Fort Lauderdale FL vs New York NY — Cost of Living, Crime & Income Comparison 2026
Updated May 2026 · Source: US Census ACS 5-Year (2023), FBI CDE (2023), BLS OEWS (2024)
Fort Lauderdale, FL
Florida · Population: 183,032
- Median HH Income$79,935
- Median Home Price$510,297
- Unemployment5.3%
- Bachelor's+39.8%
New York, NY
New York · Population: 8,516,202
- Median HH Income$79,713
- Median Home Price$816,078
- Unemployment7.7%
- Bachelor's+41.0%
Detailed Comparison
Demographics
Population
Fort Lauderdale
183,032
New York
8,516,202
New York +
Pop. Density / sq mi
Lower = more space
Fort Lauderdale
N/A
New York
N/A
Median Age
Fort Lauderdale
42.9
New York
38.0
New York +
Foreign Born
Fort Lauderdale
26.7%
New York
36.5%
New York +
White
Fort Lauderdale
51.3%
Fort Lauderdale +
New York
35.9%
Black
Fort Lauderdale
28.8%
Fort Lauderdale +
New York
22.7%
Asian
Fort Lauderdale
1.6%
New York
14.6%
New York +
Hispanic
Fort Lauderdale
20.1%
New York
28.4%
New York +
Spanish at Home
Fort Lauderdale
N/A
New York
N/A
| Metric | Fort Lauderdale, FL | New York, NY | Better |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 183,032 | 8,516,202 | New York + |
| Pop. Density / sq miLower = more space | N/A | N/A | - |
| Median Age | 42.9 | 38.0 | New York + |
| Foreign Born | 26.7% | 36.5% | New York + |
| White | 51.3% | 35.9% | Fort Lauderdale + |
| Black | 28.8% | 22.7% | Fort Lauderdale + |
| Asian | 1.6% | 14.6% | New York + |
| Hispanic | 20.1% | 28.4% | New York + |
| Spanish at Home | N/A | N/A | - |
Economy
Median HH Income
Fort Lauderdale
$79,935
Fort Lauderdale +
New York
$79,713
Per Capita Income
Fort Lauderdale
$57,845
Fort Lauderdale +
New York
$50,776
Per Capita Personal Income (MSA)
BEA MSA-level
Fort Lauderdale
$65,328
New York
$77,425
New York +
Unemployment Rate
Fort Lauderdale
5.3%
Fort Lauderdale +
New York
7.7%
Poverty Rate
Fort Lauderdale
15.2%
Fort Lauderdale +
New York
17.4%
Bachelor's Degree+
Fort Lauderdale
39.8%
New York
41.0%
New York +
| Metric | Fort Lauderdale, FL | New York, NY | Better |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median HH Income | $79,935 | $79,713 | Fort Lauderdale + |
| Per Capita Income | $57,845 | $50,776 | Fort Lauderdale + |
| Per Capita Personal Income (MSA)BEA MSA-level | $65,328 | $77,425 | New York + |
| Unemployment Rate | 5.3% | 7.7% | Fort Lauderdale + |
| Poverty Rate | 15.2% | 17.4% | Fort Lauderdale + |
| Bachelor's Degree+ | 39.8% | 41.0% | New York + |
Housing
Median Home Value
Zillow ZHVI / Census ACS
Fort Lauderdale
$510,297
Fort Lauderdale +
New York
$816,078
Homeownership Rate
Fort Lauderdale
53.8%
Fort Lauderdale +
New York
32.8%
| Metric | Fort Lauderdale, FL | New York, NY | Better |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Home ValueZillow ZHVI / Census ACS | $510,297 | $816,078 | Fort Lauderdale + |
| Homeownership Rate | 53.8% | 32.8% | Fort Lauderdale + |
Safety
Violent Crime / 100K
FBI CDE (state-level est.)
Fort Lauderdale
324
Fort Lauderdale +
New York
434
Property Crime / 100K
FBI CDE (state-level est.)
Fort Lauderdale
1453
Fort Lauderdale +
New York
1736
| Metric | Fort Lauderdale, FL | New York, NY | Better |
|---|---|---|---|
| Violent Crime / 100KFBI CDE (state-level est.) | 324 | 434 | Fort Lauderdale + |
| Property Crime / 100KFBI CDE (state-level est.) | 1453 | 1736 | Fort Lauderdale + |
Health
Obesity Rate
CDC PLACES
Fort Lauderdale
30.3%
New York
25.1%
New York +
Diabetes Rate
CDC PLACES
Fort Lauderdale
12.8%
New York
11.9%
New York +
Poor Mental Health
CDC PLACES — 14+ days/month
Fort Lauderdale
16.2%
New York
15.4%
New York +
No Health Insurance
CDC PLACES
Fort Lauderdale
14.7%
New York
10.6%
New York +
Binge Drinking
CDC PLACES
Fort Lauderdale
14.9%
Fort Lauderdale +
New York
16.9%
Current Smokers
CDC PLACES
Fort Lauderdale
13.0%
New York
11.4%
New York +
| Metric | Fort Lauderdale, FL | New York, NY | Better |
|---|---|---|---|
| Obesity RateCDC PLACES | 30.3% | 25.1% | New York + |
| Diabetes RateCDC PLACES | 12.8% | 11.9% | New York + |
| Poor Mental HealthCDC PLACES — 14+ days/month | 16.2% | 15.4% | New York + |
| No Health InsuranceCDC PLACES | 14.7% | 10.6% | New York + |
| Binge DrinkingCDC PLACES | 14.9% | 16.9% | Fort Lauderdale + |
| Current SmokersCDC PLACES | 13.0% | 11.4% | New York + |
Climate
Avg Annual Temp
NOAA 1991–2020 normal
Fort Lauderdale
75.5°F
New York
55.4°F
New York +
Annual Precipitation
NOAA 1991–2020 normal
Fort Lauderdale
66.5 in
New York
46.6 in
New York +
| Metric | Fort Lauderdale, FL | New York, NY | Better |
|---|---|---|---|
| Avg Annual TempNOAA 1991–2020 normal | 75.5°F | 55.4°F | New York + |
| Annual PrecipitationNOAA 1991–2020 normal | 66.5 in | 46.6 in | New York + |
Air Quality
PM2.5 Annual Avg
EPA AQS (state-level est.)
Fort Lauderdale
7.2 µg/m³
Fort Lauderdale +
New York
8.1 µg/m³
Good Air Days
AQI ≤ 50
Fort Lauderdale
75.0%
New York
75.0%
Tie
| Metric | Fort Lauderdale, FL | New York, NY | Better |
|---|---|---|---|
| PM2.5 Annual AvgEPA AQS (state-level est.) | 7.2 µg/m³ | 8.1 µg/m³ | Fort Lauderdale + |
| Good Air DaysAQI ≤ 50 | 75.0% | 75.0% | Tie |
Commute
Mean Commute Time
Census ACS
Fort Lauderdale
28.5 min
Fort Lauderdale +
New York
44.2 min
| Metric | Fort Lauderdale, FL | New York, NY | Better |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mean Commute TimeCensus ACS | 28.5 min | 44.2 min | Fort Lauderdale + |
Which City is Right for You?
Fort Lauderdale leads in median household income at $79,935, while fort Lauderdale offers more affordable housing with a median home price of $510,297. On public safety, Fort Lauderdale is safer with a violent crime rate of 324 per 100,000 residents, compared to 434 in New York. Fort Lauderdale has a lower unemployment rate at 5.3%, and Fort Lauderdale has cleaner air (PM2.5 avg 7.2 µg/m³). For overall health outcomes, New York scores better with a lower obesity rate of 25.1%.
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