Median rent is 19% lower in New York ($1,821/mo vs $2,245/mo). Buying is cheaper in Fairfax, where the median home runs $722,600 versus $777,600. Households earn more in Fairfax ($132,348 vs $80,483 a year).
City A
Fairfax, VA
City B
New York, NY
How much would you need to earn in New York, NY to maintain your standard of living from Fairfax, VA?
A cost-of-living index isn't available for one of these cities yet, so we can't compute an equivalent salary.
Based on BEA Regional Price Parity (cost index) for each city's metro area. A rough estimate of overall purchasing power, not tax or take-home pay.
Metric
Fairfax
Virginia
New York
New York
👥Population
💰Median Household Income
Annual
🏠Median Gross Rent
Per month
🏡Median Home Value
📊Cost of Living Index
US avg = 100
🔑1BR Fair Market Rent
HUD FMR
🔑2BR Fair Market Rent
HUD FMR
🔑3BR Fair Market Rent
HUD FMR
🌬️Air Quality Index
Lower = cleaner
🏛️Top State Income Tax
Top marginal rate
🧾State Sales Tax
Statewide base rate
🎂Median Age
Years
✓ = better value · Sources: US Census ACS, BEA RPP, HUD FMR, EPA AirNow, Tax Foundation
Median rent is modestly lower in New York at $1,821/mo compared to $2,245/mo in Fairfax (19% gap). Median home values are within 7% of each other: $722,600 in Fairfax and $777,600 in New York.
1BR Fair Market Rent
2BR Fair Market Rent
BLS OEWS 2023 — metro-level data
State tax data is not yet available for these cities.
Fairfax
Income tax: N/A
Sales tax: N/A
New York
Income tax: N/A
Sales tax: N/A
Air quality data is available for New York (avg AQI 46.0) but not yet for Fairfax.
Pick Fairfax if you prioritize higher median household income ($132,348/yr).
Pick New York if you prioritize cheaper rent ($1,821/mo median).
Is Fairfax cheaper than New York?
Cost of living index data is not yet available for one or both cities.
How much is rent in Fairfax vs New York?
Median rent is $2,245/mo in Fairfax, VA and $1,821/mo in New York, NY. New York, NY has the lower rent by about 19%.
Which has higher salaries — Fairfax or New York?
Median household income is $132,348 in Fairfax, VA and $80,483 in New York, NY. Fairfax, VA has the higher median income. Note that BLS occupational wages in the table above show wages for specific jobs.
Which city has better air quality?
Air quality data is not yet available for one or both cities.
Which has lower taxes — Fairfax or New York?
State tax data is not yet available for one or both cities.
What salary do I need in New York to match my Fairfax income?
RPP data needed for salary equivalence calculation is not yet available.
Data last updated: December 1, 2026 · Sources: US Census ACS, BEA RPP, BLS OEWS, HUD FMR, EPA AirNow, Tax Foundation · Methodology
