Best places to live in New York (2026)

All 23 ranked places in New York, by all-round score. 7 other places without FBI crime data are on the places list.

Ranked by an all-round score: the average of all 14 quality scores (housing costs, taxes, jobs, healthcare, education, family life, safety, natural disasters, climate and more), weighted equally. Places missing from the FBI crime table are left out, since their safety is unknown. Scores are out of 100.

1. 1New Rochelle, NYSuburb · 3-bed $923k · very safe72
2. 2Yonkers, NYMid-size city · 3-bed $752k · safe70
3. 3Mount Vernon, NYSuburb · 3-bed $663k · moderate crime68
4. 4Freeport, NYSuburb · 3-bed $680k · very safe65
5. 5Hempstead, NYSuburb · 3-bed $642k · safe62
6. 6Tonawanda Town, NYSuburb · 3-bed $228k · very safe62
7. 7New York City, NYMajor city · 3-bed $875k · moderate crime62
8. 8Beacon, NYSmall town · 3-bed $573k · very safe60
9. 9West Seneca, NYSuburb · 3-bed $246k · very safe60
10. 10Cheektowaga, NYSuburb · 3-bed $193k · safe58
11. 11Ithaca, NYCollege town · 3-bed $377k · very safe57
12. 12Saratoga Springs, NYSmall city · 3-bed $601k · very safe57
13. 13Niagara Falls, NYSuburb · 3-bed $181k · higher crime55
14. 14Kingston, NYSmall town · 3-bed $318k · safe54
15. 15Buffalo, NYMid-size city · 3-bed $246k · higher crime53
16. 16Albany, NYSmall city · 3-bed $328k · higher crime53
17. 17Troy, NYSmall city · 3-bed $302k · moderate crime52
18. 18Rochester, NYMid-size city · 3-bed $240k · higher crime51
19. 19Lake Placid, NYResort town · 3-bed $547k · very safe48
20. 20Schenectady, NYSmall city · 3-bed $312k · higher crime47
21. 21Syracuse, NYMid-size city · 3-bed $217k · higher crime47
22. 22Binghamton, NYSmall city · 3-bed $192k · higher crime45
23. 23Utica, NYSmall city · 3-bed $214k · moderate crime40

Cheapest places to live in New York

Ranked by the typical value of a 3-bedroom home (Zillow), lowest first.

1. 1Niagara Falls, NYSuburb · rent $1,640/mo · cost of living 96$181k
2. 2Binghamton, NYSmall city · rent $1,410/mo · cost of living 93$192k
3. 3Irondequoit, NYSuburb · rent $1,900/mo · cost of living 97$193k
4. 4Cheektowaga, NYSuburb · rent $1,640/mo · cost of living 96$193k
5. 5Utica, NYSmall city · rent $1,410/mo · cost of living 93$214k

Safest places to live in New York

Ranked by violent crimes per resident in FBI 2019 data, lowest first. Places missing from the FBI table are left out.

1. 1New Rochelle, NYSuburb · violent crime 0.3× the US rate124 per 100k
2. 2Lake Placid, NYResort town · violent crime 0.3× the US rate127 per 100k
3. 3Ithaca, NYCollege town · violent crime 0.3× the US rate132 per 100k
4. 4Tonawanda Town, NYSuburb · violent crime 0.4× the US rate146 per 100k
5. 5West Seneca, NYSuburb · violent crime 0.4× the US rate148 per 100k

Safest places from natural disasters in New York

Ranked by our natural disaster score: FEMA's expected deaths, injuries and home damage from 18 hazards, plus federally declared disasters in the county since 2000.

1. 1Saratoga Springs, NY6 declared disasters since 2000 · mainly flooding89
2. 2Rochester, NY5 declared disasters since 2000 · mainly flooding, cold waves88
3. 3Irondequoit, NY5 declared disasters since 2000 · mainly flooding, cold waves88
4. 4Syracuse, NY7 declared disasters since 2000 · mainly flooding87
5. 5Albany, NY7 declared disasters since 2000 · mainly flooding, tornadoes87

Best places to live for families in New York

Ranked by a family score: the average of our Kids & family, Safety, Education and Affordable housing scores. Places missing from the FBI crime table are left out.

1. 1Tonawanda Town, NYSuburb · kids average · safety excellent · 3-bed $228k75
2. 2West Seneca, NYSuburb · kids average · safety excellent · 3-bed $246k71
3. 3New Rochelle, NYSuburb · kids good · safety excellent · 3-bed $923k68
4. 4Freeport, NYSuburb · kids excellent · safety excellent · 3-bed $680k67
5. 5Saratoga Springs, NYSmall city · kids average · safety excellent · 3-bed $601k65

Best places to live · Cheapest places to live · Safest places to live · Safest places from natural disasters · Best places to live for families

Data: US Census, Zillow, HUD, BEA, FBI 2019, FEMA, NOAA, NASA, CMS, NCES and others. How scores work.