What it's like to live in New Albany
New Albany is a small city in Indiana with rent below the national average, home prices that remain within reach, commutes that run shorter than most cities, and schools with class sizes near the national average. Those factors carry real weight for anyone weighing where to move next.
The tradeoffs are worth naming plainly. New Albany deals with household incomes below the national average, air quality that falls short of national benchmarks, a poverty rate above the national average, and a car-dependent commute, with few people using transit.
The good
- Rent below the national average
- Affordable home prices
- Short commutes
- Average class sizes
The not so good
- Below-average household incomes
- Air quality concerns
- High poverty rate
- Car-dependent — few commuters use transit
How New Albany compares
Median household income
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
What it takes to move to New Albany
Based on New Albany's median rent, home value and household income
To rent
$2,052
up front: first month plus a typical one-month deposit
- Income to keep rent under 30%: $41,040 a year
- 45% of New Albany renters spend 30% or more of their income on rent
To buy
$36,100
a 20% down payment on the median home
- With 10% down: $18,050
- Homes cost 3.3× the typical local household income (US: 4.1×)
Moving costs, closing costs and taxes not included.
The details
Cost of living▼ 27% below US
$1,026/mo median rent
Rent here is genuinely low, with median rent around $1,026 a month. Factoring in local incomes, the value gets even better. Money stretches further here than in most of the country. Home prices here are genuinely accessible, with a median around $180,500. That kind of affordability is rare in today's market.
Median home value $180,500 · 45% of renters cost-burdened
Job marketNear US average
4.1% unemployment
Unemployment here is 4.1%, close to the national average of 4.3%.
City-level (BLS)
Safety▼ 10% below US
295 violent crimes per 100k
Crime runs about typical for a city this size. Some neighborhoods are safer than others, and one overall rate doesn't tell the whole story, so a neighborhood-level look matters more than the headline stat.
Property crime 2050/100k · New Albany Police Department · 2025 data
Getting around▼ 25% below US
20 min average commute
Commutes are reasonable, averaging 19.6 minutes. Nothing heroic, and there's still time left over for a life after work. 9 in 10 workers drive to work; 12% work from home.
How workers get to work
Climate
Summers are warm, with highs around 87°F, and winters are cold, with lows around 29°F and snow a regular occurrence. Rainfall is regular throughout the year.
Average month
30-year averages, 1991–2020
Healthcare
2 hospitals
There are 2 Medicare-certified hospitals inside city limits. They average 3.0 out of 5 on Medicare's star rating.
Medicare-certified hospitals
Education & workforce▼ 34% below US
24% bachelor's degree or higher
College degree attainment runs below average at 24%. That tends to reflect a more trade and working-class economy, which can be great or limiting depending on the industry.
Schools
11 public schools inside the boundary
There are 11 public schools inside the boundary and 2 private schools. The student-to-teacher ratio is 15:1, close to the national average of 16:1. Smaller class sizes are generally a positive sign for a district.
Parks & recreation
The nearest national park or historic site is Abraham Lincoln Birthplace National Historical Park (51 miles away). There are 6 national parks and sites within a day's drive.
Bottom line
New Albany's strongest points are rent below the national average and home prices that remain within reach; the main tradeoffs are household incomes below the national average and air quality that falls short of national benchmarks. A year of median rent ($1,026/mo) equals 23% of the median household income here, about the same as the 21% typical nationwide. It tends to suit people watching their budget and people who want short commutes.
Other places near New Albany
All Indiana guides →Moving to Clarksville →
3 mi away · pop. 22,016
Rent $1,110/mo · Income $60,467
Compare with New Albany →Moving to Jeffersonville →
7 mi away · pop. 51,043
Rent $1,148/mo · Income $70,930
Compare with New Albany →Not sure New Albany is the one?
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