What it's like to live in Ossining
Ossining is a small city in New York with unemployment below the national average, household incomes running above the national average, crime rates well below the national average, and air quality that stays clean most of the year. Those factors carry real weight for anyone weighing where to move next.
The tradeoffs are worth naming plainly. Ossining deals with rent well above the national average, home prices well above the national average, long average commutes, and a rent burden that leaves many renters stretched thin.
The good
- Low unemployment
- Higher-than-average incomes
- 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
- High home prices
- Long commutes
- High rent burden for renters
- Cold winters
- Snowy winters — 40" per year
How Ossining compares
Median household income
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
What it takes to move to Ossining
Based on Ossining's median rent, home value and household income
To rent
$4,308
up front: first month plus a typical one-month deposit
- Income to keep rent under 30%: $86,160 a year
- 59% of Ossining renters spend 30% or more of their income on rent
To buy
$89,820
a 20% down payment on the median home
- With 10% down: $44,910
- Homes cost 4.3× the typical local household income (US: 4.1×)
Moving costs, closing costs and taxes not included.
The details
Cost of living▲ 52% above US
$2,154/mo median rent
Rent is expensive here, at $2,154 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 $449,100. Buyers should expect to stretch their budget here.
Median home value $449,100 · 59% of renters cost-burdened
Job market▼ 28% below US
3.1% unemployment
Unemployment here is 3.1%, a little below the national average of 4.3%.
City-level (BLS)
Safety▼ 66% below US
112 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 609/100k · Ossining Village Police Department · 2025 data
Getting around▲ 39% above US
36 min average commute
Traffic is a real factor here. The 36.1 minute average means plenty of commuters are pushing 45 to 60 minutes on a bad day. Proximity to work matters more here than it might elsewhere. 7 in 10 workers drive to work; 14% take public transit; 15% 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 & workforceNear US average
37% bachelor's degree or higher
Education levels run about average, with 37% college-educated. It's a mix of white-collar and blue-collar work, which can be an asset or a limitation depending on the field.
Schools
5 public schools inside the boundary
There are 5 public schools inside the boundary. 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 Saint Paul's Church National Historic Site (19 miles away). There are 8 national parks and sites within a day's drive.
Bottom line
Ossining's strongest points are unemployment below the national average and household incomes running above the national average; the main tradeoffs are rent well above the national average and home prices well above the national average. A year of median rent ($2,154/mo) equals 25% of the median household income here, more than the 21% typical nationwide. It tends to suit job seekers, anyone prioritizing low crime, and people who would rather not drive. It may be a harder fit for renters on a tight budget and people who dread long commutes.
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