Quality of life comparison
If you lived in New York instead of California, you would:
Health
live 1.3 years less
In California, the average life expectancy is 79 years (78 years for men, 83 years for women) as of 2020. In New York, that number is 78 years (78 years for men, 83 years for women) as of 2020.
Economy
be 13.7% less likely to be unemployed
In California, 5.1% of adults are unemployed as of 2025. In New York, that number is 4.4% as of 2025.
be 13.7% more likely to live below the poverty line
In California, 11.7% live below the poverty line as of 2023. In New York, however, that number is 13.3% as of 2023.
Safety
be 24.2% less likely to be a victim of violent crime
California has a violent crime rate of 503 per 100,000 people as of 2023. In New York, that number is 381 per 100,000 as of 2023.
be 23.6% less likely to be a victim of property crime
California has a property crime rate of 2,303 per 100,000 people as of 2023. In New York, that number is 1,760 per 100,000 as of 2023.
Housing & Income
pay 42.0% less for a home
The median home value in California is $695,400 as of 2023, compared to $403,000 in New York as of 2023.
pay 19.4% less in rent
The median monthly gross rent in California is $1,956 as of 2023, while in New York, it is $1,576 as of 2023.
earn 12.2% less money
The median household income in California is $96,334 as of 2023, while in New York, it is $84,578 as of 2023.
Lifestyle
be 26.5% less likely to be uninsured
In California, 6.8% of the population is without health insurance as of 2023. In New York, that number is 5.0% as of 2023.
live among residents who are 2.0 years older on average
The median age in California is 37.6 years as of 2023. In New York, the median age is 39.6 years as of 2023.
be 10.8% more likely to have a bachelor's degree
In California, 25.0% of the population holds a bachelor's degree or higher as of 2023. In New York, that number is 27.7% as of 2023.
commute 3.8 minutes longer
The average one-way commute in California takes 29.0 minutes as of 2023. In New York, it takes 32.8 minutes as of 2023.
be 10.3% more likely to smoke
In California, 11.6% of adults smoke as of 2022. In New York, that number is 12.8% as of 2022.
be 12.1% more likely to be physically inactive
In California, 22.4% of adults are physically inactive as of 2022. In New York, that number is 25.1% as of 2022.
live in an area that is 66.4% more densely populated
California has a population density of 97.0 people per sq km as of 2023. In New York, that number is 161.4 people per sq km as of 2023.
be 25.4% less likely to have a foreign-born neighbor
In California, 12.2% of the population was born outside the US as of 2023. In New York, that number is 9.1% as of 2023.
The statistics above were calculated using the following data sources: OECD Regional Demography, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (PLACES), Bureau of Labor Statistics, US Census Bureau (American Community Survey), FBI Uniform Crime Reporting.
