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Cost of Living: Binghamton, NY vs New York, NY

Wondering how far your dollar stretches in Binghamton compared to New York? Below we break down housing costs, rent, taxes, income, and quality of life using 2026 data so you can make an informed relocation or remote-work decision. Every number is computed from Census, BLS, and Zillow data specific to these two metro areas.

TL;DR

Binghamton cost-of-living index is 83 vs 187 for New York (US = 100). Median home: $145,000 vs $750,000. Median rent: $900/mo vs $3,600/mo.

Source: Census ACS · Zillow ZHVI/ZORI · BEA RPP, 2026

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New York is 125.3% more expensive than Binghamton
COL Index: Binghamton 83 vs New York 187 (national avg = 100)
Written by Jere Salmisto, Founder & Quantitative Systems Builder, CalcFi·Reviewed by CalcFi Editorial·Last reviewed 2026-04-19

Binghamton vs New York — At a Glance

BinghamtonMetricNew YorkDifference
83Cost of Living Index187+125.3%
$145,000Median Home Price$750,000+417.2%
$900Median Monthly Rent$3,600+300.0%
$50,600Median Household Income$76,607+51.4%
2.4%Property Tax Rate1.7%-29.2%
4.6%Unemployment Rate4.3%-6.5%
21 minAverage Commute36 min+71.4%
37.2Median Age37.1-0.3%
250,000Metro Population20,140,470+7956.2%

Data sourced from Census Bureau, BLS, Zillow, and ApartmentAdvisor (2024-2025). COL Index: 100 = national average.

Housing Comparison: Binghamton vs New York

Monthly mortgage assumes 6.5% interest, 30-year fixed, 20.0%down payment. PITI includes principal, interest, property tax, and homeowner's insurance.

Binghamton

Median Home Price$145,000
Down Payment (20.0%)$29,000
Loan Amount$116,000
Principal & Interest$733/mo
Property Tax$290/mo
Insurance$42/mo
Monthly PITI$1,065/mo

New York

Median Home Price$750,000
Down Payment (20.0%)$150,000
Loan Amount$600,000
Principal & Interest$3,792/mo
Property Tax$1,063/mo
Insurance$219/mo
Monthly PITI$5,074/mo

Rent & Affordability Ratios

Median Monthly Rent$900 vs $3,600 (+$2,700/mo)
Annual Rent Difference$32,400/yr more in New York
Home Price-to-Income Ratio2.9x (Binghamton) vs 9.8x (New York)
Years to Save 20% Down (15% savings rate)3.8 yrs (Binghamton) vs 13.1 yrs (New York)

Buying a home in Binghamton costs $1,065/month (PITI) compared to $5,074/month in New York — a difference of $4,009/month or $48,108/year. The price-to-income ratio is 2.9x in Binghamton versus 9.8x in New York, suggesting Binghamton is relatively more affordable for homebuyers relative to local incomes. At a 15% savings rate, it takes 3.8 years to save a down payment in Binghamton compared to 13.1 years in New York.

Tax Comparison: Binghamton vs New York

Estimated on each city's median household income, single filer, standard deduction, 2025 rates.

Tax CategoryBinghamtonNew York
Gross Income$50,600$76,607
State Income Tax$2,178$3,608
Federal Income Tax$3,943$8,302
FICA (SS + Medicare)$3,871$5,861
Property Tax (on median home)$3,480/yr$12,750/yr
State Sales Tax Rate4.0%4.0%
Total Tax Burden$9,992 (19.7%)$17,771 (23.2%)
Take-Home Pay$40,608$58,836

On median household income, total taxes (federal + state + FICA) come to $9,992 in Binghamton (19.7% effective) versus $17,771 in New York (23.2% effective). After taxes, take-home pay is $40,608 in Binghamton and $58,836 in New York. Property taxes add $3,480/year on the median Binghamton home versus $12,750/year in New York.

Salary Equivalence: What Your Income Is Worth

A $50,600 salary in Binghamton equals
$114,002
in New York
A $76,607 salary in New York equals
$34,002
in Binghamton

These figures adjust for cost of living using the formula: adjusted = salary × (COL_destination / COL_origin). If you earn $50,600 in Binghamton (COL 83) and relocate to New York (COL 187), you would need $114,002 to maintain the same purchasing power. This means you would need a raise of $63,402 to maintain the same standard of living in New York.

Quality of Life: Binghamton vs New York

Average Commute
21 min
Binghamton
36 min
New York
15 min shorter in Binghamton
Unemployment Rate
4.6%
Binghamton
4.3%
New York
New York lower
Metro Population
0.3M
Binghamton
20.1M
New York
New York is 80.6x larger

Beyond costs, quality of life matters. The average commute in Binghamton is 21 minutes versus 36 minutes in New York, a difference of 15 minutes each way. New York's lower unemployment rate of 4.3% versus 4.6% suggests a stronger job market. Binghamton skews slightly older with a median age of 37.2 vs 37.1 in New York.

Other Cost of Living Comparisons

Binghamton vs Los AngelesCOL 83 vs 173Binghamton vs ChicagoCOL 83 vs 114Binghamton vs DallasCOL 83 vs 105Los Angeles vs New YorkCOL 173 vs 187Chicago vs New YorkCOL 114 vs 187Dallas vs New YorkCOL 105 vs 187

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Frequently Asked Questions

Is Binghamton or New York more expensive?

New York is 125.3% more expensive than Binghamton overall. New York has a cost of living index of 187 compared to 83 for Binghamton (national average = 100). The biggest difference is housing: the median home costs $750,000 in New York vs $145,000 in Binghamton.

How much more does housing cost in New York vs Binghamton?

The median home price in New York is $750,000, which is $605,000 more than Binghamton's median of $145,000. Monthly rent follows a similar pattern: $3,600/month in New York vs $900/month in Binghamton, a difference of $2,700/month or $32,400/year.

What salary do I need in New York to match my Binghamton income?

To maintain the same standard of living, a $50,600 salary in Binghamton is equivalent to $114,002 in New York. This is based on the cost of living index ratio: Binghamton's COL index of 83 vs New York's 187. Conversely, $76,607 in New York equals $34,002 in Binghamton.

Which city has lower taxes, Binghamton or New York?

On a median household income, the combined federal, state, and FICA tax burden is $9,992 (19.7% effective rate) in Binghamton vs $17,771 (23.2% effective rate) in New York. Property taxes on the median home are $3,480/year in Binghamton (2.4% rate) vs $12,750/year in New York (1.7% rate). Sales tax rates are 4.0% in New York and 4.0% in New York.

What is the median household income in Binghamton and New York?

Binghamton median household income: $50,600/yr. New York median household income: $76,607/yr (Census ACS).

How does rent compare in Binghamton vs New York?

Median monthly rent: $900 in Binghamton vs $3,600 in New York. Annualized that is $10,800 vs $43,200.

Which city is better for remote workers, Binghamton or New York?

Binghamton offers a lower cost of living (index 83 vs 187), which lets remote-workers keeping a coastal salary stretch further. New York typically wins on amenities and labor-market depth.

Where does the data on this comparison come from?

Binghamton and New York numbers are pulled from Zillow ZHVI/ZORI (home values, rent), the U.S. Census Bureau ACS (income, demographics), and BEA RPP (cost-of-living index). Each value is timestamped on the page.

How often is this Binghamton vs New York comparison updated?

Source feeds (Zillow, Freddie Mac PMMS, Census ACS, BEA RPP) are refreshed on their native cadence. Page caches revalidate every 24 hours via Next.js ISR.

Does this comparison replace tax or financial advice?

No. The Binghamton vs New York cost-of-living page is educational reference using public data and standard formulas. It is not personalized tax, legal, or investment advice. Consult a licensed professional for material decisions.

Explore More

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Sources & Citations

  1. Zillow Research — ZHVI (home values) & ZORI (observed rent index) — zillow.com/research/data
  2. U.S. Census Bureau — American Community Survey (ACS) 5-year estimates — census.gov/acs
  3. Bureau of Economic Analysis — Regional Price Parities by state and MSA — bea.gov/rpp
  4. Tax Foundation — effective state and local tax rates — taxfoundation.org
  5. Freddie Mac PMMS — weekly national average mortgage rates — freddiemac.com/pmms
  6. Internal Revenue Service — federal income tax brackets and standard deduction — irs.gov
  7. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics — unemployment and wage statistics — bls.gov
Methodology & Assumptions

Home prices use Zillow Home Value Index (ZHVI)[1]; rents use Zillow Observed Rent Index (ZORI)[1]. Median household income comes from the Census ACS 5-year estimates[2].

COL indices use the BEA Regional Price Parity methodology[3], normalized so 100 = national average.

Property tax rates are effective rates from the Tax Foundation[4], expressed as % of owner-occupied home value. Mortgage estimates assume 6.5% fixed rate[5], 30-year term, 20.0% down, $1,800/yr homeowners insurance.

Federal tax calculations[6] assume single filer, standard deduction. State tax uses the top marginal rate times taxable income after the state standard deduction. FICA = 6.2% Social Security (up to wage base) + 1.45% Medicare.

Salary equivalence uses adjusted = salary × (COL_destination / COL_origin). This captures cost-of-living shift but not state income tax differences.

Unemployment figures are the most recent monthly MSA-level readings from the BLS LAUS series[7].

Last reviewed is computed from the maximum retrievedAt across every source this page consumes.

City data from Census Bureau[2], BLS[7], and Zillow[1] (2024-2025). Tax calculations use 2025 IRS rates[6], single filer, standard deduction. Mortgage estimates assume 6.5% PMMS rate[5], 30-year term, 20.0% down. COL Index: 100 = national average[3]. Last reviewed 2026-04-19.