It’s not wholly impossible to find places to live in New York where annual incomes are able to keep up with the cost of living. Key findings from an in-house GOBankingRates study indicate there are 20 New York cities where the median household income is a minimum of $140,000. And while three of these locales have six-figure cost of living expenses, none exceed more than $111,000 annually.
GOBankingRates identified these locations and their median household incomes, using the U.S. Census 5-Year ACS. Each city was ranked and sorted by its total score, where the median household income and the average total cost of living were each scored and weighted by 1.00.
Here are the 20 places in New York where you can earn a high salary and enjoy a low cost of living. And on the flip side, check out our ranking of the 20 most expensive towns in New York.
1. Rye Brook
- Median household income: $236,968
- Single family home average value: $1,211,103
- Average monthly mortgage cost: $6,669
- Average monthly expenditure cost: $2,555
- Total cost of living annually: $110,687
- Livability: 67
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2. Briarcliff Manor
- Median household income: $226,053
- Single family home average value: $1,100,345
- Average monthly mortgage cost: $6,059
- Average monthly expenditure cost: $2,597
- Total cost of living annually: $103,868
- Livability: 70
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3. Dix Hills
- Median household income: $219,636
- Single family home average value: $1,135,973
- Average monthly mortgage cost: $6,255
- Average monthly expenditure cost: $2,462
- Total cost of living annually: $104,602
- Livability: 65
4. Croton-on-Hudson
- Median household income: $185,718
- Single family home average value: $798,681
- Average monthly mortgage cost: $4,398
- Average monthly expenditure cost: $2,580
- Total cost of living annually: $83,728
- Livability: 77
5. Centerport
- Median household income: $192,530
- Single family home average value: $897,843
- Average monthly mortgage cost: $4,944
- Average monthly expenditure cost: $2,473
- Total cost of living annually: $89,008
- Livability: 67
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6. Tappan
- Median household income: $177,143
- Single family home average value: $714,221
- Average monthly mortgage cost: $3,933
- Average monthly expenditure cost: $2,711
- Total cost of living annually: $79,729
- Livability: 69
7. North Bellmore
- Median household income: $183,250
- Single family home average value: $775,832
- Average monthly mortgage cost: $4,272
- Average monthly expenditure cost: $2,751
- Total cost of living annually: $84,280
- Livability: 77
8. West Islip
- Median household income: $171,045
- Single family home average value: $715,875
- Average monthly mortgage cost: $3,942
- Average monthly expenditure cost: $2,423
- Total cost of living annually: $76,375
- Livability: 74
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9. Lake Mohegan
- Median household income: $160,741
- Single family home average value: $586,935
- Average monthly mortgage cost: $3,232
- Average monthly expenditure cost: $2,522
- Total cost of living annually: $69,048
- Livability: 68
10. Mount Sinai
- Median household income: $170,188
- Single family home average value: $759,903
- Average monthly mortgage cost: $4,184
- Average monthly expenditure cost: $2,422
- Total cost of living annually: $79,271
- Livability: 72
11. Commack
- Median household income: $170,375
- Single family home average value: $779,517
- Average monthly mortgage cost: $4,292
- Average monthly expenditure cost: $2,443
- Total cost of living annually: $80,821
- Livability: 72
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12. Wantagh
- Median household income: $174,773
- Single family home average value: $777,304
- Average monthly mortgage cost: $4,280
- Average monthly expenditure cost: $2,734
- Total cost of living annually: $84,168
- Livability: 83
13. Islip Terrace
- Median household income: $155,741
- Single family home average value: $638,875
- Average monthly mortgage cost: $3,518
- Average monthly expenditure cost: $2,400
- Total cost of living annually: $71,013
- Livability: 81
14. Blauvelt
- Median household income: $172,083
- Single family home average value: $767,199
- Average monthly mortgage cost: $4,224
- Average monthly expenditure cost: $2,713
- Total cost of living annually: $83,256
- Livability: 64
15. Merrick
- Median household income: $179,415
- Single family home average value: $853,252
- Average monthly mortgage cost: $4,698
- Average monthly expenditure cost: $2,770
- Total cost of living annually: $89,623
- Livability: 80
16. Massapequa Park
- Median household income: $170,470
- Single family home average value: $764,566
- Average monthly mortgage cost: $4,210
- Average monthly expenditure cost: $2,749
- Total cost of living annually: $83,504
- Livability: 80
17. Plainview
- Median household income: $185,531
- Single family home average value: $931,248
- Average monthly mortgage cost: $5,128
- Average monthly expenditure cost: $2,768
- Total cost of living annually: $94,756
- Livability: 85
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18. Old Bethpage
- Median household income: $186,776
- Single family home average value: $961,221
- Average monthly mortgage cost: $5,293
- Average monthly expenditure cost: $2,692
- Total cost of living annually: $95,815
- Livability: 74
19. Stony Brook
- Median household income: $162,054
- Single family home average value: $750,494
- Average monthly mortgage cost: $4,133
- Average monthly expenditure cost: $2,394
- Total cost of living annually: $78,316
- Livability: 85
20. Sound Beach
- Median household income: $140,797
- Single family home average value: $513,857
- Average monthly mortgage cost: $2,829
- Average monthly expenditure cost: $2,444
- Total cost of living annually: $63,285
- Livability: 69
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Photo disclaimer: Photos are for illustrative purposes only. In many cases, the closest major city outside of the city/county mentioned in the article was used.
Methodology: For this study, GOBankingRates analyzed cities in New York to find the places with a high salary and low cost of living. Locations were identified using the U.S. Census 5-Year 2023 ACS, along with the total population, population ages 65 and over, total households, and median household income. The cost of living indexes were sourced from Sperling’s BestPlaces and using the national average expenditure costs for all households, as sourced from the Bureau of Labor Statistics Consumer Expenditure Survey, the average expenditure costs can be calculated for each city. The average single family home value was sourced from Zillow Home Value Index. By assuming a 10% down payment and using the national average 30-year fixed mortgage rate, as sourced from the Federal Reserve Economic Data, the average mortgage can be calculated for each city. Using the average mortgage and expenditure cost, the total cost of living for necessities can be calculated for each city. The median household income was scored and weighted at 1.00, the average total cost of living was scored and weighted at 1.00. All scores were summed and sorted to show the places in New York with a high salary and low cost of living. All data is up to date as of December 12th, 2025.
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This article originally appeared on GOBankingRates.com: 20 Places To Live in New York With High Salaries and a Low Cost of Living
