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Moving to
Monsey.
Monsey is an unincorporated community in Rockland County, NY. It has no city government: the county runs it, and the Census counts it as its own place.
What it's like to live in Monsey
Monsey is an unincorporated community in New York with county unemployment below the national average, commutes that run shorter than most cities, 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. Monsey deals with rent well above the national average, home prices well above the national average, household incomes below the national average, and college degree attainment below the national average.
The good
- Low unemployment in the county
- Short commutes
- Clean air
- Low student-teacher ratio
The not so good
- Rent well above the national average
- High home prices
- Below-average household incomes
- Low college degree attainment
- High poverty rate
- High rent burden for renters
How Monsey compares
Median household income
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
What it takes to move to Monsey
Based on Monsey's median rent, home value and household income
To rent
$3,784
up front: first month plus a typical one-month deposit
- Income to keep rent under 30%: $75,680 a year
- 73% of Monsey renters spend 30% or more of their income on rent
To buy
$184,200
a 20% down payment on the median home
- With 10% down: $92,100
- Homes cost 19.3× the typical local household income (US: 4.1×)
Moving costs, closing costs and taxes not included.
The details
Cost of living▲ 34% above US
$1,892/mo median rent
Rent runs on the higher side, at $1,892 a month median. That premium adds up quickly for renters whose income hasn't kept pace with local prices. Home prices are steep, with a median around $921,000. Renting first to get a feel for the city before buying is often the more practical route.
Median home value $921,000 · 73% 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
72 violent crimes per 100k, whole jurisdiction
Monsey doesn't have its own police department, so there's no crime rate for it alone. The figures shown are for the Ramapo Town Police Department jurisdiction as a whole, which runs below the national average for violent crime and covers many communities. Individual neighborhoods can differ a lot from that overall rate.
Property crime 478/100k · Policed by Ramapo Town Police Department (township-wide rate) · 2025 data
Getting around▼ 14% below US
22 min average commute
Commutes are reasonable, averaging 22.3 minutes. Nothing heroic, and there's still time left over for a life after work. 7 in 10 workers drive to work; 7% take public transit; 11% work from home.
How workers get to work
Climate
Summers are warm, with highs around 82°F, and winters are cold, with lows around 22°F and snow a regular occurrence. Rainfall is regular throughout the year.
Average month
30-year averages, 1991–2020
Education & workforce▼ 58% below US
15% bachelor's degree or higher
This is a working-class city, and college degree rates reflect that. Trades, manufacturing, and service industries tend to dominate the local economy, which is a strength for some fields and a real constraint for others.
Schools
3 public schools inside the boundary
There are 3 public schools inside the boundary and 5 private schools. The student-to-teacher ratio is 13:1, 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 Paterson Great Falls National Historical Park (15 miles away). There are 8 national parks and sites within a day's drive.
Bottom line
Monsey's strongest points are county unemployment below the national average and commutes that run shorter than most cities; the main tradeoffs are rent well above the national average and home prices well above the national average. A year of median rent ($1,892/mo) equals 48% of the median household income here, more than the 21% typical nationwide. It tends to suit job seekers (county-wide unemployment is low). It may be a harder fit for renters on a tight budget.
Other places near Monsey
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