Best for affordability: Chicago, Illinois
Chicago, Illinois looks like the easiest place here to live with less financial drag. It comes out ahead on rent burden and rent.
Demand-Backed Comparison
Compare New York vs Chicago on cost, climate, safety, and daily life
People have logged this comparison 194 times on WhyThere. The cards open full city pages. The charts and matrix below are the fast side-by-side read on housing, climate, walkability, safety, schools, parks, and day-to-day tradeoffs.
New YorkChicago
What Stands Out
A quick read on this comparison
Deterministic summaries based on the data in view.
Biggest tradeoff: New York, New York
New York, New York is the sharpest split in this comparison: strong on daily convenience, weaker on affordability.
Potential dealbreaker: New York, New York
New York, New York needs a closer look before you get too attached, especially on rent burden.
Comparison Matrix
| City | ||
|---|---|---|
| Route | ||
| General Info | ||
| Population | 8,804,190 | 2,664,452 |
| Population Density | 28.7k /sq mi | 12.0k /sq mi |
| Elevation | 33 ft(10 m) | 587 ft(179 m) |
| Housing & Wealth | ||
| Median Home | $797,328 | $304,487 |
| Median Rent | $3,643 | $2,191 |
| Median Income | $76,607 | $71,673 |
| Rent Burden | 57% | 37% |
| Climate & Risks | ||
| Sunny Days | 291 days/yr | 212 days/yr |
| Avg. High | 63°F | 59°F |
| Comfort Score | 59/100Good | 47/100Mixed |
| Temp Swing | 44°F | 48°F |
| Annual Rainfall | 54"(137 cm) | 44"(112 cm) |
| Annual Snowfall | 7"(18 cm) | 11"(28 cm) |
| Air Quality | AQI 52 (Avg)35 days > 100 | AQI 44 (Avg)19 days > 100 |
| Infrastructure & Lifestyle | ||
| Walk Score | 90 | 72 |
| Transit Score | 100 | 100 |
| Safety Score | 56 / 100 | 30 / 100 |
| School Rating | 5.1/10 | 7.3/10 |
| Internet Access | Fiber: 37%Cable: 90% | Fiber: 33%Cable: 99% |
| Demographics | ||
| Median Age | 37.5 years | 35.3 years |
| College Educated | 40% | 42% |
| Remote Workers | 13% | 16% |
| Nature Access | ||
| Local Nature & Reserves | Finding... | Finding... |
| Scouting & Local Help | ||
Plan a first lookWays to plan a first visit or connect with a relevant local partner. | Featured Local Partner ADYour logo Partner spot available For organizations that can help someone land in New York | Featured Local Partner ADYour logo Partner spot available For organizations that can help someone land in Chicago |
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