Albany vs Saratoga Springs
Albany, New York versus Saratoga Springs, New York: a factual, side-by-side comparison of cost of living, housing, safety, schools, and climate. Greener figures rank better among US places.
Albany and Saratoga Springs score about the same overall (40 vs 42 of 100) — the differences are in the individual factors below.
Factor-by-factor comparison
| Factor | Albany | Saratoga Springs |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | ||
| Median Household Income | $55k | $97k |
| Cost of Living | $53k | $58k |
| Home Value | $213k | $421k |
| Monthly Rent | $1k | $1k |
| Monthly Owner Costs | $2k | $2k |
| Property Tax Rate | 2.47% | 1.39% |
| Income Tax | 10.90% | 10.90% |
| Sales Tax | 8.53% | 8.53% |
| Estimated total tax burden | 23.34% | 19.72% |
| Unemployment | 8.0% | 2.7% |
| Weather | ||
| Winter Temp (Jan) | 24°F | 22°F |
| Summer Temp (Jul) | 72°F | 71°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 43.1 in | 47.5 in |
| Annual Snowfall | 56.2 in | 63.5 in |
| Sunny Days | 186 days | 186 days |
| Summer Humidity | 61°F | 61°F |
| Comfortable Days | 89 days | 84 days |
| Safety & Wellbeing | ||
| Natural Disaster Risk | 18.8 | 28.5 |
| Air Quality | 44 AQI | 41 AQI |
| School Quality | 100.0 | 83.6 |
| Violent Crime | 3495/100k | 1660/100k |
| Property Crime | 3834/100k | 1825/100k |
| Community | ||
| Population | 99,692 | 28,505 |
| Median Age | 32.0 | 41.8 |
| Racial Diversity | 0.62 | 0.23 |
| Male/Female Ratio | 0.92 | 0.88 |
| Political Leaning | D+32 | Even |
| White (%) | 50.6% | 85.5% |
| Black (%) | 26.3% | 3.1% |
| Hispanic (%) | 9.9% | 4.3% |
| Asian (%) | 7.1% | 3.2% |
| Other / Multiracial (%) | 6.0% | 3.8% |
| Getting Around | ||
| Commute Time | 19 min | 25 min |
| Walkability | 13.2/20 | 8.7/20 |
| Airport Distance | 77 mi | 95 mi |
| Lifestyle & Connectivity | ||
| Broadband Access | 84.6% | 91.7% |
| Amenities Nearby | 68.41 | 60.34 |
| Park & Nature Access | Moderate | Good |
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 Saratoga Springs more affordable?
- Albany has the lower cost of living: its index is $53k, compared with Albany's $53k and Saratoga Springs's $58k. Median rent is $1k in Albany versus $1k in Saratoga Springs.
- Is Albany or Saratoga Springs safer?
- Saratoga Springs has the lower violent crime rate. Albany reports 3495/100k and Saratoga Springs reports 1660/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
- Are homes cheaper in Albany or Saratoga Springs?
- The median home value is $213k in Albany and $421k in Saratoga Springs, so homes are more affordable in Albany.