New York’s 2026 Livability Outlook: Strong Quality of Life, High Costs, Community, Amenities Among Metros
New York’s 2026 Livability Outlook: Strong Quality of Life, High Costs, Community, Amenities Among Metros
Editor’s note: Readers can see our previous article by RentCafe on renter engagement in the five boroughs of New York City.
We asked the study authors: I wanted to check if this was just on the whole NY metro, with no separate data for Staten Island.
A: For this study, we looked at the total metro area, but I asked my research team to check whether we have relevant data for Staten Island.
Here it is:
| Staten Island, NY | |
| Cost of Living (vs National Average) | 45.5% |
| Income Growth Rate (2024, 2023, 2022) | 3% |
| Poverty Rate | 11.1% |
| Unemployment Rate | 5.0% |
| Income Inequality Ratio | 5.0 |
| Avg. No Of Physically Unhealthy Days | 3.8 |
| Avg. Number of Mentally Unhealthy Days | 5.2 |
| Food Index | 9 |
| % With Access to Exercise Opportunities | 99.1% |
| % Physically Inactive | 25.4% |
| % Uninsured | 5.0% |
| Health Care Providers per 10,000 population | 13.67 |
| Higher Educated Residents ( % Some College) | 69.6% |
| % Long Commute (over 30 min driving Alone) | 52.7% |
| Social Association Rate | 4.1 |
| % Severe Housing Problems | 22.9% |
| Arts, Entertainment and recreation establishements per 10,000 population | 2.0 |
I hope you find this helpful, please let me know if you need anything else.
As renters look ahead to 2026, New York stands out for how well it supports everyday living — and how expensive that experience remains. The metro ranks 22nd nationwide in RentCafe.com’s latest livability rankings, driven by exceptional access to food, exercise, and healthcare.
To identify which metros offer the strongest balance of affordability, well-being, and community connection, we analyzed 150 U.S. metro areas using 17 metrics related to cost of living, healthcare access, food availability, housing conditions, commuting patterns, and social engagement.
Here’s how New York performed across the three main categories:
#7 in Quality of Life
New York ranks among the top three metros nationwide for food access, offering residents unparalleled access to healthy and diverse food options. More than 98% of residents have access to exercise opportunities, and when medical care is needed, New Yorkers benefit from 19 healthcare providers per 10,000 residents, supporting strong overall well-being.
#30 in Location & Community
The metro offers 7 arts, entertainment, and recreation venues per 10,000 residents — the highest concentration in New York State — and boasts a highly educated population, with 81.2% of residents holding higher education degrees. That said, daily logistics present challenges: about 41% of residents commute more than 30 minutes, and 20.1% face at least one severe housing problem, such as high housing costs or overcrowding, which affects the metro’s score in this category.
#137 in Socioeconomics
Economic pressures weigh most heavily on New York’s overall ranking. The cost of living is 46% above the national average, one of the highest in the country. Income growth remains modest at 4% annually, while the unemployment rate stands at 5.7% and the poverty rate at 12.5% — all contributing to New York’s lower placement in this category.
If you’d like to explore how New York compares with other major metros or dive deeper into all 17 metrics we analyzed, you can find the full report here:
https://www.rentcafe.com/blog/rental-market/market-snapshots/most-livable-metro-areas/
Despite ongoing affordability challenges, New York remains a metro to watch heading into 2026, thanks to its standout quality-of-life fundamentals.
A few highlights:
- #22 nationwide overall (out of 149 metros) and #2 in New York State
- #7 for Quality of Life, driven by excellent access to healthy food and exercise opportunities
- #30 for Location & Community, supported by 7 arts, entertainment, and recreation venues per 10,000 residents
- #137 for Socioeconomics, with a cost of living 46% above the national average
These strengths continue to set New York apart — even as high living costs and housing pressures weigh on its overall ranking.
Banner Image: Healthy restaurant in Manhattan. Image Credit – Yimeng Zhao
[…] note: RentCafe’s recent study about livability talked about amenities, shopping, and other close by vendors that make city or townhouse living more resident fri…. New York City placed pretty high on the index, as while the costs are quite high, you get a lot […]