New York · Census, HUD and BEA figures · Updated

Cost of Living in Albany County, NY

Prices around Albany County, NY run 0.4% below the U.S. average (BEA, the metro area). The typical household there earns $85,333 a year, and HUD puts a two-bedroom at $1,702 a month. Keeping that rent under 30% of income takes about $68,080 a year.

Albany County, NY at a glance

Median household income

$85,333$7,111 per month · U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year
2-bedroom rent$1,702HUD FY2026 Fair Market Rent
Price level (U.S. = 100)99.6-0.4% · BEA, the metro area
Electricity29.5¢per kWh · EIA Residential NY
Population317,018Census ACS 5-year estimate

How much rent can you afford in Albany County, NY?

HUD’s fair market rent for each size, against what a typical household here earns. Change the income to see yours.

Affordable (< 30% of income)
HUD Fair Market Rent$1,702Monthly market rent
Share of gross income23.9%Recommended max: 30%
Annual income needed$68,080To meet the 30% standard
Max affordable rent$2,133At 30% of $85,333
0%30% (Affordability standard)100%
Compare against:

How much is rent in Albany County, NY? By bedroom, 2026

HUD's fiscal 2026 Fair Market Rents for Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY MSA, with the income each one takes if rent stays under 30% of it.

HUD Fair Market Rent in Albany County, NY, fiscal 2026
Unit SizeMonthly RentAnnual Rent30% Rule Min. Income% of Median Income
Studio / Efficiency$1,217$14,604$48,68017.1%
1-Bedroom Apartment$1,417$17,004$56,68019.9%
2-Bedroom ApartmentBenchmark$1,702$20,424$68,08023.9%
3-Bedroom Home$2,041$24,492$81,64028.7%
4-Bedroom Home$2,253$27,036$90,12031.7%

Rent in Albany County, NY, with the wage each unit needs →

What a typical income covers in Albany County, NY

The 50/30/20 rule applied to the local median of $85,333 a year ($7,111 a month before tax).

Needs (50%)$3,556/moRent ($1,702 2-BR), utilities (~$265/mo), groceries, transit
Wants (30%)$2,133/moEating out, travel, subscriptions and the rest
Savings and debt (20%)$1,422/moEmergency fund, retirement, paying down loans

What $85,333 leaves after New York taxes

Federal income tax, Social Security, Medicare and New York tax on the local median income. Change the salary to see yours.

$85,333
$30,000$175,000
Filing status:
Gross salary breakdown$85,333
Net 76%
Fed 12%
NY 5%
FICA 8%
Annual take-home$64,850After all taxes
Monthly deposit$5,404Estimated per month
Biweekly paycheck$2,494Every 2 weeks (26/yr)
Effective tax rate24%Total tax burden
Federal income tax$9,943 / yr
New York state income tax$4,011 / yr
FICA (Social Security & Medicare)$6,528 / yr

Living in Albany County, NY: common questions

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

According to the latest U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year survey, the median household income in Albany County, NY is $85,333 per year (approximately $7,111 per month).

What is the average rent in Albany County, NY?

The closest official figure is HUD's Fair Market Rent for 2026: $1,217 for a studio, $1,417 for one bedroom, $1,702 for two, $2,041 for three and $2,253 for four, utilities included.

It is not an average of listings. HUD sets it at the rent 40% of recent movers paid or less for a standard unit, so a new lease on a nicer place will usually cost more.

Is Albany County, NY expensive to live in?

Prices there run 0.4% below the U.S. average. BEA's regional price parity for the metro area is 99.6, where the U.S. is 100. Rent moves the number most: housing is where places differ, while goods cost about the same everywhere.

How much do you need to earn to comfortably afford rent in Albany County, NY?

To keep a $1,702 two-bedroom under 30% of gross income, a household needs about $68,080 a year, or $5,673 a month. That is 80% of what the typical household in Albany County, NY earns.

How much do you need to live comfortably in Albany County, NY?

On the local median income of $85,333 ($7,111 a month before tax), the 50/30/20 rule leaves $3,556 a month for needs like rent, utilities and groceries, $2,133 for everything else and $1,422 for savings or debt. A two-bedroom at $1,702 takes 48% of the needs share.

How much is the electric bill in Albany County, NY?

Homes in New York paid 29.5¢ per kWh on average (EIA). At 900 kWh a month, a typical use, that is about $265. Your bill depends mostly on heating and cooling.