Smart Movers Club

    Moving to New York, NY

    Is New York a good place to live?

    Watch New York

    New York ranks #64 of 66 New York cities with 25,000+ people on the Smart Movers livability score (26/100), which weighs home affordability, unemployment, education and population growth. Population fell 1.2% in the latest Census year.

    Median home value
    $751,700
    +2.7% vs prior year
    Median rent
    $1,779
    per month
    Household income
    $79,713
    median
    Unemployment
    7.7%
    lower is better

    Cost of living in New York

    The median home value in New York is $751,700 and median rent is $1,779 a month, against a median household income of $79,713. Homes cost about 9.4× a year of income (under 3× is considered affordable).

    New York crime rate

    City-level FBI figures vary by agency; across New York the 2025 rate was 368 violent and 1,567 property crimes per 100,000 people — #18 highest of 50 states. The full report breaks down local trends.

    Moving to New York, NY

    New York has about 8,516,202 residents, 7.7% unemployment and 24% of adults with a bachelor's degree or higher.

    Compare New York with

    New York vs BuffaloNew York vs RochesterNew York vs YonkersNew York vs SyracuseNew York vs AlbanyNew York vs New RochelleNew York vs CheektowagaNew York vs Mount Vernon

    More: Where to move in New York · Best counties in New York

    Sources: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year estimates (2023, compared with 2022); FBI Crime Data Explorer.

    Home listings, local news, migration, schools, resources and the Smart Movers Grade & Verdict.

    See the full Smart Movers Club report