Should I Move To
New York, New York is home to about 8,622,467 people. On cost of living, it lands in the expensive band — 26% above the national average. The median renter pays around $1,714 a month against a typical household income of $76,607. Our composite UrbRank Score lands at 55 out of 100 (grade C-), putting it at #327 nationally.
UrbRank Score · General
Each dimension scored 0-100 against every other US city.
Based on overall cost of living vs. other US cities.
Inverse of violent + property crime rate per 100,000 residents.
Temperate summers & winters, moderate precipitation.
Walk Score — how feasible daily errands are on foot.
Unemployment rate plus household income vs. national median.
Air quality index (EPA AQS data).
Share of residents 25+ with a bachelor's degree or higher.
New York's composite cost-of-living index lands at 126 (100 = US average), which puts it in the expensive band. At $1,714/mo against $76,607 in median household income, the typical renter spends about 27% of income on housing — right inside the standard 30%-of-income guideline. Median home value sits around $732,100.
Full cost-of-living breakdown →Climate is four-season — summer averages around 83°F, winter averages around 30°F. Precipitation totals about 50 inches a year. Walkability is exceptional — most residents can live without a car if they want to. Crime rates land roughly average for a US city of this size. Air quality reads good (AQI 42).
Verdict by lifestyle profile — same data, different priorities.
New York doesn't obviously fit families. It earns 54/100 (grade C-) on the families profile. Strongest on walkability (92/100); weakest on affordability (18/100).
New York reads as a moderate fit for retirees. It earns 60/100 (grade C) on the retirees profile. Strongest on walkability (92/100); weakest on affordability (18/100).
New York doesn't obviously fit remote workers. It earns 53/100 (grade C-) on the remote workers profile. Strongest on walkability (92/100); weakest on affordability (18/100).
New York doesn't obviously fit young professionals. It earns 53/100 (grade C-) on the young professionals profile. Strongest on walkability (92/100); weakest on affordability (18/100).
New York, New York pulls a 55/100 overall on the UrbRank Score (grade C-), currently ranked #327 nationally. The composite weights seven lifestyle dimensions: affordability, safety, climate, walkability, jobs, environment, and education.
New York's cost-of-living index is 126 (with 100 as the US average), which lands in the expensive band — 26% above the national average. Median rent runs about $1,714/mo.
Four-season — summer averages around 83°F, winter averages around 30°F, with about 50 inches of precipitation a year.
Walk Score: 92/100. Walkability is exceptional — most residents can live without a car if they want to.
New York has about 8,622,467 residents, 40% of adults 25+ holding a bachelor's degree or higher with a median age of 38.
Use UrbRank's comparison tool to put New York head-to-head against any other US city — housing, salaries, demographics, and quality-of-life metrics side by side. The leaderboard pages also show how New York stacks up for families, retirees, remote workers, and young professionals specifically.
Every US city is scored 0-100 on seven dimensions using public data from the US Census Bureau, Bureau of Labor Statistics, FBI Crime Data Explorer, EPA Air Quality System, NOAA NCEI, and Walk Score. Each dimension is a percentile rank against every other city — so a score of 80 means the city is in the top 20% nationally on that dimension.
The overall score is a weighted average. Five lifestyle profiles — general, families, retirees, remote workers, young professionals — weight the dimensions differently to reflect what each cares about. Families get more weight on safety and schools; young professionals get more weight on jobs and walkability; retirees get more weight on climate.
Compare New York with other New York cities scored on UrbRank.
Take the 2-minute UrbRank quiz to get a personalized ranking of US cities based on your priorities — cost, climate, commute, jobs, and more.