State comparison
New York vs California: which state is better to live in?
California costs a median household about $1,400 a year less in state and local taxes than New York, mostly because property tax on a median home runs $5,609 a year against $6,580 in New York, though everyday prices run higher there (cost of living index 142 against 139).
New York
High tax burden · COL index 139
Wins 11 categories
California
Moderate tax burden · COL index 142
Wins 3 categories
Taxes: New York vs California
New York has a graduated income tax topping out at 10.9%, which works out to 5.2% on a median income of $74,580, or $3,862 a year. California has a graduated income tax topping out at 13.3%, which works out to 4.5% on a median income of $74,580, or $3,375 a year. California wins on income tax at 2026 rates.
Property tax is 1.40% of home value a year in New York and 0.71% in California (Tax Foundation, 2023); on each state's median home that is $6,580 against $5,609, so California has the lower rate.
Combined state and local sales tax averages 8.52% in New York and 8.82% in California; New York is lower.
Add it up for a household earning $74,580 (the 2022 national median) and owning the median home: $12,349 a year in New York, $10,957 in California. California is cheaper on total state and local tax.
Housing and cost of living
New York's cost of living index is 139 and California's is 142, where 100 is the national average; New York is about 2% cheaper day to day.
The median home costs $470K in New York and $790K in California (Zillow, 2024), a $320K gap in New York's favor. A two-bedroom rents for about $2,200 a month in New York and $2,300 in California.
Home insurance averages $1,800 a year in New York and $2,100 in California, so New York is cheaper to insure.
Safety
Violent crime runs 379 incidents per 100,000 residents in New York and 499 in California (FBI Crime Data Explorer, 2023); New York is the safer state by that measure, with a rate 32% lower. Property crime is 1,480 per 100,000 in New York against 2,027 in California, again favoring New York.
Health
Life expectancy is 79.3 years in New York and 79.2 in California (County Health Rankings, 2024), a 0.1-year edge for New York. The Commonwealth Fund's 2023 scorecard ranks New York's health system 15th of 50 and California's 13th, so California scores better on care.
5.4% of New York residents have no health insurance against 6.8% in California, which favors New York. Both states expanded Medicaid.
Schools
Education Week's 2023 Quality Counts report ranks New York's K-12 schools 12th in the country and California's 20th, 8 places apart in New York's favor. Neither state runs a school-choice voucher program.
Laws and politics
In the 2024 presidential election New York went to Harris by 12 points and California went to Harris by 20 points.
New York has may-issue carry permits and a Giffords gun-law grade of A; California has may-issue carry permits and a grade of A.
Abortion is protected by state law in both states, and marijuana is legal for adults in both as of 2026. The minimum wage is $16.00 an hour in New York and $16.00 in California.
Climate and risk
Natural disaster risk is moderate in New York (hurricane, blizzard, nor-easter) and very high in California (wildfire, earthquake, drought), so New York is the lower-risk state. Annual average air quality index is 38 in New York and 62 in California (under 50 is good), favoring New York.
Tax figures use a household earning the national median income and owning each state's median home, at tax year 2026 rates, last checked against state sources on 2026-09-14. The table below has every number.
Taxes
Housing & Cost of Living
Crime & Safety
Healthcare
Education
Childcare
Utilities & Daily Costs
Social Policy
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.
Score For My Profile →Questions people ask
Is New York or California better to live in?
New York wins more of the measures that decide a move. California on taxes ($10,957 a year for a median household against $12,349); New York on everyday costs (index 139 against 142); New York on safety (379 violent crimes per 100,000 against 499); New York on schools (ranked 12th against 20th).
Which is cheaper, New York or California?
New York is cheaper day to day: cost of living index 139 against 142. The median home is $470K in New York and $790K in California (2024). On state and local taxes California saves a median household about $1,400 a year.
Does New York or California have lower taxes?
California. A household earning $74,580 pays about $12,349 a year in New York ($3,862 income tax, $6,580 property tax on the median home and $1,906 in sales tax) and $10,957 in California ($3,375 income tax, $5,609 property tax on the median home and $1,973 in sales tax), at 2026 rates.
Which is safer, New York or California?
New York, on the FBI's 2023 figures. Violent crime is 379 per 100,000 residents in New York and 499 in California; property crime is 1,480 against 2,027.
Which has better schools, New York or California?
New York. Education Week's 2023 Quality Counts report ranks New York 12th of 50 for K-12 and California 20th.
Is New York or California better for retirees?
New York is friendlier to retirees on paper. New York does not tax Social Security, exempts pensions and has an estate tax; California does not tax Social Security, taxes pensions as income and has no estate or inheritance tax. Property tax on a median home is $6,580 a year in New York and $5,609 in California.