Kingston Albany-Schenectady-Troy

Relocation analysis based on 7 federal data sources

Verdict
Favorable
Cost Index: 100.7 → 99.6
Rent Delta: -$116/mo

Pros of Moving

  • + $116/mo cheaper rent (2BR)
  • + $7K higher median salary

Moving from Kingston to Albany-Schenectady-Troy shifts your BEA Regional Price Parity from 100.7 to 99.6 (100 = US average), so a Kingston salary needs to be multiplied by 0.99 to hold the same purchasing power in Albany-Schenectady-Troy. On rent, HUD Fair Market Rent for a 2-bedroom goes from $1,818/month in Kingston to $1,702/month in Albany-Schenectady-Troy - a lower monthly bill of $116, or $1,392/year. That rent delta alone is often the single biggest line item when relocating.

Wages tell the other half. BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics report a median salary of $66,733 in Kingston versus $73,812 in Albany-Schenectady-Troy - a raw gap of $7,079 higher. The Albany-Schenectady-Troy labor market has 439,210 tracked jobs against 52,520 in Kingston, shaping how easy it is to find a comparable role. Combine that with the cost-of-living shift above and you get the real purchasing-power delta, sometimes a "higher salary" is actually a pay cut once rent and RPP are applied.

Safety, schools, and childcare round out the move. FBI UCR violent crime rates near Kingston and Albany-Schenectady-Troy are 380 and 380 per 100,000 (state-level). NCES student-teacher ratios run 11.8:1 at origin versus 11.8:1 at destination. DOL center-based infant care costs $13,869/year in Kingston versus $13,869/year in Albany-Schenectady-Troy. Our composite verdict - Favorable - weighs all seven federal sources; the dimension table below lets you override that with your personal priorities.

Dimension
Kingston
Albany-Schenectady-Troy
Winner
💰 Cost of Living
RPP 100.7
RPP 99.6
Albany-Schenectady-Troy
🏠 Rent (2BR)
$1,818/mo
$1,702/mo
Albany-Schenectady-Troy
💼 Wages
$66,733
$73,812
Albany-Schenectady-Troy
🔒 Crime
380 per 100K
380 per 100K
Tie
🎓 Schools
11.8:1
11.8:1
Tie
👶 Childcare
$13,869/yr
$13,869/yr
Tie
🌿 Environment
5270 violations
5270 violations
Tie

Salary Adjustment Calculator

Enter your current salary in Kingston to see what you'd need to earn in Albany-Schenectady-Troy to maintain the same purchasing power.

Equivalent salary in Albany-Schenectady-Troy
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Frequently Asked Questions

Is Albany-Schenectady-Troy more expensive than Kingston?
Albany-Schenectady-Troy has an RPP of 99.6 compared to Kingston's 100.7 (100 = national average). Kingston is more expensive overall. The 2BR rent in Albany-Schenectady-Troy is $1,702/mo vs $1,818/mo in Kingston.
What are salaries like in Albany-Schenectady-Troy compared to Kingston?
The median salary in Albany-Schenectady-Troy is $73,812 compared to $66,733 in Kingston. That's a +$7,079 difference.
Is Albany-Schenectady-Troy safer than Kingston?
The violent crime rate near Albany-Schenectady-Troy is 380 per 100K vs 380 per 100K near Kingston (state-level data). Both areas have similar crime rates.
How much would I need to earn in Albany-Schenectady-Troy to match my Kingston salary?
To maintain the same purchasing power, multiply your Kingston salary by 0.99. For example, a $75,000 salary in Kingston would need to be $74,149 in Albany-Schenectady-Troy. Use the salary calculator above for your exact figure.
What does the "Favorable" verdict mean?
The verdict is computed from 7 dimensions, cost of living, rent, wages, crime, schools, childcare, and environment, using federal data. "Favorable" means the destination edges ahead on balance. Individual priorities may shift the balance, weigh the dimensions that matter most to you.

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Source: BEA Regional Price Parities, HUD Fair Market Rents, BLS OES, FBI UCR, NCES, DOL, EPA June 2026

Data Sources

  • Cost of Living: Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) Regional Price Parities
  • Rent: HUD Fair Market Rents (FMR)
  • Wages: Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OES)
  • Crime: FBI Uniform Crime Reporting (UCR) - state level
  • Schools: National Center for Education Statistics (NCES)
  • Childcare: Department of Labor (DOL) - state level
  • Environment: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)