Albany vs Waterbury
The short version
- Overall prices are about the same in both metro areas (BEA 2024).
- The median home costs $208,500 in Waterbury and $234,700 in Albany.
- Households earn more in Albany ($61,986 vs $51,886 median).
- Waterbury has the warmer winter: January highs of 37°F vs 33°F.
- Albany gets far more snow: 59 inches a year vs 39.
- Commutes are shorter in Albany (20 vs 28 minutes each way).
Side by side
| Albany, NY | Waterbury, CT | |
|---|---|---|
| People | ||
| Population (2025) | 101,698 | 115,771 |
| Growth since 2020 | +2.6% | +1.2% |
| People per square mile | 4,751 | 4,054 |
| Median age | 32.0 | 37.8 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 45% | 17% |
| Money and housing | ||
| Median household income | $61,986 | $51,886 |
| Median home value | $234,700 | $208,500 |
| Home value to income | 3.8× | 4.0× |
| Median rent (with utilities) | $1,216 | $1,225 |
| Metro price level (US = 100) | 99.6 | 99.8 |
| Housing price level (US = 100) | 102.6 | 89.1 |
| $75,000 elsewhere equals | $74,700 | $74,800 |
| Homeowners | 38% | 47% |
| Top state income tax | 10.9% | 6.99% |
| Combined sales tax | 8.54% | 6.35% |
| Work and commute | ||
| Average commute (minutes) | 20.0 | 28.0 |
| Work from home | 13% | 8% |
| Take public transit | 10% | 4% |
| Unemployment (2020-24 avg) | 7.8% | 9.3% |
| Poverty rate | 22.9% | 24.7% |
| Weather | ||
| January high / low | 33° / 16° | 37° / 19° |
| July high / low | 84° / 62° | 84° / 63° |
| Precipitation per year | 41 in | 45 in |
| Snowfall per year | 59 in | 39 in |
| Days 90°F or hotter | 10 | 15 |
| Nights below freezing | 136 | 129 |
| Comfortable months | 4 | 5 |
| Risks, air and home prices | ||
| Natural hazard risk (FEMA, county) | Relatively Moderate | n/a |
| FEMA risk score (lower is safer) | 85.9 | n/a |
| Good air days, 2025 | 68% | n/a |
| Home prices, past year | +7% | +3.9% |
| Home prices, past 5 years | +51% | +55.2% |
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. Waterbury: May to September.
Full monthly tables: Albany weather by month and Waterbury 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 $74,800 in Waterbury. Moving from Albany to Waterbury, you would need about $75,200 to match a $75,000 salary.
Which would you pick?
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