Cost of Living in Westchester County, New York
At a Glance
Rent burden measured as median gross rent as a percentage of renter household income (Census ACS B25071)
These figures are county medians, not a personal budget. Use them to frame rent, ownership, and income tradeoffs, then account for household size, commute, financing, insurance, taxes, debt, and local availability before making a decision.
How Westchester County Compares
Median monthly rent comparison
Detailed Housing Stats
National Ranking
Affordability Rank
Westchester County ranks #3,115 of 3,142 counties for affordability (bottom 1%)
Sourced county brief
Westchester County Median Gross Rent Estimated at $1,951
Westchester County has a median gross rent of $1,951 per month, which is above the New York unweighted county mean of $1,168. The official median gross rent as a percentage of household income (GRAPI) in the county is 32.1 percent, which differs from the state unweighted county mean official GRAPI of 29.8 percent by 2.3 percentage points. Among homeowners, the median selected monthly owner cost for all units is $2,944, compared to the unweighted state county mean of $1,352. The median value of owner-occupied housing units was estimated at $663,200, substantially above the state unweighted county mean of $281,200. Renter households in the county have a median income of $69,175. These figures are sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau 2020-2024 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates. See ACS table B25071 for the underlying estimate.
Source record
- U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2020-2024 5-Year Estimates — B25064 Median Gross Rent
- U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2020-2024 5-Year Estimates — B25071 GRAPI
- U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2020-2024 5-Year Estimates — B25077 Median Home Value
- U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2020-2024 5-Year Estimates — B25088 Selected Monthly Owner Costs
- U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2020-2024 5-Year Estimates — B25119 Household Income by Tenure
Data version acs5-2020-2024 · Method cost-brief-v1
Cost of Living Advisory: Westchester County
Affordability Verdict
ACS B25071 estimates median gross rent at 32.1% of renter household income in Westchester County, which is between the 30% and 50% rent-burden benchmarks. This is a median percentage among renter-occupied units, not the share of households above a threshold.
Rent vs. Own
Median gross rent is $1,951 per month; median selected monthly owner costs are $2,944. These ACS medians describe different tenure groups and are not a personalized rent-versus-buy calculation.
Income Needed
Using the common 30% budgeting benchmark, $78,040 in annual gross income would allocate 30% to the county's median gross rent. This is a reproducible illustration, not evidence that a particular household can afford housing.
Regional Context
The New York unweighted mean of county median rents is $1,168 per month. Westchester County's $1,951 median is 67.0% above that comparison value.
Data version acs5-2020-2024 · Method cost-advisory-v2
Affordability Calculator
See how your income compares to housing costs in Westchester County
Rent Burden
19.7%
of gross income
Max Housing (28% Rule)
$2,776
per month
Owner Cost Burden
29.7%
of gross income
The median home in Westchester County may be a stretch
Median home value is $663,200. Estimated monthly cost: $5,295 vs. your max of $2,776.
Rent Affordability Guide
Income Needed Calculator
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Based on the 30% rule for rent and 28% rule for housing costs (mortgage + owner costs). Mortgage estimate assumes 20% down, 7.2% interest, 30-year fixed.
Frequently Asked Questions
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See Today's RatesData: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year Estimates (2020-2024). Data is informational only and is not personalized financial advice.
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