Is New York or Washington a better state to live in?

Based on our composite scoring, Washington ranks higher overall. New York is #26 and Washington is #22 out of 50 states. New York wins 4 of 11 categories, while Washington wins 7.

How does New York compare to Washington in cost of living?

New York has a cost of living index of 108, while Washington's is 109 (100 = national average). New York is more affordable.

Which state is safer, New York or Washington?

New York has 364 violent crimes per 100K residents, vs 372 in Washington. New York has the lower crime rate.

What are the median incomes in New York vs Washington?

New York's median household income is $81,386, compared to $90,325 in Washington.

New York vs Washington: Side-by-Side (2026)

New York

#26·Northeast

56.8Composite Score

VSWashington leads

Washington

#22·West

63.2Composite Score

4NY wins

7WA wins

Category Overlay

New YorkWashington

Category Scores

💰 EconomyWA +3.2

43.7

46.9

🛡️ SafetyNY +1.0

58.1

57.1

🏥 HealthWA +14.3

73.5

87.8

🎓 EducationNY +2.1

59.2

57.1

💼 Fiscal HealthWA +19.8

44.5

64.3

📈 GrowthWA +19.2

19.9

39.1

🏠 AffordabilityWA +0.9

35.4

36.3

🌿 EnvironmentWA +14.7

58.4

73.1

🏞️ Outdoor AccessWA +5.2

30.2

35.4

🚇 TransportationNY +1.9

58.3

56.4

🎭 LivabilityNY +16.1

55.1

39.0

Key Metrics Comparison

Metric	New York	Washington	Winner
Population	19,571,216	7,812,880	NY
Median Income	$81,386	$90,325	WA
Unemployment	4.5%	4.9%	NY
Violent Crime Rate(per 100K)	364	372	NY
Cost of Living(100 = national avg)	108	109	NY
HS Graduation Rate	85%	82%	NY
Life Expectancy	79.1 yr	79.2 yr	WA
Pop Growth	+0.4%	+1%	WA

New York vs Washington: How Do They Compare?

New York ranks #26 overall with a composite score of 56.8, earning a B grade. Washington sits at #22 with 63.2 and a B grade. Washington has the edge overall, winning 7 of 11 categories.

On the economic front, New York has 4.5% unemployment and a $81,386 median income, while Washington reports 4.9% unemployment and $90,325 median income.

For safety, New York's violent crime rate is 364 per 100K compared to 372 in Washington. Cost of living favors New York with an index of 108 vs 109.

Explore These States

New York Full Profile56.8 Washington Full Profile63.2 Compare Other States→

Data Sources

📎Bureau of Labor Statistics, LAUS (Dec 2025)📎U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 2024📎FBI Uniform Crime Reporting, 2024📎America's Health Rankings, 2025📎WalletHub/NAEP, 2025📎U.S. Census Bureau, Vintage 2024📎Cook Political Report, PVI 2024📎Tax Foundation, Facts & Figures 2025📎ALEC Rich States Poor States, 2025📎WalletHub Tax Burden Study, 2025📎U.S. Census Bureau / FHFA, 2025📎BEA Regional Price Parities, 2023📎EPA AirData, Median AQI by County 2024📎EIA State Electricity Profiles, 2024📎FEMA National Risk Index v1.20, 2025📎U.S. Census Bureau, Net Domestic Migration 2024📎FCC / BroadbandNow, Broadband Access 2025📎National Park Service API, 2024📎USGS Protected Areas Database (PAD-US), 2024📎U.S. Census Bureau, County Business Patterns 2022📎U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 2023 (Commuting)📎FHWA Highway Statistics, 2023📎U.S. Census Bureau, County Business Patterns 2022📎EIA State Electricity Profiles, 2024📎EIA Natural Gas Prices, 2024📎DOL National Database of Childcare Prices, 2023📎BEA Regional Price Parities (Food), 2023📎NCES Common Core of Data (CCD), 2023-24📎EDFacts ACGR Graduation Rates, 2021-22📎NCES School District Finance Survey (F-33), 2022-23📎BEA GDP by State (SAGDP9), 2023📎NASBO Fiscal Survey of States, FY2023📎Census Bureau State Government Finances, FY2022📎Pew Charitable Trusts Fiscal 50, FY2023📎Pew Charitable Trusts, FY2022📎S&P/Moody's via Ballotpedia, 2025📎Bureau of Labor Statistics, OES (May 2023)📎IRS Statistics of Income, Migration Data 2021-2022