Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Albany, NY
VS
San Bernardino, CA
🏆 Albany leads 14 of 23 categories
Albany
New York
14
wins
Cost of Living Index
97.6 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$54,736
Violent Crime Index
215⚠ High ✓ Safer
Population
99,692
San Bernardino
California
9
wins
Cost of Living Index
107.9⚠ High
Median Household Income
$61,323 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
236⚠ High
Population
221,041 ✓ Larger
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Albany, NY
Pros
Homes cost $134k less ($213,400 vs $347,100)
9% less violent crime than San Bernardino
More college-educated — 43.0% hold a bachelor's or higher
Commutes run 9 min shorter each way
Rent averages $189/mo less ($1,130 vs $1,319)
10% cheaper overall cost of living than San Bernardino
Cons
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
Median income trails San Bernardino by $6,587/yr
Snowy winters — about 56" of snow per year
San Bernardino, CA
Pros
Milder winters — January highs near 67°F vs 33°F
Households earn $6,587 more per year on average
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $347,100
Violent crime (897.1/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Property crime (2897.7/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Cost of living runs 10% higher than Albany
Key Differences at a Glance
Albany
Cost of Living
10% cheaper
COL index 97.6 vs 107.9 (100 = US avg)
Albany
Violent Crime
9% lower
816.9 vs 897.1 per 100k
Albany
Median Home Value
$134k less
$213,400 vs $347,100
San Bernardino
Median Income
$6,587
$61,323 vs $54,736/yr
San Bernardino
Summer Heat
11.5°F warmer
July avg high 95.4°F vs 83.9°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Albany, NY | San Bernardino, CA |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 97.6 ✓ Cheaper | 107.9⚠ High |
| Median Home Value | $213,400 ✓ Lower | $347,100⚠ High |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,130 ✓ Lower | $1,319 |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $54,736 | $61,323 ✓ Higher |
| Unemployment Rate | 8.0%⚠ High | 7.6%⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 19.3 min ✓ Shorter | 28.5 min⚠ High |
| Work From Home % | 11.1% ✓ Higher | 5.1% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 183⚠ High ✓ Safer | 197⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 215⚠ High ✓ Safer | 236⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 136⚠ High ✓ Safer | 138⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B+ (104) ✓ Better | C (81) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 12.6:1 ✓ Smaller | 20.5:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 43.0% ✓ Higher | 12.8% |
| High School or Higher | 88.8% ✓ Higher | 72.5% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | ALBANY CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT | San Bernardino City Unified |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 32.8°F | 66.6°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 83.9°F | 95.4°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 43.1" | 21.6" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 56.2" | 0.0" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 99,692 | 221,041 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 32.0 ✓ Older | 31.2 |
| Homeownership Rate | 36.7% | 48.9% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 15.1% | 27.9% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 13.7% ✓ More | 9.8% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Albany's cost of living index is 97.6 vs San Bernardino's 107.9 (US average = 100).
Albany is 10% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Albany leads 14 of 23 categories. Albany wins 14 and San Bernardino wins 9. 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 San Bernardino or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($213,400 vs $347,100 median home), income ($54,736 vs $61,323), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Albany, NY and San Bernardino, CA are about 2,400 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.