Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Albany, NY
VS
Cambridge, MA
🏆 Cambridge leads 14 of 23 categories
Albany
New York
9
wins
Cost of Living Index
97.6 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$54,736
Violent Crime Index
215⚠ High
Population
99,692
Cambridge
Massachusetts
14
wins
Cost of Living Index
111.6⚠ High
Median Household Income
$121,539 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
115⚠ High ✓ Safer
Population
117,962 ✓ Larger
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Albany, NY
Pros
Homes cost $784k less ($213,400 vs $997,600)
Rent averages $1498/mo less ($1,130 vs $2,628)
14% cheaper overall cost of living than Cambridge
Commutes run 7 min shorter each way
Cons
Median income trails Cambridge by $66,803/yr
Violent crime (816.9/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Property crime (2848.3/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Higher unemployment (8.0% vs 3.3%)
Cambridge, MA
Pros
Households earn $66,803 more per year on average
47% less violent crime than Albany
Stronger job market — unemployment is 4.7 pts lower (3.3%)
More college-educated — 79.9% hold a bachelor's or higher
Smaller class sizes — 9.4:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $997,600
Higher rents — median is $2,628/mo
Cost of living runs 14% higher than Albany
Property crime (2644.3/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Key Differences at a Glance
Albany
Cost of Living
14% cheaper
COL index 97.6 vs 111.6 (100 = US avg)
Albany
Median Home Value
$784k less
$213,400 vs $997,600
Cambridge
Median Income
$66,803
$121,539 vs $54,736/yr
Cambridge
Violent Crime
47% lower
436.7 vs 816.9 per 100k
Cambridge
Unemployment
4.7 pp lower
3.3% vs 8.0% unemployment
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Albany, NY | Cambridge, MA |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 97.6 ✓ Cheaper | 111.6⚠ High |
| Median Home Value | $213,400 ✓ Lower | $997,600⚠ High |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,130 ✓ Lower | $2,628⚠ High |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $54,736 | $121,539 ✓ Higher |
| Unemployment Rate | 8.0%⚠ High | 3.3% ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 19.3 min ✓ Shorter | 26.2 min |
| Work From Home % | 11.1% | 25.1% ✓ Higher |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 183⚠ High | 119⚠ High ✓ Safer |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 215⚠ High | 115⚠ High ✓ Safer |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 136⚠ High | 126⚠ High ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B+ (104) | A+ (135) ✓ Better |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 12.6:1 | 9.4:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 43.0% | 79.9% ✓ Higher |
| High School or Higher | 88.8% | 95.6% ✓ Higher |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | ALBANY CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT | Cambridge |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 32.8°F | 37.0°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 83.9°F | 84.7°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 43.1" ✓ Drier | 49.3" |
| Annual Snowfall | 56.2" | 49.2" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 99,692 | 117,962 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 32.0 ✓ Older | 30.6 |
| Homeownership Rate | 36.7% ✓ Higher | 33.6% |
| Under 18 | 15.1% ✓ More | 12.2% |
| Over 65 | 13.7% ✓ More | 11.9% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Albany's cost of living index is 97.6 vs Cambridge's 111.6 (US average = 100).
Albany is 14% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Cambridge leads 14 of 23 categories. Albany wins 9 and Cambridge wins 14. The right choice depends on your priorities — use the Pros & Cons and full table above to weigh what matters to you.
Whether you're moving from Albany to Cambridge or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($213,400 vs $997,600 median home), income ($54,736 vs $121,539), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Albany, NY and Cambridge, MA are about 138 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.