Moving to
Scarsdale.

All Scarsdale data Compare Scarsdale

18,010people live here $250,000+median household incomeCensus top category $3,500+median rent per monthCensus top category $1,800,700median home value▲ 441% above US

The Census tops out at $3,500+ for rent and $250,000+ for household income; it doesn't publish exact figures above those.

What it's like to live in Scarsdale

Scarsdale is a small city in New York with county 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. Scarsdale deals with rent well above the national average, home prices well above the national average, long average commutes, and cold winters.

The good

Low unemployment in the county
Higher-than-average incomes
Low crime rates
Clean air
Highly educated workforce
Low student-teacher ratio

The not so good

Rent well above the national average
High home prices
Long commutes
Cold winters
Above-average rainfall

How Scarsdale compares

Median household income

Scarsdale$250,000+

New York avg$85,974

US$80,734

The Census tops out at $250,000+ for household income; it doesn't publish exact figures above that.

Median rent (per month)

Scarsdale$3,500+

New York avg$1,621

US$1,413

The Census tops out at $3,500+ for rent; it doesn't publish exact figures above that.

Median home value

Scarsdale$1,800,700

New York avg$423,800

US$332,700

What it takes to move to Scarsdale

Based on Scarsdale's median rent, home value and household income

To rent

$7,002

up front: first month plus a typical one-month deposit

Income to keep rent under 30%: $140,040 a year
42% of Scarsdale renters spend 30% or more of their income on rent

To buy

$360,140

a 20% down payment on the median home

With 10% down: $180,070
Homes cost 7.2× the typical local household income (US: 4.1×)

Moving costs, closing costs and taxes not included.

The details

Cost of livingCensus top category

$3,500+/mo median rent

Rent is expensive here, at $3,500+ 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 are steep, with a median around $1,800,700. Renting first to get a feel for the city before buying is often the more practical route.

Median home value $1,800,700 · 42% of renters cost-burdened

Job market

3.4% county unemployment

Unemployment in Westchester County is 3.4%, 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.

Westchester County (county-wide)

Safety▼ 95% below US

17 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 245/100k · Scarsdale Village Police Department · 2025 data

Getting around▲ 63% above US

43 min average commute

Commutes run long, averaging 42.5 minutes, and that's just the average, meaning a lot of people are doing significantly more. This isn't a city where living far from the office is a comfortable bet. 3 in 10 workers drive to work; 29% take public transit; 36% work from home.

How workers get to work

Work from home

36%

Public transit

29%

Drive alone

24%

Carpool

4.8%

Walk

3.1%

Other

2.1%

Climate

Summers are warm, with highs around 83°F, and winters are cold, with lows around 25°F and snow a regular occurrence. Rainfall is regular throughout the year.

Average month

High °FLow °FPrecip (in)

30-year averages, 1991–2020

Education & workforce▲ 153% above US

91% bachelor's degree or higher

This is a highly educated city, with over half the adult population holding a college degree. That tends to shape the job market and the broader culture, and it's a solid indicator of a strong professional scene.

Schools

7 public schools inside the boundary

There are 7 public schools inside the boundary and 1 private school. The student-to-teacher ratio is 11:1, 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 (7 miles away). There are 8 national parks and sites within a day's drive.

Bottom line

Scarsdale's strongest points are county 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. It tends to suit job seekers (county-wide unemployment is low), anyone prioritizing low crime, and remote workers (36% of workers here already work from home). It may be a harder fit for renters on a tight budget and people who dread long commutes.

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