Source-led head-to-head · 2024 ACS
Moving from Richmond to New York
The 2024 ACS 5-year data shows New York has higher median income ($80,483 vs $64,587) and higher housing costs (rent $1,821 vs $1,372; home value $777,600 vs $353,000) than Richmond. New York’s longer commute (44 vs 23 minutes) and 5.50% state income tax offset its income advantage, while Richmond offers lower housing burdens and shorter commutes despite lower earnings, creating a trade-off where affordability and time favor Richmond, but income and urban access favor New York.
Corridor Direction & Trade-off Delta
⇄ Switch to New York → RichmondMoving from Richmond to New York
Median Rent Impact
+$449/mo
Moving to New York costs ~$5,388 more/yr in rent.
State Tax Treatment
+5.5%
~$5,500 more state tax on a $100k salary in New York.
Daily Commute Difference
+21 min / day
Difference of ~175 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 VERDICTRIC → NYC
40/ 100
The offer needs work
Your modeled annual room improves.Estimated annual life delta+$836after 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, Richmond is about $5,388 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.
Richmond household income$64,587
New York household income$80,483
Richmond gross rent$1,372
New York gross rent$1,821
Housing, income, and tax reference
| Metric | Richmond | New York |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 ACS population | 229,359 | 8,483,844 |
| Median household income | $64,587 | $80,483 |
| Median gross rent | $1,372 | $1,821 |
| Median owner-occupied home value | $353,000 | $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 23 minutes in Richmond 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 rate
- Uniform non-housing baseline
What each city wins
Richmond
Median rent is $1,372/month; median home value is $353,000.. Watch lower home values may reflect older housing stock or fewer amenities compared to higher-cost metros..
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
Which city has a better balance of income and housing costs?
Richmond has lower housing costs relative to income: rent is 25.5% of median income versus 27.1% in New York, making housing more affordable there despite lower earnings.
How does commute time affect the livability comparison between the two cities?
New York’s average commute is 21 minutes longer than Richmond’s, significantly reducing disposable time and increasing transit burden, which offsets part of its income advantage in overall quality-of-life assessments.
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.