What it's like to live in Haverstraw
Haverstraw is a small city in New York with county unemployment below the national average, crime rates well below the national average, air quality that stays clean most of the year, and schools with smaller class sizes than the national average. Those factors carry real weight for anyone weighing where to move next.
The tradeoffs are worth naming plainly. Haverstraw deals with rent well above the national average, commute times longer than most cities, a rent burden that leaves many renters stretched thin, and cold winters.
The good
- Low unemployment in the county
- Low crime rates
- Clean air
- Low student-teacher ratio
- Public transit that many commuters use
The not so good
- Rent well above the national average
- Above-average commute times
- High rent burden for renters
- Cold winters
- Snowy winters — 40" per year
- Above-average rainfall
How Haverstraw compares
Median household income
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
What it takes to move to Haverstraw
Based on Haverstraw's median rent, home value and household income
To rent
$4,228
up front: first month plus a typical one-month deposit
- Income to keep rent under 30%: $84,560 a year
- 66% of Haverstraw renters spend 30% or more of their income on rent
To buy
$72,220
a 20% down payment on the median home
- With 10% down: $36,110
- Homes cost 4.8× the typical local household income (US: 4.1×)
Moving costs, closing costs and taxes not included.
The details
Cost of living▲ 50% above US
$2,114/mo median rent
Rent is expensive here, at $2,114 a month median and well above the national average. This is the kind of city where housing costs deserve serious budgeting before committing to a move. Home prices run above average, with a median around $361,100. Buyers should expect to stretch their budget here.
Median home value $361,100 · 66% of renters cost-burdened
Job market
3.2% county unemployment
Unemployment in Rockland County is 3.2%, a little below the national average of 4.3%. That's the county-wide rate; BLS doesn't measure a place this size on its own.
Rockland County (county-wide)
Safety▼ 73% below US
88 violent crimes per 100k
Safety is genuinely one of the selling points here. Both violent and property crime run well below the national average, the kind of numbers that fade into the background after a week of living somewhere.
Property crime 836/100k · Haverstraw Town Police Department · 2025 data
Getting around▲ 12% above US
29 min average commute
Commutes run about average, at 29.1 minutes. Fine day to day, but it adds up over a year, and where someone lives relative to where they work starts to matter. 7 in 10 workers drive to work; 10% take public transit; 8% work from home.
How workers get to work
Climate
Summers are warm, with highs around 81°F, and winters are cold and harsh, with lows dropping to 19°F. Rainfall is regular throughout the year.
Average month
30-year averages, 1991–2020
Education & workforce▼ 31% below US
25% bachelor's degree or higher
College degree attainment runs below average at 25%. That tends to reflect a more trade and working-class economy, which can be great or limiting depending on the industry.
Schools
1 public school inside the boundary
There is 1 public school inside the boundary. The student-to-teacher ratio is 14:1, well below the national average of 16:1. Smaller class sizes are generally a positive sign for a district.
Parks & recreation
The nearest national park or historic site is Saint Paul's Church National Historic Site (22 miles away). There are 8 national parks and sites within a day's drive.
Bottom line
Haverstraw's strongest points are county unemployment below the national average and crime rates well below the national average; the main tradeoffs are rent well above the national average and commute times longer than most cities. A year of median rent ($2,114/mo) equals 34% of the median household income here, more than the 21% typical nationwide. It tends to suit job seekers (county-wide unemployment is low), anyone prioritizing low crime, and people who would rather not drive. It may be a harder fit for renters on a tight budget.
Other places near Haverstraw
All New York guides →Moving to West Haverstraw →
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Rent $1,803/mo · Income $86,301
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