New York City's C− covers 8.6 million people, and the city's neighborhoods vary far more than any single grade can show. Within New York State, that puts it 651st of 745. It is among the most walkable places in the country. What weighs on its grade: homes are expensive, about $826K for a typical one and 8.3 times the New York metro’s $99K median household income, and it reports more crime per resident than 90% of U.S. towns, including 55,782 violent crimes reported to the FBI in 2025. History is its standout character grade: an A+, better than 99% of U.S. towns, with 1,053 places on the National Register. New York City’s average trip to work is 40 minutes, above both New York State’s towns (25 minutes) and U.S. towns (25 minutes). Its National Register listings include Stonewall and Hamilton Grange National Memorial. No town among the 758 in New York State we compare has a higher share of working residents who work in town than New York City.

StrongestA⁺Walkability A⁺History AOutdoorsWeakestD⁻Cost of living DSafety

What makes New York City stand out

Where New York City beats most towns, and one thing worth knowing.

Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture

HistoryA⁺

Settled in 1624

A history going back 402 years.

Lana Del Rey

Famous people

99 notable people

born in New York City

Including Lana Del Rey and Robert De Niro.

Violent crime per 1,000 residents

New York City6.6

New York State3.7

U.S.3.3

Worth knowing · SafetyD

78% more violent crime than NY

FBI data, 2025. Crimes reported to police.

Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture · National Register of Historic Places

New York City’s story

402 years in pictures

Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture is one of 116 National Historic Landmarks here, the National Register’s top tier. Its founding year, 1624, comes before those of 99% of the New York State towns we grade with a known year.

Census counts: 33,131 in 1790, 8,804,190 in 2020. The archive holds 171 old photos and papers going back to 1660 and 4 maps from 1947 on.

1,052 places on the National Register of Historic Places.

1624New York City is settled

Explore the history →

How New York City grades

Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within New York State), ordered by how far New York City is from typical.

How grading works

Its grades run from A+ for walkability (better than 99% of comparable towns) to D− for cost of living (better than 3%), so the C− overall blends very different results.

WalkabilityEPA walkability 13.9 of 20; 55.3% of households have no car; 54.8% of workers walk, bike or ride transitA⁺Open →Cost of livingD⁻Open →SafetyDOpen →Hazard riskFEMA risk higher than 19% of U.S. communities; inland flooding tops the listA⁻Open →HealthKings County Hospital Center 0.6 miles awayB⁺Open →Jobs & income$80K median household incomeB⁻Open →

Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.

Outdoors16% conserved landAOpen →History99 notable people born hereA⁺Open →Civic life2.8 library visits per resident; 2.8 community nonprofits per 1,000 residentsC⁻Open →

Described, not graded Taste, not quality: snow or an older crowd is neither good nor bad.

Climate–Open →Housing market68 days on market–Open →Who lives hereMedian age 38.2–Open →

How TownRatings grades towns →

Nearby attractions

Madison Square Garden and 535 more within 40 miles

Museums, parks, gardens and other places to visit around New York City. Close and well known come first.

All 622 attractions →

Big drawin town Stadium & arenaMadison Square Garden

Big drawin town GardenCentral Park40.0M visitors a year

Big drawin town TheatreStudio 54

Big drawin town MuseumMetropolitan Museum of Art2.0M visitors a year

Big drawin town BeachConey Island

Big drawin town MuseumNational September 11 Memorial & Museum

Sources: National Park Service · ski areas © OpenSkiMap / OpenStreetMap contributors · Wikidata · Wikipedia readership · photos via Wikimedia Commons

Photo credits

Madison Square Garden: Ajay Suresh from New York, NY, USA, CC BY 2.0 · Central Park: Ed Yourdon from New York City, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0 · Studio 54: Americasroof (talk), CC BY-SA 3.0 · Metropolitan Museum of Art: Hugo Schneider, CC BY-SA 2.0 · Coney Island: OptimumPx, Public domain · National September 11 Memorial & Museum: Paul Sableman, CC BY 2.0

Getting set up

Moving to New York City: who provides what

Who provides power, water and the rest in New York City, and how to reach them.

The full setup list →

PowerCon Edison36.7¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA

WaterNew York City water systemNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA

Internet7 providers99% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC

Trash & dumpCall 311Department of Sanitation rulesTown site

SchoolsNew York City Public SchoolsWhich school depends on your addressNCES

Register to voteOnlineIn New York State you can register online until 10 days before Election Day, in person until 10 days before Election Day, or by mail (postmarked 15 days before and received 10 days before).vote.gov

Who runs elections hereBoard of Elections in the City of New York (borough offices)One board for all five boroughs; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Aug 2015

ZIP codes11368, 11220, 11373, 1046711368 1% · 11220 1% · 11373 1% · 10467 1%Census 2020

EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Aug 3, 2026.

The data

Ordered by what stands out in New York City.

New York City has a longer frost-free season than almost anywhere else in New York State, but it has homes that cost more against local pay than most of New York State and has a long record of flood insurance claims.

OutdoorsA

New York City has set aside 16.4% of its land for conservation

496 miles of trail in 792 parks and preserves. The biggest place to walk is Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge, 10,162 acres with 6.6 miles of trail. The trail density in New York City is 1.1 miles per square mile.

#117for trails in NY

16.4%

conserved · 49,208 of 300,559 acres

496 mi

of trails · 1.1 per sq mi

Biggest places to walk	Trails	Acres
1. Van Cortlandt Park	23.1 mi	1,121
2. Forest Park	16.6 mi	557
3. Pelham Bay Park	15.1 mi	2,057

Full pageNew York City’s outdoors pageOpen the page

Trail map496 miles of trail, mapped Pick a walk23.1 miles of trail · Van Cortlandt Park Conserved land16.4% conserved · 49,208 acres protected Questions“Where can I hike in New York City?”

Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US

Schools

The schools New York City’s kids attend

Three of its 2,414 schools are below, each with why it’s listed.

School	Level	Students	Letter
Is 61 Leonardo Da VinciLargest public middle schoolGrades 6–8	Grades 6–8	2,131	C
Brooklyn Technical High SchoolLargest public high schoolGrades 9–12	Grades 9–12	5,848	A⁺
Bronx High School of Science (The)Top results in townGrades 9–12	Grades 9–12	2,953	A⁺

Full pageNew York City’s schools pageOpen the page

The districtsNEW YORK CITY GEOGRAPHIC DISTRICT #31 Vs. the neighbors10 bordering towns Every school2,414 schools · PS 206 Joseph F Lamb Questions“Are New York City’s schools good?”

NCES · EDFacts

HousingCost of living grade D⁻

A smaller share of households in New York City own their home than in the typical New York State or U.S. town

At 8.3 years of the New York metro’s $99K median household income, the typical home (about $826K) costs more against local pay than in 90% of New York State towns; that ratio is one input to its D− for cost of living. At about $826K, home values are up 10% in five years, against a rise of 30% across New York State.

33% of households own their home in New York City. The typical New York City home is worth about $826,000, up 4.3% in a year, 57% above the New York State typical home. New York City’s median rent is $1,821 a month.

$826KZillow home value

	New York City	New York State towns	U.S. towns
Households that own their home	33%	75%	73%
Median rent	$1,821 a month	$1,098 a month	$1,185 a month
Renters paying 30%+ of income on rent	52%	49%	48%

Typical home value

New York City$826K

New York State$525K

Market temperature

days on market

98.3%

sale-to-list price

+4.3%

value change, 1 year

2,141

homes sold in May

Full pageNew York City’s housing & cost-of-living pageOpen the page

Prices over the yearsUp 4.3% in a year Years of income to buyA typical home costs 10.3 years of income Rents$1,821 a month · Median rent Vs. the neighborsAhead of 2 of its 5 graded neighbors

Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center

SafetyD

New York City’s grade for safety is a D

Among 265 New York State towns, just 8 have a higher violent crime rate than New York City. New York City reports more crime per resident than most U.S. towns we grade: about 90% report less.

10%of U.S. towns report more crimeDSafety Grade

	New York City	New York State towns	U.S. towns
Violent crimes per 1,000 (2025)	6.6 per 1,000 residents	0.8	1.6
Property crimes per 1,000 (2025)	22.7 per 1,000 residents	7.5	9.9

Violent crime per 1,000 residents

New York City6.6

New York State3.7

U.S.3.3

Property crime per 1,000 residents

New York City22.7

New York State15.7

U.S.15.5

10th

percentile among U.S. towns we grade

8th

percentile among NY towns

55,782

violent crimes reported in 2025

193,128

property crimes reported in 2025

Full pageNew York City’s safety reportOpen the page

Violent crime by type6.6 violent crimes per 1,000 Crime over the yearsDown since 2023 Vs. the neighborsBehind its 2 graded neighbors Questions“Is New York City, NY safe?”

FBI crime data, 2025 · crimes reported to police

Natural hazardsHazard risk grade A⁻

Inland flooding leads a very low hazard risk in New York City

36,272 flood insurance claims have been filed here, and 4,511 properties have flooded more than once.

Expected storm and flood damage is lower than in 81% of U.S. communities. Since 1978, 36,272 flood insurance claims have been paid out in New York City.

19risk score of 100

FEMA risk score

Inland floodingHeat wavesEarthquakes

36,272

paid flood claims since 1978

federal disasters paid out here

Full pageNew York City’s hazards pageOpen the page

What it facesVery low risk Flood claims36,272 paid flood claims · Since 1978 Past disasters4 federal disasters · Paid out in New York City Get ready2.3 events a year, on average · Ready for inland flooding

FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA

HealthB⁺

On CDC estimates, New York City is healthier than 67% of U.S. towns

New York City beats the New York State average on 6 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 13. 39% of New York City adults feel lonely.

67%healthier than U.S. townsB⁺Health Grade

	New York City	New York State towns	U.S. towns
Feel lonely (CDC PLACES)	39%	32%	33%
Depression (CDC PLACES)	16%	21%	23%
Obesity (CDC PLACES)	25%	33%	35%
Food insecurity (CDC PLACES)	24%	13%	14%

32 measures vs. New York State

6 better13 too close to call13 worse

What stands out	New York City	NY
Fewer adults who have had cancer	5.8%	7.7%
Fewer adults with arthritis	19.9%	24%
More adults facing food insecurity	24.4%	17.2%

Kings County Hospital Center

0.6 mi away · emergency room

3 of 3

care shortages: primary care, dental, mental health

47th

percentile among NY towns

Full pageNew York City’s health reportOpen the page

Everyday habitsMore adults who get no exercise Hospitals & doctors nearby0.6 miles to an ER · Kings County Hospital Center How adults are doingMore adults lacking emotional support Every CDC estimateBetter than NY on 6 of 32

CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA

Climate

In New York City, expect four seasons and pleasant summers

The Ny Ave V Brooklyn weather station, 5 miles away, records that the frost-free season runs about 233 days, the highest of 2,222 New York State places with climate records.

New York City has chilly winters and warm summers. July afternoons reach 85°, January nights drop to 27° and about 25 inches of snow falls in a winter.

25″snow a winter

Typical low → high °F

Winter29–43°

Spring44–60°

Summer67–83°

Fall50–66°

Nov 19

typical first frost

Apr 1

typical last frost

+2.1°

vs. the 20th-century average

Full pageNew York City’s climate pageOpen the page

A year of weatherJuly highs 85°, January lows 27°Rain & snow25″ of snow a winter · 47 inches of rain and snow a year Heating & coolingMostly a heating bill Then and now+2.1° vs. the 20th century · Warmer than the 20th-century average

NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020

Work & commuteJobs & income grade B⁻

53% of New York City’s commuters take transit to work

The average commute for its 3,369,554 working residents takes 40.3 minutes, against 32.6 across New York State.

85% of New York City’s working residents work right in town. Jobs based in New York City grew to 4,142,287 in 2023, 494,228 more than in 2013. The top destinations are Hempstead (2%), North Hempstead (1%) and Oyster Bay (1%).

85%work in town

	New York City	New York State towns	U.S. towns
Below the poverty line	18%	9.5%	9.6%
Work from home	17%	12%	11%

Where working residents work

In New York City85%

Hempstead2%

North Hempstead1%

Oyster Bay1%

Jersey City1%

6 mi

median commute distance

4,142,287

jobs based in New York City

Balanced

jobs vs. working residents

A+

Walkability grade: among the most walkable U.S. towns

Full pageNew York City’s work & commute pageOpen the page

The jobs here4,142,287 jobs based here · Balanced Where people work85% work in New York City Commute times40 minutes · The average commute How far they goHalf commute less than 6 miles

Census LEHD 2023 · ACS

Who lives here

An age mix much like New York State’s

Only 32.8% of households own their home, against 54.3% across New York State.

No broad age group is more than 4 points off the New York State average. New York City has lost 2.5% of its people since 2020, down to 8,584,629 in the Census Bureau’s 2025 estimate. 42% of adults 25 and older have a bachelor’s degree or more, vs 40% across New York State.

38.2median age · NY 39.8

	New York City	New York State towns	U.S. towns
Bachelor’s degree or more, 25+	42%	32%	29%
Median age	38.2 years	43 years	40.5 years
Aged 65 or older	17%	20%	18%
Under 18	20%	20%	22%

New York CityNew York StateUnited States

NYU.S.

Ages · share of residents

17%

Education · adults 25 and older

No diploma16%

High school23%

Some college13%

Associate’s6%

Bachelor’s24%

Graduate18%

Women and men · all residents

52.0% women, 48.0% men

About 92 men for every 100 women. Across New York State, 51.2% of residents are women. Median age: women 39.5, men 37.0.

Ages and education in New York City
	New York City	NY	U.S.
Under 10	11.1%	11%	11.6%
10 to 17	9.1%	9.5%	10.3%
18 to 24	8.1%	8.9%	9.1%
25 to 34	16.8%	14.2%	13.7%
35 to 44	13.9%	13%	13.2%
45 to 54	12.2%	12.2%	12.2%
55 to 64	12.2%	13.3%	12.7%
65 to 74	9.5%	10.3%	10.2%
75 and older	7.1%	7.6%	7%
No diploma	16.2%	12%	10.4%
High school	22.7%	24.3%	26%
Some college	13.1%	14.6%	19.1%
Associate’s	6.4%	8.8%	8.8%
Bachelor’s	24%	22.4%	21.6%
Graduate	17.7%	17.9%	14.1%

Full pageNew York City by the numbersOpen the page

Ages38.2 median age · 17% are 65 or older Schooling42% have a four-year degree Homes33% own their home · Homeowners Income$80K a year · Median household income

Census population estimates, 2025 · U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates

Keep exploring

Everything we know about New York City

20pages on New York City

The big questions

Schools2414 schools SafetyD6.6 violent crimes per 1,000 residents (2025)HealthB⁺Better than NY on 6 of 32 CDC measures Cost of livingD⁻$826K typical home · up 4.3% in a year Work & commuteB⁻$80K median household income · 4,142,287 jobs here Natural hazardsA⁻FEMA risk higher than 19% of U.S. communities · inland flooding

Out and about

OutdoorsA496 mi of trails · 16% conserved land PlacesAttractions622 nearby · Madison Square Garden under 1 mi LibraryC⁻2.8 library visits per resident CollegesTorah Temimah Talmudical Seminary, in town

The story

HistoryA⁺Settled 1624 · 1,052 on the National Register Famous people99 born in New York City Town Hall & politicsOne full-time town employee per 20 residents Climate85° summer highs · 25″ of snow

Day to day

News14 recent stories about New York City WeatherHandbookZIP code 10000–10499, 11004–11005, 11100–11499 Town SquareNeighbors

After high school

Colleges nearby

128 within 15 miles of the center of New York City

CUNY Kingsborough Community CollegeCommunity college · Public · New York CityIn town$5,252 in-state tuition College of Staten Island CUNYUniversity or college · Public · New York CityIn town$7,490 in-state tuition Torah Temimah Talmudical SeminaryUniversity or college · Private nonprofit · New York CityIn town$9,600 tuition

About 7 of every 100 New York City residents are enrolled in college, about the same as New York State.

Prices by family income, graduation and earnings →

College town

New York University calls New York City home

117 colleges in town.

New York University53,873 students on campus

Admission: 9%
Net price: $37,050
Graduate: 88%

Columbia University in the City of New York33,821 students on campus

Admission: 4%
Net price: $21,590
Graduate: 96%

CUNY Hunter College22,220 students on campus

Admission: 54%
Net price: $2,984
Graduate: 57%

College Scorecard · IPEDS

Landmarks

1,052 places in New York City on the National Register of Historic Places.

All landmarks →

Schomburg Center for Research in Black CultureBuilt 1905 · National Historic Landmark

Brooklyn BridgeNational Historic Landmark

Brooklyn Heights Historic DistrictNational Historic Landmark

Carnegie HallBuilt 1891 · National Historic Landmark

Famous people from New York City

99 notable people were born in New York City.

See all 99 →

Lana Del ReyAmerican singer-songwriter · born 1985

Robert De NiroAmerican actor · born 1943

Jane FondaAmerican actress and activist · born 1937

Humphrey BogartAmerican actor · 1899–1957

J. D. SalingerAmerican author · 1919–2010

Washington IrvingAmerican writer, historian and diplomat · 1783–1859

About New York City

Most populous city in the United States

Official town website ↗

New York, often called New York City (NYC), is the most populous city in the United States. It is located at the southern tip of New York State on New York Harbor, one of the world's largest natural harbors. The city comprises five boroughs—Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens, the Bronx, and Staten Island—each being coextensive with its respective county. It is the geographical and demographic center of both the Northeast megalopolis and the New York metropolitan area, the largest metropolitan area in the United States by both population and urban area. New York is a global center of technology, finance and commerce, culture, entertainment and media, academics and scientific output, the arts and fa…

From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)

Established: 1624
Area: 469 sq mi
Elevation: 82 ft
ZIP code: 10000–10499, 11004–11005, 11100–11499
Area code: 212, 347, 646

New York City’s neighbors

10 towns share a border with New York City.

Explore the map →

How the neighbors grade

Town	NY rank	Overall	Cost	Safety	Schools	Health
New York City	#651	C⁻	D⁻	D	—	B⁺
Hempstead	#118	A	D⁻	—	A	A
Yonkers	#552	C	D⁻	C⁺	C⁺	B
Mount Vernon	#684	D	D	C⁻	C⁻	B⁻
Woodmere	—	—	—	—	—	—
North Hempstead	#44	A⁺	D⁻	—	A	A⁺
Inwood	—	—	—	—	—	—
Lawrence	#244	B⁺	D⁻	—	C⁺	A⁺

Hempstead, North Hempstead and Lawrence report no FBI crime data of their own. Woodmere and Inwood aren’t graded (fewer than 1,000 residents, or not enough data). Compare New York City with a neighbor →

Questions about New York City

Short answers, built from the data on this page.

Is New York City, NY a good place to live?

New York City grades C− overall, better than 16% of U.S. towns and #651 of 745 in New York State. It grades B+ for health and D for safety. Cost of living is its weak spot, with a D−.

Is New York City, NY expensive?

Yes. Cost of living, which also weighs rents, property taxes and how many households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, grades D−.

What is New York City, NY known for?

99 notable people were born here, including Lana Del Rey and Robert De Niro.

Post to New York City

Check your email

New York CityNY

What is it like to live in New York City?

What makes New York City stand out

Violent crime per 1,000 residents

402 years in pictures

How New York City grades

Madison Square Garden and 535 more within 40 miles

Moving to New York City: who provides what

The data

New York City has set aside 16.4% of its land for conservation

The schools New York City’s kids attend

A smaller share of households in New York City own their home than in the typical New York State or U.S. town

Typical home value

New York City’s grade for safety is a D

Violent crime per 1,000 residents

Property crime per 1,000 residents

Inland flooding leads a very low hazard risk in New York City

On CDC estimates, New York City is healthier than 67% of U.S. towns

In New York City, expect four seasons and pleasant summers

Typical low → high °F

53% of New York City’s commuters take transit to work

Where working residents work

An age mix much like New York State’s

Ages · share of residents

Education · adults 25 and older

Women and men · all residents

Everything we know about New York City

Colleges nearby

New York University calls New York City home

Landmarks

Famous people from New York City

About New York City

New York City’s neighbors

Questions about New York City