Quality of life comparison
If you lived in California instead of New York, you would:
Health
live 1.3 years longer
In New York, the average life expectancy is 78 years (78 years for men, 83 years for women) as of 2020. In California, that number is 79 years (78 years for men, 83 years for women) as of 2020.
Economy
be 12.0% less likely to live below the poverty line
In New York, 13.3% live below the poverty line as of 2023. In California, however, that number is 11.7% as of 2023.
be 15.9% more likely to be unemployed
In New York, 4.4% of adults are unemployed as of 2025. In California, that number is 5.1% as of 2025.
Safety
be 31.9% more likely to be a victim of violent crime
New York has a violent crime rate of 381 per 100,000 people as of 2023. In California, that number is 503 per 100,000 as of 2023.
be 30.8% more likely to be a victim of property crime
New York has a property crime rate of 1,760 per 100,000 people as of 2023. In California, that number is 2,303 per 100,000 as of 2023.
Housing & Income
earn 13.9% more money
The median household income in New York is $84,578 as of 2023, while in California, it is $96,334 as of 2023.
pay 72.6% more for a home
The median home value in New York is $403,000 as of 2023, compared to $695,400 in California as of 2023.
pay 24.1% more in rent
The median monthly gross rent in New York is $1,576 as of 2023, while in California, it is $1,956 as of 2023.
Lifestyle
commute 3.8 minutes less
The average one-way commute in New York takes 32.8 minutes as of 2023. In California, it takes 29.0 minutes as of 2023.
be 10.8% less likely to be physically inactive
In New York, 25.1% of adults are physically inactive as of 2022. In California, that number is 22.4% as of 2022.
live in an area that is 39.9% less densely populated
New York has a population density of 161.4 people per sq km as of 2023. In California, that number is 97.0 people per sq km as of 2023.
be 34.1% more likely to have a foreign-born neighbor
In New York, 9.1% of the population was born outside the US as of 2023. In California, that number is 12.2% as of 2023.
be 36.0% more likely to be uninsured
In New York, 5.0% of the population is without health insurance as of 2023. In California, that number is 6.8% as of 2023.
live among residents who are 2.0 years older on average
The median age in New York is 39.6 years as of 2023. In California, the median age is 37.6 years 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.
