Boston, MA vs New York City, NY

At 100/100 for healthcare access, Boston, MA and New York City, NY differ by 23 points, with Boston in the 90th percentile and New York City in the 41st. In 2023 Census figures, job growth over the past year shows New York City at +6.0% versus Boston’s +0.4%, a 5.6-point gap that places New York City in the 99th percentile. Unemployment also separates them: New York City’s 5.1% sits 1.2 points higher than Boston’s 3.9%, with percentiles of 91 and 62 respectively.

The two cities diverge on household composition and education. New York City’s average household size of 2.5 is 13% larger than Boston’s 2.2, and its median age of 38 is 4.8 years older than Boston’s 33.2. Boston’s share of adults with a bachelor’s degree or higher reaches 54.1%, 13.1 points above New York City’s 41.0%, putting Boston in the 84th percentile versus the 68th. State and local tax burden also differs: New York City’s 15.9% is 4.4 points higher than Boston’s 11.5%, with New York City in the 99th percentile.

Cost and safety figures add context. Boston’s cost of living index of 209 is 6% higher than New York City’s 198, and median rent in Boston runs $2,093, 18% above New York City’s $1,779. Violent crime per 100,000 people is 573 in Boston versus 659 in New York City, a 15% difference, while property crime stands at 1,870 and 2,296 respectively. New York City’s average commute of 40.6 minutes is 10 minutes longer than Boston’s 30.2.