Source-led head-to-head · 2024 ACS
Moving from Montgomery to New York
The 2024 ACS 5-year data shows Montgomery has lower median income ($56,811) and housing costs ($1,089 rent, $161,900 home value) with a shorter commute (22 minutes), while New York has higher income ($80,483) but significantly higher housing costs ($1,821 rent, $777,600 home value) and a longer commute (44 minutes). New York applies a 5.50% state income tax in the calculator, whereas Montgomery’s state tax is excluded per data boundaries. The uniform non-housing baseline of $1,250/month is a model assumption applied equally to both cities. This creates a trade-off: Montgomery offers lower housing burden and commute time but lower income, while New York provides higher income offset by elevated housing expenses and commute duration, with tax treatment differing by state policy in the model.
Corridor Direction & Trade-off Delta
⇄ Switch to New York → MontgomeryMoving from Montgomery to New York
Median Rent Impact
+$732/mo
Moving to New York costs ~$8,784 more/yr in rent.
State Tax Treatment
+5.5%
~$5,500 more state tax on a $100k salary in New York.
Daily Commute Difference
+22 min / day
Difference of ~183 hours per year spent commuting based on 2024 ACS midpoint averages.
Your move
Compare the life behind the offer.
Adjust the assumptions. Every result updates instantly.
Search all 32,330 U.S. Census places directly below.Instant results use official 2024 ACS place data. Places with incomplete required signals remain visible in search but cannot be selected.
Directional estimate using ACS citywide benchmarks. Verified profiles may include a simplified state-tax reference; automatically added profiles exclude state tax until an official reference is approved. Exact tax, benefits, debt, housing, insurance, and personal circumstances may materially change the result.
LIVE VERDICTMON → NYC
35/ 100
The offer needs work
The destination absorbs more of the offer.Estimated annual life delta−$2,560after essentials; unverified state tax excluded
Best gainThe deepest employment market and largest-city scale in the reviewed cohort
Watch closelyThe cohort's longest commute estimate plus a separate New York City resident income tax
The short answer
In the uniform one-person renting baseline, Montgomery is about $8,784 lower per year. This is not a verdict by itself: replace city medians with the actual offer, address, household, benefits, insurance, and tax details before deciding.
Montgomery household income$56,811
New York household income$80,483
Montgomery gross rent$1,089
New York gross rent$1,821
Housing, income, and tax reference
| Metric | Montgomery | New York |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 ACS population | 197,494 | 8,483,844 |
| Median household income | $56,811 | $80,483 |
| Median gross rent | $1,089 | $1,821 |
| Median owner-occupied home value | $161,900 | $777,600 |
| State-tax treatment | Excluded | 5.5% simplified |
Time and daily routine
The commute-time distribution produces a weighted one-way estimate of about 22 minutes in Montgomery and 44 minutes in New York. This citywide estimate cannot capture a specific route, remote-work schedule, or transit choice, so the calculator converts it into an explicit time difference instead of hiding it in a subjective lifestyle score.
Decision checklist
- Median household income
- Median gross rent
- Median owner-occupied home value
- One-way commute time
- State individual income tax treatment
- Uniform non-housing cost baseline
What each city wins
Montgomery
Median rent is below the model’s non-housing baseline.. Watch lower rent may reflect trade-offs in housing quality, age, or location within the city..
New York
The deepest employment market and largest-city scale in the reviewed cohort. Watch the cohort's longest commute estimate plus a separate new york city resident income tax.
Frequently asked questions
How do housing costs compare between Montgomery and New York?
Montgomery’s median gross rent is $1,089 per month and median home value is $161,900, while New York’s are $1,821 and $777,600 respectively, reflecting substantially higher housing expenses in New York based on 2024 ACS 5-year estimates.
What role does commute time play in the Montgomery-New York comparison?
Montgomery’s derived one-way commute is 22 minutes versus New York’s 44 minutes, indicating significantly shorter travel times in Montgomery according to weighted midpoints from the 2024 ACS table B0803.
Source boundary: Core figures come from the 2024 ACS five-year tables linked on each city profile. Commute is derived from B08303 midpoint weighting. A state-tax value without an approved official reference is excluded and disclosed. This comparison becomes index-eligible only after its unique analysis clears the content quality gate.