01 · the cities
Albany
Albany is one of the oldest chartered cities in America (1686), with the New York state capitol building wearing every architectural style from Romanesque to Victorian on different sides. The Hudson River and the surrounding Adirondacks and Berkshires give it a serious nature backbone. Five colleges feed in young energy, and Lark Street is the local main drag for food and bars. Quieter than its neighbors, and full of layers.
full dispatch→Buffalo
Buffalo invented the wing (Anchor Bar, 1964, midnight, blue cheese, celery, not negotiable) and that should tell you most of what you need to know about the city's spirit. The Bills Mafia jumps through tables in subzero parking lots. Niagara Falls is 20 minutes away. The architecture (Sullivan, Wright, Olmsted parks) is genuinely world-class. The snow is part of the local mythology and the locals wear it proudly.
full dispatch→02 · the money
Median rent
Median rent
$1,643/mo
$1,374/mo
$269/mo less than Albany (20%)
Median home price
Median home price
$361k
$280k
$82k less than Albany
State income tax
State income tax
5.9%
5.9%
Gross left after rent
Gross left after rent
$6,203/mo
$6,472/mo
Buffalo has $269/mo more gross after rent at $100k
Gross left after rent reflects state income tax but not federal, based on $100k salary. Enter your salary to find your ideal city.
03 · the weather
Pleasant days/yr
Pleasant days/yr
147 days
152 days
5 more than Albany
Extreme heat days
Extreme heat days
0 days
0 days
days above 95°F per year
Extreme cold days
Extreme cold days
62 days
42 days
days below 20°F per year
Albany drops below 20°F on 20 more days per year than Buffalo.
04 · the life
OutdoorScore
OutdoorScore
72 / 100
66 / 100
6.0 pts behind Albany
Nonstop flights
Nonstop flights
19 routes
20 routes
Metro size
Metro size
905k metro
1.2M metro
Albany has 2.6x fewer events per month than Buffalo.
the verdict
1
Albany
categories won
5
Buffalo
categories won
Buffalo wins this comparison, leading on money and weather.
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