State comparison
New York vs Washington: which state is better to live in?
Washington costs a median household about $5,500 a year less in state and local taxes than New York, mostly because it has no income tax.
New York
High tax burden · COL index 139
Wins 4 categories
Washington
Moderate tax burden · COL index 117
Wins 10 categories
Taxes: New York vs Washington
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. Washington has no state income tax. Washington wins on income tax at 2026 rates.
Property tax is 1.40% of home value a year in New York and 0.84% in Washington (Tax Foundation, 2023); on each state's median home that is $6,580 against $4,788, so Washington has the lower rate.
Combined state and local sales tax averages 8.52% in New York and 9.38% in Washington; 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, $6,887 in Washington. Washington is cheaper on total state and local tax.
Housing and cost of living
New York's cost of living index is 139 and Washington's is 117, where 100 is the national average; Washington is about 19% cheaper day to day.
The median home costs $470K in New York and $570K in Washington (Zillow, 2024), a $100K gap in New York's favor. A two-bedroom rents for about $2,200 a month in New York and $2,000 in Washington.
Home insurance averages $1,800 a year in New York and $900 in Washington, so Washington is cheaper to insure.
Safety
Violent crime runs 379 incidents per 100,000 residents in New York and 347 in Washington (FBI Crime Data Explorer, 2023); Washington is the safer state by that measure, with a rate 9% lower. Property crime is 1,480 per 100,000 in New York against 3,187 in Washington, again favoring New York.
Health
Life expectancy is 79.3 years in New York and 79.3 in Washington (County Health Rankings, 2024). The Commonwealth Fund's 2023 scorecard ranks New York's health system 15th of 50 and Washington's 10th, so Washington scores better on care.
5.4% of New York residents have no health insurance against 6.5% in Washington, 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 Washington's 7th, 5 places apart in Washington'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 Washington went to Harris by 16 points.
New York has may-issue carry permits and a Giffords gun-law grade of A; Washington has shall-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 $16.28 in Washington.
Climate and risk
Natural disaster risk is moderate in New York (hurricane, blizzard, nor-easter) and high in Washington (wildfire, earthquake, flood), so New York is the lower-risk state. Annual average air quality index is 38 in New York and 40 in Washington (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
4
New York
10
Washington
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Score For My Profile →Questions people ask
Is New York or Washington better to live in?
Washington wins more of the measures that decide a move. Washington on taxes ($6,887 a year for a median household against $12,349); Washington on everyday costs (index 117 against 139); Washington on safety (347 violent crimes per 100,000 against 379); Washington on schools (ranked 7th against 12th).
Which is cheaper, New York or Washington?
Washington is cheaper day to day: cost of living index 117 against 139. The median home is $470K in New York and $570K in Washington (2024). On state and local taxes Washington saves a median household about $5,500 a year.
Does New York or Washington have lower taxes?
Washington. 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 $6,887 in Washington ($0 income tax, $4,788 property tax on the median home and $2,099 in sales tax), at 2026 rates.
Which is safer, New York or Washington?
Washington, on the FBI's 2023 figures. Violent crime is 379 per 100,000 residents in New York and 347 in Washington; property crime is 1,480 against 3,187.
Which has better schools, New York or Washington?
Washington. Education Week's 2023 Quality Counts report ranks New York 12th of 50 for K-12 and Washington 7th.
Is New York or Washington better for retirees?
Both treat retirement income about the same. New York does not tax Social Security, exempts pensions and has an estate tax; Washington does not tax Social Security, exempts pensions and has an estate tax. Property tax on a median home is $6,580 a year in New York and $4,788 in Washington.