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Albany vs Poughkeepsie

Albany, New York versus Poughkeepsie, New York: a factual, side-by-side comparison of cost of living, housing, safety, schools, and climate. Greener figures rank better among US places.

Overall livability

Albany

Mixed · objective livability40/100

Poughkeepsie

Mixed · objective livability40/100

Albany and Poughkeepsie score about the same overall (40 vs 40 of 100) — the differences are in the individual factors below.

Factor-by-factor comparison

FactorAlbanyPoughkeepsie
Affordability
Median Household Income$55k$54k
Cost of Living$53k$61k
Home Value$213k$245k
Monthly Rent$1k$1k
Monthly Owner Costs$2k$2k
Property Tax Rate2.47%2.28%
Income Tax10.90%10.90%
Sales Tax8.53%8.53%
Estimated total tax burden23.34%24.07%
Unemployment8.0%7.3%
Weather
Winter Temp (Jan)24°F26°F
Summer Temp (Jul)72°F73°F
Annual Precipitation43.1 in47.2 in
Annual Snowfall56.2 in59.2 in
Sunny Days186 days232 days
Summer Humidity61°F63°F
Comfortable Days89 days83 days
Safety & Wellbeing
Natural Disaster Risk18.832.4
Air Quality44 AQI42 AQI
School Quality100.0100.0
Violent Crime3495/100k1782/100k
Property Crime3834/100k1845/100k
Community
Population99,69231,717
Median Age32.037.8
Racial Diversity0.620.66
Male/Female Ratio0.920.89
Political LeaningD+32Even
White (%)50.6%38.7%
Black (%)26.3%32.7%
Hispanic (%)9.9%21.2%
Asian (%)7.1%1.5%
Other / Multiracial (%)6.0%5.9%
Getting Around
Commute Time19 min25 min
Walkability13.2/208.4/20
Airport Distance77 mi63 mi
Lifestyle & Connectivity
Broadband Access84.6%86.1%
Amenities Nearby68.4159.27
Park & Nature AccessModerateExcellent

Each figure is colored by how it ranks among all US places: green is strong, amber average, red weaker. Neutral factors (population, demographics, target-style climate) show their percentile without a better/worse claim.

Frequently asked questions

Is Albany or Poughkeepsie more affordable?
Albany has the lower cost of living: its index is $53k, compared with Albany's $53k and Poughkeepsie's $61k. Median rent is $1k in Albany versus $1k in Poughkeepsie.
Is Albany or Poughkeepsie safer?
Poughkeepsie has the lower violent crime rate. Albany reports 3495/100k and Poughkeepsie reports 1782/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
Are homes cheaper in Albany or Poughkeepsie?
The median home value is $213k in Albany and $245k in Poughkeepsie, so homes are more affordable in Albany.
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