Albany NY vs Brooklyn Park MN — Cost of Living, Crime & Income Comparison 2026

Updated May 2026 · Source: US Census ACS 5-Year (2023), FBI CDE (2023), BLS OEWS (2024)

Albany, NY

New York · Population: 100,081

  • Median HH Income$59,485
  • Median Home Price$324,670
  • Unemployment8.3%
  • Bachelor's+44.9%

Brooklyn Park, MN

Minnesota · Population: 84,349

  • Median HH Income$85,964
  • Median Home Price$351,849
  • Unemployment3.7%
  • Bachelor's+31.7%

Detailed Comparison

Demographics

Population
Albany
100,081
Albany +
Brooklyn Park
84,349
Pop. Density / sq mi
Lower = more space
Albany
N/A
Brooklyn Park
N/A
Median Age
Albany
31.9
Albany +
Brooklyn Park
35.4
Foreign Born
Albany
15.0%
Brooklyn Park
25.9%
Brooklyn Park +
White
Albany
53.0%
Albany +
Brooklyn Park
37.5%
Black
Albany
26.6%
Brooklyn Park
30.2%
Brooklyn Park +
Asian
Albany
7.9%
Brooklyn Park
20.0%
Brooklyn Park +
Hispanic
Albany
10.7%
Albany +
Brooklyn Park
6.4%
Spanish at Home
Albany
N/A
Brooklyn Park
N/A

Economy

Median HH Income
Albany
$59,485
Brooklyn Park
$85,964
Brooklyn Park +
Per Capita Income
Albany
$35,851
Brooklyn Park
$37,872
Brooklyn Park +
Per Capita Personal Income (MSA)
BEA MSA-level
Albany
$77,425
Albany +
Brooklyn Park
$69,467
Unemployment Rate
Albany
8.3%
Brooklyn Park
3.7%
Brooklyn Park +
Poverty Rate
Albany
23.4%
Brooklyn Park
10.3%
Brooklyn Park +
Bachelor's Degree+
Albany
44.9%
Albany +
Brooklyn Park
31.7%

Housing

Median Home Value
Zillow ZHVI / Census ACS
Albany
$324,670
Albany +
Brooklyn Park
$351,849
Homeownership Rate
Albany
37.9%
Brooklyn Park
69.8%
Brooklyn Park +

Safety

Violent Crime / 100K
FBI CDE (state-level est.)
Albany
434
Brooklyn Park
284
Brooklyn Park +
Property Crime / 100K
FBI CDE (state-level est.)
Albany
1736
Albany +
Brooklyn Park
1992

Health

Obesity Rate
CDC PLACES
Albany
32.9%
Brooklyn Park
29.2%
Brooklyn Park +
Diabetes Rate
CDC PLACES
Albany
9.9%
Brooklyn Park
9.7%
Brooklyn Park +
Poor Mental Health
CDC PLACES — 14+ days/month
Albany
17.6%
Brooklyn Park
16.0%
Brooklyn Park +
No Health Insurance
CDC PLACES
Albany
7.7%
Albany +
Brooklyn Park
10.0%
Binge Drinking
CDC PLACES
Albany
18.0%
Brooklyn Park
16.0%
Brooklyn Park +
Current Smokers
CDC PLACES
Albany
12.3%
Albany +
Brooklyn Park
14.1%

Climate

Avg Annual Temp
NOAA 1991–2020 normal
Albany
48.3°F
Brooklyn Park
N/A
Annual Precipitation
NOAA 1991–2020 normal
Albany
39.4 in
Brooklyn Park
N/A

Air Quality

PM2.5 Annual Avg
EPA AQS (state-level est.)
Albany
8.1 µg/m³
Brooklyn Park
8.1 µg/m³
Tie
Good Air Days
AQI ≤ 50
Albany
75.0%
Brooklyn Park
75.0%
Tie

Commute

Mean Commute Time
Census ACS
Albany
21.1 min
Albany +
Brooklyn Park
24.1 min

Which City is Right for You?

Brooklyn Park leads in median household income at $85,964, while albany offers more affordable housing with a median home price of $324,670. On public safety, Brooklyn Park is safer with a violent crime rate of 284 per 100,000 residents, compared to 434 in Albany. Brooklyn Park has a lower unemployment rate at 3.7%, and Brooklyn Park has cleaner air (PM2.5 avg 8.1 µg/m³). For overall health outcomes, Brooklyn Park scores better with a lower obesity rate of 29.2%.

Compare More Cities

About Albany & Brooklyn Park