Jersey, NJ is part of the New York area. This page covers the whole metro.
How locals describe New York
The words residents use most, from 90 comments on Reddit, City-Data and Quora. Bigger means more people said it. Tap a word to read what they said.
"Apart from rent, living in NYC is really cheap. $2.90 gets you anywhere you need to be."
"I've been looking at rental prices in NYC, and honestly, I can't tell if it's just the norm now or if we're all being scammed."
A walk through New York
Places residents talk about, in their words. Each photo is of the place named.
Look around New York
Google Street View near the center of town, taken 2016-04. Drag to turn, click the street to move.
Open in Google MapsEveryday life in New York
Photos and reviews come from Google Maps and show single places, not the whole area. Reviews are the most relevant ones Google returns for each place. We show the longest highly rated review under 400 characters and, when there is one, the longest low-rated review. Google doesn't verify reviews but removes fake ones when it finds them.
Around New York
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What New York is known for
Every year
FebNew York Fashion Week: designers present couture and ready to wear collectionsnyhabitat.com
JunGovernors Ball Music Festival: music festival on Randall's Island with pop and indie artistsnyhabitat.com
NovMacy's Thanksgiving Day Parade: parade with giant balloons and floats through Manhattanusatourist.com
Busiest time
Summer and Thanksgiving through New Year's: biggest crowds and highest prices during these periodsadventurouskate.com
On a normal week
Watching Shakespeare in the Parklinkedlistnyc.org
Attending free outdoor SummerStage concertslinkedlistnyc.org
Visiting Central Park in autumnfrenchbee.com
Take a tour of New York
"MOST Lively Streets of New York 🎉| Madison Square, Midtown South | Walking Tour of New York City" by THE WALKING NEW YORK, on YouTube. Not made by Varro.
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What's nearby
Within 5 miles of the center of the New York area.
Counts from OpenStreetMap, a volunteer map, so small or new places can be missing. Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors.
Biking and trails
Within 5 miles of the center of the New York area.
Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors. Counts depend on how well local volunteers have mapped the area, so treat them as a rough guide.
What rent costs
Of about 3,471,500 rented homes in the New York area, 61% rent for under $2,000 a month and 86% for under $3,000.
Census American Community Survey 2019 to 2023 (table B25063). Gross rent includes utilities the renter pays. Today's asking rents for open apartments usually run higher.
What moving costs
Average cost: $1,946
From a 2025 survey of 1,000 people who hired movers. This Old House. Your quote depends on your stuff, stairs and the time of year.
The middle rented home in the New York area rents for $1,500 to $1,999 a month. Before you get the keys, expect about $3,000 to $3,998 for first month plus a deposit, or up to $4,500 to $5,997 where landlords also ask for last month.
Many landlords want your income to be about 3 times the rent. For $1,500 to $1,999, that's a yearly income of about $54,000 to $71,964.
Estimate from Census rent data (2019 to 2023, rent plus tenant-paid utilities). Deposits and fees vary by landlord and state law.
Moving to New York: before and after
- Forward your mail: USPS change of address. It costs about $1 online to confirm who you are.
- Switch your driver's license and car registration. Each state sets its own deadline, often somewhere between 10 days and a few months after you move. Find the New York DMV.
- Register to vote at your new address: New York voter registration.
- Set up power, gas, water and trash. Some cities bill water and trash together, and some ask new customers for a deposit.
- Update your address with your bank, employer, insurance and the IRS (Form 8822 if you're not filing soon).
- Find a doctor and dentist early. New-patient waits can be weeks, even in big cities.
Public schools
12 public school districts in this county, with about 248,236 students in all. Which one serves a home depends on its address.
NCES Common Core of Data 2022-23, National Center for Education Statistics. Varro doesn't rate or rank schools. For test results and programs, see each district's site and your state's school report card.
Childcare and colleges
New York keeps an official list of licensed childcare, with inspection reports and openings in many states. In a lot of towns, infant spots fill up months ahead, so it helps to get on waitlists before you move.
| Age | Daycare center | Home daycare |
|---|---|---|
| Infant (under 2) | $300/week about $15,600 a year | $250/week about $13,000 a year |
| Toddler (2) | $277/week about $14,400 a year | |
| Preschool (3 to 4) | $259/week about $13,500 a year | $200/week about $10,400 a year |
| School-age | $225/week about $11,700 a year |
For an infant at a center: $300/week here, $296 across NY, $259 across the U.S.. Full-time infant care at a center here costs about 19% of a typical family's income. These are 2022 prices, the newest the government has published by county, and prices have gone up since.
131 colleges in the county and the wider metro around New York. Prices are yearly tuition and fees for full-time undergrads, before financial aid.
Moving for school? Public colleges charge state residents much less, and community colleges often charge even less to people who live in their district. Most states want you to have lived there about 12 months, for reasons other than school, before you count as a resident for tuition. The rules differ by state, so check with the college's registrar.
IPEDS 2023-24, National Center for Education Statistics (IPEDS). Degree-granting public and nonprofit schools with 100+ students. Varro doesn't rank colleges.