| Measure | Albany (NY)New York, United States Remove Albany (NY) | ScrantonPennsylvania, United States Remove Scranton |
|---|---|---|
| Scores (out of 10) | ||
| Overall score | 6.5 | 6.1 |
| Connector Score | 7.8 | 7.8 |
| Safety | 3.6 | 5.0 |
| Affordability | 6.7 | 7.2 |
| Transportation | 9.0 | 6.5 |
| Car-free friendliness | 7.5 | 3.5 |
| Walkability | 7.8 | 4.0 |
| Things to do | 6.2 | 6.4 |
| Food & dining | 5.9 | 5.7 |
| Places to stay | 5.7 | 5.5 |
| Nature & outdoors | 5.5 | 6.5 |
| Scenic value | 5.8 | 6.8 |
| Family friendliness | 4.7 | 4.5 |
| Solo-traveler friendliness | 5.8 | 4.8 |
| Nightlife | 7.5 | 4.3 |
| Remote-work friendliness | 5.6 | 5.8 |
| Road-trip convenience | 6.5 | 6.5 |
| Train-trip convenience | 8.8 | 1.0 |
| Bus-trip convenience | 1.5 | 6.5 |
| Cost (per person per day, USD) | ||
| Budget | $137 | $105 |
| Mid-range | $198 | $158 |
| Luxury | $325 | $266 |
| Living there | ||
| Cost of living index (national = 100) | 98 | 93 |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent | $1,400 | $1,150 |
| Median home price | $234,700 | $226,000 |
| Population | 102K | 76K |
| Getting there | ||
| Accessible by | Drive Train Airport | Drive Bus Airport |
| Car recommended | — | — |
| Travel time from Albany (NY) | — | 3 h 5 min details |
| Character | ||
| Best for | Car-free travel, Nightlife | History, Skiing |
| Known for | National & state parks, Lakes & rivers, Museums & galleries, Historic sites, Food scene, Nightlife, Live music, Shopping | Mountains & hiking, Lakes & rivers, Museums & galleries, Historic sites, Food scene, Live music, Skiing & winter sports |
| When to go | Peak: During legislative session weekdays, fa… | Peak: Late spring to fall and ski weekends in… |
Scores and costs are estimates from public data and our own research; check the city pages for sources and dates.