BestCityFor

Best city for remote work? New York, NY

D
Score
42/100
Rank #165 (top 200 cities)
Data: ACS 2023 (5-year)

For remote work, New York is a specialized pick when you value typical rent (2br) and broadband subscription. Overall, it’s a more specialized pick in this set (#165 of 200). The biggest tradeoff is commute 45+ min share.

Methodology · Sources · NY rankings

Scope note (city proper)

This page scores the incorporated city limits (Census “Place”), not the metro area. That’s why some cities can look very different vs their surrounding region.

Why New York ranks here

  • Typical rent (2BR): $1,781/mo (24% higher than the national median; worse for this metric).
  • Broadband subscription: 89% (2% lower than the national median; worse for this metric).
  • Median household income: $79,713 (5% higher than the national median; better for this metric).

Watch-outs

  • Commute 45+ min share: 42% (271% higher than the national median; worse for this metric).
  • Bachelor’s+ rate: 41% (18% higher than the national median; better for this metric).

City snapshot

Basic demographics from ACS 2023 (city proper).

Population
8,516,202
Estimated total population (ACS).
Male vs female
Male 48%Female 52%

Key metrics

Values shown are from ACS 2023. National medians are computed across the ranked city set.

Typical rent (2BR)
$1,781/mo
National median: $1,441/mo
Work-from-home share
15%
National median: 12%
Broadband subscription
89%
National median: 91%
Median household income
$79,713
National median: $75,598
Bachelor’s+ rate
41%
National median: 35%
Commute 45+ min share
42%
National median: 11%

Score breakdown (by category)

Category scores are 0–100 and summarize groups of metrics used in the final score.

City
National median (dataset)
Affordability
Typical 2BR rent and housing pressure.
42/100
Connectivity
Broadband availability as a practical remote-work proxy.
89/100
Workforce
Remote-work adoption and human-capital signals.
32/100
Comfort
Commute friction and climate comfort.
58/100

Education (age 25+)

Share of adults by attainment (ACS).

16%
Less than HS
43%
HS / Some college
24%
Bachelor’s
17%
Advanced

Work style

WFH vs not WFH (ACS).

15%
Work from home
85%
Not WFH

Internet access

Household broadband subscription (ACS).

89%
Broadband
11%
No broadband

Map

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Scorecard breakdown

Bars are rescaled to 0–100 for readability (percentage metrics use their actual percent).

City
National median (dataset)
Typical rent (2BR)
National median $1,441/mo
$1,781/mo
Broadband subscription
National median 91%
89%
Work-from-home share
National median 12%
15%
Median household income
National median $75,598
$79,713
Bachelor’s+ rate
National median 35%
41%
Commute 45+ min share
National median 11%
42%

Similar cities (by score)

#163 Modesto, CA
42/100
#164 Oceanside, CA
42/100
#166 Riverside, CA
42/100
#167 Shreveport, LA
41/100

FAQ

›What is New York’s remote work score and rank?
New York, NY scores D (42/100) and ranks #165 out of the top 200 US cities in this dataset.
›Is this based on New York city proper or the metro area?
City proper (incorporated place). This uses Census ‘Place’ boundaries, not the metro area. Metro-level rankings can differ a lot from the city itself.
›What is the population of New York, NY?
Population is about 8,516,202 (ACS 2023, city proper).
›What is the male vs female split in New York, NY?
About 48% male and 52% female (ACS 2023).
›What is a typical monthly rent in New York, NY?
Typical rent (2BR) is $1,781/mo (national median: $1,441/mo).
›What share of workers work from home in New York, NY?
Work-from-home share is 15% (national median: 12%).
›How common is broadband internet in New York, NY?
Broadband subscription is 89% of households (national median: 91%).
›What does the education mix look like in New York, NY?
Among adults 25+, the shares are roughly: less than HS 16%, HS/some college 43%, bachelor’s 24%, advanced 17%.
›Where does this data come from for New York, NY?
Metrics are from Census ACS 2023 5-year estimates (city proper / incorporated place), with optional NOAA climate normals when available.

Note: Scores are informational and depend on data coverage and methodology. Always validate against your personal constraints (job, neighborhood, commute, safety, schools, healthcare).