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New York

High tax burden · COL index 139

Wins 11 categories

VS

California

Moderate tax burden · COL index 142

Wins 3 categories

California's top income tax rate is 13.3% vs New York's 10.9%. Property taxes are meaningfully different: New York averages 1.4% annually vs California's 0.71%. The median home in California costs $790K vs $470K in New York.

New York
California

Taxes

10.9%
Income Tax (top rate)
13.3%
1.4%/yr
Property Tax Rate
0.71%/yr
8.52%
Sales Tax (avg)
8.82%
Yes
Social Security Tax
Yes
No
Estate Tax
Yes
As income
Capital Gains Tax
As income

Housing & Cost of Living

139
COL Index (100=avg)
142
$470K
Median Home Price
$790K
$2,200/mo
Median Rent (2BR/mo)
$2,300/mo
$2K/yr
Home Insurance (avg/yr)
$2K/yr

Crime & Safety

379
Violent Crime / 100K
499
1,480
Property Crime / 100K
2,027

Healthcare

#15 of 50
Healthcare Quality Rank
#13 of 50
79.3 yrs
Life Expectancy
79.2 yrs
5.4%
Uninsured Rate
6.8%
Yes
Medicaid Expansion
Yes

Education

#12 of 50
K-12 Quality Rank
#20 of 50
No
School Choice / Vouchers
No

Childcare

$2,050/mo
Avg Infant Care / mo
$2,200/mo

Utilities & Daily Costs

$175/mo
Avg Energy Bill / mo
$175/mo
$650/mo
Avg Groceries / mo
$620/mo
#48 of 50
Road Quality Rank
#49 of 50

Social Policy

A
Gun Laws Grade
A
D+12.0
2024 Presidential Margin
D+20.0

Category wins

11

New York

3

California

Run the full slider tool to score these states against your specific income, home value, retirement, and lifestyle priorities.

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People Also Ask

Is it better to live in NY or CA?

Overall cost of living in Los Angeles, CA is 35.5% lower than in New York, NY. The average listing price for a home in Los Angeles, CA is $1,346,487, which is 55.0% lower than New York, NY. The average cost of groceries in Los Angeles, CA is 4.9% lower than New York, NY.

Is $75,000 a year a good salary in NYC?

$75.2K is the 25th percentile. Wages below this are outliers. The median wage is $80.6K / yr.

Which place is better, California or New York?

Whether you prefer beach days, hiking trails, or exploring national parks, California's weather encourages an active lifestyle. In contrast, New York's fast-paced environment might appeal to those seeking career opportunities and a bustling city life.

Is it cheaper to live in CA or NY?

Overall cost of living in New York, NY is 55.1% higher than in Los Angeles, CA. The average listing price for a home in New York, NY is $2,991,695, which is 122.2% higher than Los Angeles, CA. The average cost of groceries in New York, NY is 4.9% higher than Los Angeles, CA.

Full New York Profile →Full California Profile →

Your Priorities

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Quick Profiles

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Annual Income

$150K

Affects effective income tax rate

$0$500K$5M+

Retirement Savings

$0

Affects pension and SS tax burden

None$500K$10M+

Social Security

None

Annual Social Security benefit

None$150K/yr

My Property Is Worth

$400K

Affects property tax burden

Tax burden ↓$1M$50M+

Home Buying Budget

$400K

Compared to state median home price

Hard to find$250K$5M+

Monthly Rent Budget

Don't care

Compared to state median 2BR rent

Don't care$10K/mo

Job Market

Don't care

State unemployment and job growth

Don't careHot market

Airport Access

Don't care

Direct flight destinations from state hubs

Don't careMust have hub

City vs Country

Mid-size city

% urban population

Deep countryBig city

Sunshine

Don't care

Annual sunny days per state

Don't careMax sunshine

Food Scene

Don't care

Restaurants per 100K residents

Don't careWorld-class

Political Preference

Neutral

State's political lean

LiberalConservative

Gun Laws

Neutral

State gun law grade (Giffords)

Gun Control2A Freedom

Abortion Access

Neutral

State abortion access policy

Pro-ChoiceNeutralPro-Life

Community

None

Congregations per 100K residents

AvoidDon't careSeek

Sports & Entertainment

Don't care

Pro sports teams and major venues

Don't careMust have pro teams

Cannabis Laws

Neutral

State cannabis legality

Prefer LegalNeutralPrefer Prohibition

Retiree Community

Neutral

% population 65+ (Census)

Young areaRetirement-heavy

Dating Market

Neutral

% adults never-married (Census)

Singles sceneFamily community

Safety / Low Crime

Don't care

Violent crime rate per 100K (FBI)

Don't careVery safe

School Quality

Don't care

K-12 rank (Education Week)

Don't careTop-ranked

Healthcare Access

Don't care

Healthcare system rank (Commonwealth Fund)

Don't careTop-ranked

Childcare Affordability

Don't care

Cost of living proxy for childcare affordability

Don't careMust be affordable