Albany vs Grand Rapids
The short version
- Grand Rapids is cheaper overall: prices in its metro run 4% lower than in the Albany area (BEA 2024).
- The median home costs $234,700 in Albany and $244,500 in Grand Rapids.
- Households earn more in Grand Rapids ($69,108 vs $61,986 median).
- Grand Rapids gets far more snow: 78 inches a year vs 59.
Side by side
| Albany, NY | Grand Rapids, MI | |
|---|---|---|
| People | ||
| Population (2025) | 101,698 | 201,183 |
| Growth since 2020 | +2.6% | +1.2% |
| People per square mile | 4,751 | 4,493 |
| Median age | 32.0 | 32.3 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 45% | 42% |
| Money and housing | ||
| Median household income | $61,986 | $69,108 |
| Median home value | $234,700 | $244,500 |
| Home value to income | 3.8× | 3.5× |
| Median rent (with utilities) | $1,216 | $1,266 |
| Metro price level (US = 100) | 99.6 | 95.5 |
| Housing price level (US = 100) | 102.6 | 86.6 |
| $75,000 elsewhere equals | $74,700 | $71,700 |
| Homeowners | 38% | 54% |
| Top state income tax | 10.9% | 4.25% |
| Combined sales tax | 8.54% | 6% |
| Work and commute | ||
| Average commute (minutes) | 20.0 | 19.0 |
| Work from home | 13% | 14% |
| Take public transit | 10% | 3% |
| Unemployment (2020-24 avg) | 7.8% | 5.2% |
| Poverty rate | 22.9% | 16.9% |
| Weather | ||
| January high / low | 33° / 16° | 31° / 19° |
| July high / low | 84° / 62° | 83° / 63° |
| Precipitation per year | 41 in | 39 in |
| Snowfall per year | 59 in | 78 in |
| Days 90°F or hotter | 10 | 10 |
| Nights below freezing | 136 | 133 |
| Comfortable months | 4 | 5 |
| Risks, air and home prices | ||
| Natural hazard risk (FEMA, county) | Relatively Moderate | Relatively Moderate |
| FEMA risk score (lower is safer) | 85.9 | 92.2 |
| Good air days, 2025 | 68% | 42% |
| Home prices, past year | +7% | +4.5% |
| Home prices, past 5 years | +51% | +49.8% |
Highlighted cells are the better value where "better" is clear (lower prices, higher income, shorter commutes). Sources: Census Bureau 2025 estimates and ACS 2020-2024, BEA 2024, NOAA 1991-2020, Tax Foundation 2026.
Weather, month by month
Most comfortable months: Albany: May to June and August to September. Grand Rapids: May to September.
Full monthly tables: Albany weather by month and Grand Rapids weather by month.
What $75,000 is worth
A $75,000 salary in an average-priced US city buys about the same as $74,700 in Albany and $71,700 in Grand Rapids. Moving from Albany to Grand Rapids, you would need about $72,000 to match a $75,000 salary.
Which would you pick?
One vote per person. Results show after you vote.