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Cost of Living: Franklin, TN vs New York, NY

Wondering how far your dollar stretches in Franklin 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

Franklin cost-of-living index is 112 vs 187 for New York (US = 100). Median home: $625,000 vs $750,000. Median rent: $2,000/mo vs $3,600/mo.

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

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New York is 67.0% more expensive than Franklin
COL Index: Franklin 112 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

Franklin vs New York — At a Glance

FranklinMetricNew YorkDifference
112Cost of Living Index187+67.0%
$625,000Median Home Price$750,000+20.0%
$2,000Median Monthly Rent$3,600+80.0%
$115,200Median Household Income$76,607-33.5%
0.6%Property Tax Rate1.7%+183.3%
2.8%Unemployment Rate4.3%+53.6%
28 minAverage Commute36 min+28.6%
38.5Median Age37.1-3.6%
85,000Metro Population20,140,470+23594.7%

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

Housing Comparison: Franklin 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.

Franklin

Median Home Price$625,000
Down Payment (20.0%)$125,000
Loan Amount$500,000
Principal & Interest$3,160/mo
Property Tax$313/mo
Insurance$182/mo
Monthly PITI$3,655/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$2,000 vs $3,600 (+$1,600/mo)
Annual Rent Difference$19,200/yr more in New York
Home Price-to-Income Ratio5.4x (Franklin) vs 9.8x (New York)
Years to Save 20% Down (15% savings rate)7.2 yrs (Franklin) vs 13.1 yrs (New York)

Buying a home in Franklin costs $3,655/month (PITI) compared to $5,074/month in New York — a difference of $1,419/month or $17,028/year. The price-to-income ratio is 5.4x in Franklin versus 9.8x in New York, suggesting Franklin is relatively more affordable for homebuyers relative to local incomes. At a 15% savings rate, it takes 7.2 years to save a down payment in Franklin compared to 13.1 years in New York.

Tax Comparison: Franklin vs New York

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

Tax CategoryFranklinNew York
Gross Income$115,200$76,607
State Income TaxNone$3,608
Federal Income Tax$16,793$8,302
FICA (SS + Medicare)$8,812$5,861
Property Tax (on median home)$3,750/yr$12,750/yr
State Sales Tax Rate7.0%4.0%
Total Tax Burden$25,605 (22.2%)$17,771 (23.2%)
Take-Home Pay$89,595$58,836

Tennessee has no state income tax, giving Franklin residents a significant tax advantage. On median household income, total taxes (federal + state + FICA) come to $25,605 in Franklin (22.2% effective) versus $17,771 in New York (23.2% effective). After taxes, take-home pay is $89,595 in Franklin and $58,836 in New York. Property taxes add $3,750/year on the median Franklin home versus $12,750/year in New York.

Salary Equivalence: What Your Income Is Worth

A $115,200 salary in Franklin equals
$192,343
in New York
A $76,607 salary in New York equals
$45,882
in Franklin

These figures adjust for cost of living using the formula: adjusted = salary × (COL_destination / COL_origin). If you earn $115,200 in Franklin (COL 112) and relocate to New York (COL 187), you would need $192,343 to maintain the same purchasing power. This means you would need a raise of $77,143 to maintain the same standard of living in New York.

Quality of Life: Franklin vs New York

Average Commute
28 min
Franklin
36 min
New York
8 min shorter in Franklin
Unemployment Rate
2.8%
Franklin
4.3%
New York
Franklin lower
Metro Population
0.1M
Franklin
20.1M
New York
New York is 236.9x larger

Beyond costs, quality of life matters. The average commute in Franklin is 28 minutes versus 36 minutes in New York, a difference of 8 minutes each way. Franklin's lower unemployment rate of 2.8% versus 4.3% suggests a stronger job market. Franklin skews slightly older with a median age of 38.5 vs 37.1 in New York.

Other Cost of Living Comparisons

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Frequently Asked Questions

Is Franklin or New York more expensive?

New York is 67.0% more expensive than Franklin overall. New York has a cost of living index of 187 compared to 112 for Franklin (national average = 100). The biggest difference is housing: the median home costs $750,000 in New York vs $625,000 in Franklin.

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

The median home price in New York is $750,000, which is $125,000 more than Franklin's median of $625,000. Monthly rent follows a similar pattern: $3,600/month in New York vs $2,000/month in Franklin, a difference of $1,600/month or $19,200/year.

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

To maintain the same standard of living, a $115,200 salary in Franklin is equivalent to $192,343 in New York. This is based on the cost of living index ratio: Franklin's COL index of 112 vs New York's 187. Conversely, $76,607 in New York equals $45,882 in Franklin.

Which city has lower taxes, Franklin or New York?

On a median household income, the combined federal, state, and FICA tax burden is $25,605 (22.2% effective rate) in Franklin vs $17,771 (23.2% effective rate) in New York. Property taxes on the median home are $3,750/year in Franklin (0.6% rate) vs $12,750/year in New York (1.7% rate). Sales tax rates are 7.0% in Tennessee and 4.0% in New York.

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

Franklin median household income: $115,200/yr. New York median household income: $76,607/yr (Census ACS).

How does rent compare in Franklin vs New York?

Median monthly rent: $2,000 in Franklin vs $3,600 in New York. Annualized that is $24,000 vs $43,200.

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

Franklin offers a lower cost of living (index 112 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?

Franklin 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 Franklin 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 Franklin 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.