New York County vs Suffolk County
New York County, New York versus Suffolk County, New York: a factual, side-by-side comparison of cost of living, housing, safety, schools, and climate. Greener figures rank better among US counties.
New York County and Suffolk County score about the same overall (39 vs 42 of 100) — the differences are in the individual factors below.
Factor-by-factor comparison
| Factor | New York County | Suffolk County |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | ||
| Median Household Income | $100k | $122k |
| Cost of Living | $94k | $77k |
| Home Value | $1.1M | $491k |
| Monthly Rent | $2k | $2k |
| Monthly Owner Costs | $4k | $3k |
| Property Tax Rate | 0.91% | 2.04% |
| Income Tax | 10.70% | 10.90% |
| Sales Tax | 8.53% | 8.53% |
| Estimated total tax burden | 23.53% | 21.88% |
| Unemployment | 6.8% | 4.8% |
| Weather | ||
| Winter Temp (Jan) | 34°F | 31°F |
| Summer Temp (Jul) | 78°F | 74°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 49.1 in | 47.2 in |
| Annual Snowfall | 29.8 in | 30.8 in |
| Sunny Days | 230 days | 237 days |
| Summer Humidity | 63°F | 64°F |
| Comfortable Days | 83 days | 101 days |
| Safety & Wellbeing | ||
| Natural Disaster Risk | 98.8 | 97.3 |
| Air Quality | 48 AQI | 41 AQI |
| School Quality | 100.0 | 100.0 |
| Violent Crime | 747/100k | 391/100k |
| Property Crime | 2141/100k | 698/100k |
| Community | ||
| Population | 1,645,867 | 1,524,486 |
| Median Age | 38.5 | 41.7 |
| Racial Diversity | 0.68 | 0.45 |
| Male/Female Ratio | 0.92 | 0.99 |
| Political Leaning | D+75 | Even |
| White (%) | 45.6% | 65.1% |
| Black (%) | 12.4% | 7.0% |
| Hispanic (%) | 26.0% | 20.6% |
| Asian (%) | 12.0% | 4.2% |
| Other / Multiracial (%) | 4.1% | 3.1% |
| Getting Around | ||
| Commute Time | 32 min | 32 min |
| Walkability | 13.8/20 | 8.6/20 |
| Airport Distance | 5 mi | 61 mi |
| Lifestyle & Connectivity | ||
| Broadband Access | 89.5% | 91.7% |
| Amenities Nearby | 50.45 | 0.41 |
| Park & Nature Access | Moderate | Good |
Each figure is colored by how it ranks among all US counties: green is strong, amber average, red weaker. Neutral factors (population, demographics, target-style climate) show their percentile without a better/worse claim.
Frequently asked questions
- Is New York County or Suffolk County more affordable?
- Suffolk County has the lower cost of living: its index is $77k, compared with New York County's $94k and Suffolk County's $77k. Median rent is $2k in New York County versus $2k in Suffolk County.
- Is New York County or Suffolk County safer?
- Suffolk County has the lower violent crime rate. New York County reports 747/100k and Suffolk County reports 391/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
- Are homes cheaper in New York County or Suffolk County?
- The median home value is $1.1M in New York County and $491k in Suffolk County, so homes are more affordable in Suffolk County.