Side-by-side comparison of Rochester, NY and Albany, NY — cap rates, rent, prices, and investment metrics.
Cash flow: Rochester has the edge with an estimated cap rate of 4.53% compared to Albany's 3.97%. Neither city passes the 1% rule outright, so deal sourcing and value-add strategies become more important. Median home prices are $175,000 in Rochester vs $225,000 in Albany, while rents come in at $1,100/mo and $1,280/mo respectively.
Growth & appreciation: Albany is growing faster at 0.2% annually, while Rochester is losing population. Albany leads on home value appreciation at 2.3% per year.
Costs & risk: Property taxes are 1.72% in Rochester vs 1.68% in Albany. Vacancy rates of 6.5% and 5.5% are mixed — Albany has the tighter rental market.
Bottom line: Albany edges out Rochester on most key metrics. While cap rates are moderate at 3.97%, Albany's overall profile is stronger. Use our free calculators to model specific deals in Rochester or Albany.