Cost of living in New York
Prices in New York are 7.9% above the US average (5th highest of 51). A single filer on $75,000 pays $3,453 in state income tax. State sales tax: 4%.
Price levels in New York
| BEA RPP 2024 | New York | vs US (100) |
|---|---|---|
| All items | 107.9 | +7.9% |
| Goods | 107.3 | +7.3% |
| Housing (rents) | 122.2 | +22.2% |
| Utilities | 134.4 | +34.4% |
| Other services | 104.1 | +4.1% |
Metros in New York
Metros whose principal city is in New York. “Left over” = a single renter earning $60,000, after 2026 taxes (including the principal city’s local tax) and modeled costs.
| Metro | Population | Price level | 2-BR FMR | Infant care / wk* | Left over / mo |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| New York, NY-NJ | 20,112,448 | 112.6 | $2,971 | $300 | −$695 |
| Buffalo, NY | 1,155,653 | 95.8 | $1,423 | $289 | $1,130 |
| Rochester, NY | 1,056,149 | 97.0 | $1,416 | $289 | $1,202 |
| Albany, NY | 915,835 | 99.6 | $1,711 | $285 | $908 |
| Kiryas Joel, NY | 718,377 | 109.4 | $2,131 | $285 | $529 |
| Syracuse, NY | 652,273 | 95.7 | $1,493 | $289 | $1,137 |
| Utica, NY | 285,611 | 92.7 | $1,210 | $247 | $1,387 |
| Binghamton, NY | 243,189 | 92.9 | $1,219 | $247 | $1,379 |
| Kingston, NY | 183,330 | 100.7 | $1,878 | $285 | $897 |
| Glens Falls, NY | 124,373 | 94.9 | $1,347 | $289 | $1,260 |
| Watertown, NY | 111,540 | 87.7 | $1,453 | $247 | $1,222 |
| Ithaca, NY | 104,047 | 103.3 | $1,709 | $289 | $906 |
| Elmira, NY | 80,415 | 94.4 | $1,348 | $247 | $1,303 |
*Center-based, DOL 2022 price for the metro’s principal county; a year in brackets marks an older latest-available price. “No data”: DOL publishes no price for that county, and childcare is left out of its budgets.
Taxes in New York (2026)
| Annual tax | Single, $50,000 | Single, $75,000 | Single, $120,000 | Couple, 2 kids, $120,000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Federal income tax | $3,820 | $7,670 | $17,570 | $5,640 |
| Social Security + Medicare | $3,825 | $5,738 | $9,180 | $9,180 |
| New York income tax | $2,103 | $3,453 | $6,180 | $5,255 |
| New York payroll taxes | $247 | $355 | $443 | $581 |
| Take-home pay / month | $3,334 | $4,815 | $7,219 | $8,279 |
Annual liability, standard deduction, Child Tax Credit; local income taxes are not included in this state-level table (see each metro). On $75,000, New York’s income and payroll taxes cost $3,808 a year more than in a state without them (federal taxes are the same: $13,408).
Childcare prices across New York
| Age band | Center, median county / wk (2022) | Center / yr today* | Home-based / wk (2022) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Infant (under 2) | $247 | $15,701 | $190 |
| Toddler (2) | $230 | $14,620 | $180 |
| Preschool (3–4) | $200 | $12,713 | $175 |
| School-age (5–12) | $194 | $12,332 | $175 |
Center-based infant care ranges from $247 a week in Yates County to $325 in Nassau County (2022 prices).
DOL National Database of Childcare Prices, 2022; median across 62 counties with 2022 data. *52 weeks × 1.2224 BLS CPI for day care and preschool, 2022 average to 2026-08. Look up a county.
Property taxes by county
Effective rate = Census median real estate taxes ÷ median home value (ACS 2020-2024), metro-area counties.
| County | Median value | Median tax | Effective rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Orleans County | $140,800 | $3,823 | 2.72% |
| Monroe County | $213,700 | $5,616 | 2.63% |
| Broome County | $154,900 | $3,902 | 2.52% |
| Wayne County | $170,000 | $4,250 | 2.50% |
| Livingston County | $174,600 | $4,286 | 2.45% |
| Saratoga County | $348,600 | $4,875 | 1.40% |
| Bronx County | $529,500 | $5,447 | 1.03% |
| Richmond County | $675,500 | $6,247 | 0.92% |
| Queens County | $723,800 | $6,297 | 0.87% |
| Kings County | $905,000 | $6,382 | 0.71% |
Five highest and five lowest of 31 counties.
Not ranked because the Census median tax is top-coded at “$10,000 or more” (rate is a lower bound): Nassau County (≥ 1.46%); New York County (≥ 0.92%); Putnam County (≥ 2.12%); Rockland County (≥ 1.68%); Suffolk County (≥ 1.73%); Westchester County (≥ 1.51%).
Energy and fuel
EIA: electricity 2025, natural gas 2024, gasoline week ending 2026-10-05.
Who moves to and from New York
Census state-to-state migration flows (2024 ACS 1-year; people 1 year and over, ± margin of error at 90%). Totals cover moves between states and DC only: 284,868 in, 415,304 out (net −130,436).
- New Jersey36,002 ±5,753
- California31,367 ±4,875
- Florida28,080 ±4,963
- Pennsylvania23,152 ±3,265
- Massachusetts17,862 ±2,974
- Texas16,324 ±3,888
- Connecticut15,160 ±3,301
- Virginia10,310 ±2,359
- New Jersey56,799 ±8,244
- Florida50,661 ±6,714
- Pennsylvania29,274 ±4,078
- Texas28,233 ±4,541
- Connecticut25,095 ±4,459
- California24,927 ±3,680
- Massachusetts18,697 ±3,077
- South Carolina18,324 ±5,214
Frequently asked questions
Is New York expensive to live in?+
BEA’s Regional Price Parities put New York’s overall price level at 107.9 in 2024 (US = 100), the 5th highest of 51 states and DC. Housing is 122.2 and goods 107.3.
Does New York have a state income tax?+
Yes. A single filer earning $75,000 owes about $3,453 in New York income tax under 2026 law (4.6% of pay), plus $355 in state payroll taxes.
What is the sales tax in New York?+
The state rate is 4% (as of 2026-10-13); groceries are exempt from the state rate. Local sales taxes can add to this.
What is the most affordable metro in New York?+
For a single renter earning $60,000, Utica, NY leaves the most each month after taxes and modeled costs ($1,387), and New York, NY-NJ the least (−$695).