Quality of Life Score
60.23
State Comparison
Massachusetts vs New York
New York is cheaper overall, while $100 goes further in Massachusetts, Massachusetts has higher incomes, Massachusetts has lower state income tax, and Massachusetts gets more sunshine.
Massachusetts
19
/ 31
metrics won
Score
VS
New York
12
/ 31
metrics won
NY wins Housing
MA wins Quality of Life
MA wins Climate
MA wins Income
Quality of Life
Composite score — income, affordability, education, health, and safety.
Massachusetts
winner
vs
New York
Massachusetts scores higher on quality of life — 2.29 points difference.
Overview
Key differences overview
These cards keep the comparison factual first, so the biggest tradeoffs in affordability, housing, taxes, politics, climate, and day-to-day living are easy to scan.
Overall Affordability
New York is 16.1 points cheaper overall
New York has the lower cost-of-living index. New York is at 132.7, while Massachusetts is at 148.8.
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Real Dollar Value
$100 goes $7.25 further in Massachusetts
After BEA price-level adjustments, $100 has about $95.55 of local buying power in Massachusetts, versus $88.30 in New York.
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Income
Massachusetts income is 22.8% higher
Massachusetts has the higher median household income at $96,505, compared with $78,609 in New York.
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Jobs
New York minimum wage is $1.50 higher
New York has the higher statewide minimum wage at $16.50/hr, compared with $15.00/hr in Massachusetts.
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Housing
Massachusetts homes cost about 1.4x more
New York has the lower median home value at $367,200, versus $510,400 in Massachusetts.
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Taxes
Massachusetts has lower state income tax
Massachusetts has the lower state income tax rate. Its top rate is 5.00%, compared with 10.90% in New York.
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Enter your gross income to see real purchasing power and the cost-of-living equivalent in both states.
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Massachusetts
- Gross salary
- —
- State income tax (top rate 5.0%)
- —
- After state tax
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- Real buying power (BEA RPP)
- —
New York
- Gross salary
- —
- State income tax (top rate 10.9%)
- —
- After state tax
- —
- Real buying power (BEA RPP)
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Cost-of-Living Equivalent
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* "After state tax" uses the top marginal rate — actual effective rate is lower for most incomes. Real buying power uses BEA Regional Price Parity (110.4 for Massachusetts, 114.8 for New York). COL equivalent uses the MERIC/C2ER composite index.
Tradeoffs
Pros and cons for each state
A fast scan of the biggest advantages and drawbacks pulled from affordability, housing, income, taxes, safety, health, education, jobs, and weather.
Massachusetts
At-a-glance strengths and tradeoffs
Pros: Massachusetts
- Massachusetts shows higher median income.
- Massachusetts has lower property tax rates on average.
- Massachusetts has a lower violent crime rate.
- Massachusetts health access/outcomes proxy is higher.
- Massachusetts health coverage access proxy is stronger.
- Massachusetts education proxy is higher.
Cons
- Massachusetts has a higher overall cost of living.
- Massachusetts has a higher housing cost index.
- Massachusetts has higher median home values.
- Massachusetts job growth trend is weaker.
New York
At-a-glance strengths and tradeoffs
Pros: New York
- New York has a lower overall cost of living.
- New York has a lower housing cost index.
- New York has lower median home values.
- New York job growth trend is stronger.
Cons
- New York shows lower median income.
- New York has higher property tax rates on average.
- New York has a higher violent crime rate.
- New York health access/outcomes proxy is lower.
- New York health coverage access proxy is weaker.
- New York education proxy is lower.
Full Comparison
Pick a category to focus on. General shows the most important facts at a glance.
| Metric |
MA
|
NY
|
|---|---|---|
|
Capital City
|
Boston | Albany |
|
State Color
|
Solid Blue | Solid Blue |
|
Population
|
7,029,917
|
20,201,249
|
|
Median Income
|
$96,505
|
$78,609
|
|
Cost of Living
|
148.8
|
132.7
|
|
Median Housing Value
|
$510,400
|
$367,200
|
|
Property Tax
|
1.07%
|
1.55%
|
|
State Income Tax
|
5.00%
|
10.90%
|
|
Minimum Wage
|
$15.00/hr
|
$16.50/hr
|
|
Gas Price
|
$3.933/gal
|
$4.069/gal
|
|
Electricity Rates
|
31.16 c/kWh
|
28.37 c/kWh
|
|
Livability Score
|
60.23
|
57.94
|
|
Average Temperature
|
47.9°F
|
45.4°F
|
|
Sunny Days
|
98 days
|
63 days
|
|
Land Area
|
10,554 sq mi
|
54,555 sq mi
|
|
Population Density
|
666.1 per sq mi
|
370.3 per sq mi
|
|
Statehood
|
February 6, 1788 (#6)
|
July 26, 1788 (#11)
|
Intent-Oriented
Which state fits your priorities better?
Use these cards as decision shortcuts for common goals like saving money, buying a home, finding better weather, or optimizing for work and family life.
6
of
16
shown
Saving Money
New York is cheaper overall
Overall cost-of-living index: 132.7 vs 148.8 in Massachusetts. On a national baseline of 100, the lower score usually means cheaper day-to-day expenses.
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Gas Price
Massachusetts is cheaper at the pump
Average regular gas price: $3.933/gal in Massachusetts vs $4.069/gal in New York. Lower pump prices can cut everyday driving costs.
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Minimum Wage
New York has the higher minimum wage
State minimum wage: $16.50/hr in New York vs $15.00/hr in Massachusetts. That matters most for hourly, entry-level, and part-time workers.
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Electricity Rates
New York has cheaper electricity
Average residential electricity rate: 28.37 c/kWh in New York vs 31.16 c/kWh in Massachusetts. Lower cents-per-kWh pricing can help keep utility bills down.
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Buying a Home
New York is more attainable for buyers
Home-value-to-income ratio: 4.67x in New York vs 5.29x in Massachusetts. A lower ratio means the median home is easier to afford on a median income.
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Renting
Massachusetts is easier for renters
Rent-to-income ratio: 20.9% in Massachusetts vs 24.1% in New York. A lower percentage means rent takes a smaller bite out of a typical household budget.
See full dataExplore by Category
Dive Deeper
Each link opens a full one-on-one breakdown for that metric — national rankings, charts, and context.
Population
New York has a larger population than Massachusetts by 13,171,332 people.
Population Density
Massachusetts is more densely populated than New York.
Bachelor's Degree
Massachusetts has a higher college-educated share than New York.
Advanced Degree
Massachusetts has a higher advanced-degree share than New York.
People Also Ask
Massachusetts vs New York - Common Questions
Q Is Massachusetts cheaper to live in than New York?
New York has the lower cost of living. On the national index (100 = average), New York scores 132.7 versus 148.8 for Massachusetts - a gap of 16.1 points.
Q Where does $100 go further - Massachusetts or New York?
$100 goes further in Massachusetts. After BEA regional price adjustments, $100 is worth about $95.55 in Massachusetts, compared with $88.30 in New York.
Q Which state is bigger - Massachusetts or New York?
New York is larger, covering 54,555 sq mi compared with 10,554 sq mi for Massachusetts - roughly 5.2x the size.
Q Does Massachusetts or New York have more people?
New York has the larger population at 20,201,249, compared with 7,029,917 in Massachusetts.
Q Which state has higher household income - Massachusetts or New York?
Massachusetts has the higher median household income at $96,505, versus $78,609 in New York.
Q Which state has lower income taxes - Massachusetts or New York?
Massachusetts has the lower state income tax top rate at 5.00%, compared with 10.90% in New York.
Q Is housing cheaper in Massachusetts or New York?
Homes are cheaper in New York, where the median home value is $367,200, versus $510,400 in Massachusetts.
Q Which state is more densely populated - Massachusetts or New York?
Massachusetts is more densely populated at 666.1 per sq mi people per sq mi. New York is more spread out at 370.3 per sq mi people per sq mi.
Related Comparisons
Methodology
All figures are sourced from U.S. government datasets and updated annually. Page last updated: April 2026.
Core demographic data comes from the 2020 U.S. Census, with land area from U.S. Census Bureau TIGER files and statehood dates from the National Archives. Income, housing, affordability, and tax fields are maintained in our comparison dataset; purchasing-power figures use BEA Regional Price Parities. Minimum wage data comes from the U.S. Department of Labor, gas prices from AAA, and electricity rates from the U.S. Energy Information Administration. Political control and election fields use 2024 presidential results together with National Conference of State Legislatures data. Gun-law labels use the Giffords scorecard, alcohol system data comes from NABCA, and marijuana status uses NCSL's state cannabis laws tracker. See our editorial policy for how we review and update these pages.