State comparison
New York vs U.S. Virgin Islands: which state is better to live in?
U.S. Virgin Islands costs a median household about $11,500 a year less in state and local taxes than New York, mostly because property tax on a median home runs $910 a year against $6,580 in New York.
New York
High tax burden · COL index 139
Wins 1 categories
U.S. Virgin Islands
Low tax burden · COL index 128
Wins 5 categories
Taxes: New York vs U.S. Virgin Islands
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. U.S. Virgin Islands has a graduated income tax topping out at 37%, which works out to 0.0% on a median income of $74,580, or $0 a year. U.S. Virgin Islands wins on income tax at 2026 rates.
Property tax is 1.40% of home value a year in New York and 0.30% in U.S. Virgin Islands (Tax Foundation, 2023), so U.S. Virgin Islands has the lower rate.
U.S. Virgin Islands has no sales tax; combined state and local sales tax averages 8.52% in New York.
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, $910 in U.S. Virgin Islands. U.S. Virgin Islands is cheaper on total state and local tax.
Housing and cost of living
New York's cost of living index is 139 and U.S. Virgin Islands's is 128, where 100 is the national average; U.S. Virgin Islands is about 9% cheaper day to day.
Laws and politics
In the 2024 presidential election New York went to Harris by 12 points and U.S. Virgin Islands went to Harris by 40 points.
New York has may-issue carry permits and a Giffords gun-law grade of A; U.S. Virgin Islands has may-issue carry permits and a grade of A-, so New York regulates guns more tightly and U.S. Virgin Islands is the friendlier state for gun owners.
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
Social Policy
Category wins
1
New York
5
U.S. Virgin Islands
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Score For My Profile →Questions people ask
Is New York or U.S. Virgin Islands better to live in?
U.S. Virgin Islands wins more of the measures that decide a move. U.S. Virgin Islands on taxes ($910 a year for a median household against $12,349); U.S. Virgin Islands on everyday costs (index 128 against 139).
Which is cheaper, New York or U.S. Virgin Islands?
U.S. Virgin Islands is cheaper day to day: cost of living index 128 against 139. On state and local taxes U.S. Virgin Islands saves a median household about $11,500 a year.
Does New York or U.S. Virgin Islands have lower taxes?
U.S. Virgin Islands. 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 $910 in U.S. Virgin Islands ($0 income tax, $910 property tax on the median home and $0 in sales tax), at 2026 rates.
Is New York or U.S. Virgin Islands better for retirees?
Both treat retirement income about the same. New York does not tax Social Security, exempts pensions and has an estate tax; U.S. Virgin Islands does not tax Social Security, partly exempts pensions and has no estate or inheritance tax. Property tax on a median home is $6,580 a year in New York and $910 in U.S. Virgin Islands.