$100k salary, packing up from Albany

change
Washington, DC cityscape

from albany

Washington

dc · metro 6.3M

a dispatch from

washington

DC

38.91°N

77.04°W

Washington DC is power dressed in seersucker. The monuments glow at night, the Smithsonian museums are all free (yes, all of them), and the cherry blossoms in April make even cynical lobbyists pause for a selfie. It's one of the most international cities in America (embassies from everywhere), with food scenes to match. The vibe shifts every four years and the architecture stays magnificent through all of it.

metro6.3M

01 · the verdict

the verdict

$930

more each month than Albany ran you

Washington doesn't pretend to be affordable. Move here for what Washington is, not for what it leaves on your monthly ledger.
landable, recorded on the washington entry

02 · the money

a quick ledger.

01rent

$2,352/mo

43% more expensive than Albany(vs $1,643/mo)

02state income tax

8.5%

$221/mo more in state tax than Albany

vs 5.85% in Albany

03after rent

$5,273/mo

$930 less than Albany

gross of federal tax. a comparison, not a paycheck.

04a house here

$626k

73% more expensive than Albany

vs $361k in Albany

05metro size

6.3M

vs 905k in Albany

03 · the life

field notes, weather & such.

177

pleasant days a year, in washington.

Albany only logs 147 pleasant days.

Nights and weekends fill up faster. 6.2× more on the calendar than Albany.
on a typical month
·outdoorscore

87/100

21% higher than Albany

vs 72/100 in Albany

Closest outdoor draw: George Washington Memorial Parkway, 6.2 mi.

·walk score®

98/100

8% higher than Albany

vs 91/100 in Albany

Walk Score® methodology

·nonstops

160

742% more than Albany

vs 19 nonstops in Albany

04 · see also

neighbors of washington on the map of tradeoffs:

compare washington with: