movers livability score (54/100), which weighs home affordability, unemployment, education and population growth. Population grew 0.4% in the latest Census year.

    Median home value
    $223,000
    +4.5% vs prior year
    Median rent
    $1,178
    per month
    Household income
    $59,485
    median
    Unemployment
    8.3%
    lower is better

    Cost of living in Albany

    The median home value in Albany is $223,000 and median rent is $1,178 a month, against a median household income of $59,485. Homes cost about 3.7× a year of income (under 3× is considered affordable).

    Albany crime rate

    City-level FBI figures vary by agency; across New York the 2025 rate was 368 violent and 1,567 property crimes per 100,000 people — #18 highest of 50 states. The full report breaks down local trends.

    Moving to Albany, NY

    Albany has about 100,081 residents, 8.3% unemployment and 24% of adults with a bachelor's degree or higher.

    Compare Albany with

    Albany vs New YorkAlbany vs BuffaloAlbany vs RochesterAlbany vs YonkersAlbany vs SyracuseAlbany vs New RochelleAlbany vs CheektowagaAlbany vs Mount Vernon

    More: Where to move in New York · Best counties in New York

    Sources: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year estimates (2023, compared with 2022); FBI Crime Data Explorer.

    Home listings, local news, migration, schools, resources and the Smart Movers Grade & Verdict.

    See the full Smart Movers Club report