Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Albany, NY
VS
Cedar Rapids, IA
🏆 Cedar Rapids leads 17 of 22 categories
Albany
New York
5
wins
Cost of Living Index
97.6
Median Household Income
$54,736
Violent Crime Index
215⚠ High
Population
99,692
Cedar Rapids
Iowa
17
wins
Cost of Living Index
90.0 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$66,895 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
69 ✓ Safer
Population
136,929 ✓ Larger
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Albany, NY
Pros
More college-educated — 43.0% hold a bachelor's or higher
Smaller class sizes — 12.6:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Violent crime (816.9/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Median income trails Cedar Rapids by $12,159/yr
Property crime (2848.3/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Higher unemployment (8.0% vs 3.9%)
Cedar Rapids, IA
Pros
68% less violent crime than Albany
Stronger job market — unemployment is 4.1 pts lower (3.9%)
Rent averages $244/mo less ($886 vs $1,130)
Homes cost $46k less ($167,900 vs $213,400)
Households earn $12,159 more per year on average
Violent crime is well below the national average (261.5 vs 380/100k)
Cons
Property crime (2689.1/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Key Differences at a Glance
Cedar Rapids
Cost of Living
8% cheaper
COL index 90.0 vs 97.6 (100 = US avg)
Cedar Rapids
Median Income
$12,159
$66,895 vs $54,736/yr
Cedar Rapids
Violent Crime
68% lower
261.5 vs 816.9 per 100k
Cedar Rapids
Median Home Value
$46k less
$167,900 vs $213,400
Cedar Rapids
Unemployment
4.1 pp lower
3.9% vs 8.0% unemployment
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Albany, NY | Cedar Rapids, IA |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 97.6 | 90.0 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $213,400 | $167,900 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,130 | $886 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $54,736 | $66,895 ✓ Higher |
| Unemployment Rate | 8.0%⚠ High | 3.9%⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 19.3 min | 17.8 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 11.1% ✓ Higher | 10.6% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 183⚠ High | 93 ✓ Safer |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 215⚠ High | 69 ✓ Safer |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 136⚠ High | 128⚠ High ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B+ (104) | B+ (104) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 12.6:1 ✓ Smaller | 14.4:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 43.0% ✓ Higher | 32.9% |
| High School or Higher | 88.8% | 94.0% ✓ Higher |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | ALBANY CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT | Cedar Rapids Comm School District |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 32.8°F ✓ Warmer | 27.9°F |
| Avg High — July | 83.9°F ✓ Warmer | 82.8°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 43.1" | 35.9" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 56.2" | 34.3" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 99,692 | 136,929 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 32.0 | 37.0 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 36.7% | 69.6% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 15.1% | 21.5% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 13.7% | 16.2% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Albany's cost of living index is 97.6 vs Cedar Rapids's 90.0 (US average = 100).
Cedar Rapids is 8% less expensive overall.
Based on the 22 decided categories above, Cedar Rapids leads 17 of 22 categories. Albany wins 5 and Cedar Rapids wins 17. 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 Cedar Rapids or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($213,400 vs $167,900 median home), income ($54,736 vs $66,895), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Albany, NY and Cedar Rapids, IA are about 913 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.