What it's like to live in Spring Valley
Spring Valley is a small city in New York with unemployment below the national average, air quality that stays clean most of the year, schools with smaller class sizes than the national average, and public transit that many commuters actually use. Those factors carry real weight for anyone weighing where to move next.
The tradeoffs are worth naming plainly. Spring Valley deals with rent well above the national average, household incomes below the national average, college degree attainment below the national average, and a poverty rate above the national average.
The good
- Low unemployment
- Clean air
- Low student-teacher ratio
- Public transit that many commuters use
The not so good
- Rent well above the national average
- Below-average household incomes
- Low college degree attainment
- High poverty rate
- High rent burden for renters
- Cold winters
How Spring Valley compares
Median household income
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
What it takes to move to Spring Valley
Based on Spring Valley's median rent, home value and household income
To rent
$3,390
up front: first month plus a typical one-month deposit
- Income to keep rent under 30%: $67,800 a year
- 63% of Spring Valley renters spend 30% or more of their income on rent
To buy
$76,360
a 20% down payment on the median home
- With 10% down: $38,180
- Homes cost 6.7× the typical local household income (US: 4.1×)
Moving costs, closing costs and taxes not included.
The details
Cost of living▲ 20% above US
$1,695/mo median rent
Rent runs on the higher side, at $1,695 a month median. That premium adds up quickly for renters whose income hasn't kept pace with local prices. Home prices run above average, with a median around $381,800. Buyers should expect to stretch their budget here.
Median home value $381,800 · 63% of renters cost-burdened
Job market▼ 30% below US
3.0% unemployment
Unemployment here is 3.0%, a little below the national average of 4.3%.
City-level (BLS)
SafetyNear US average
340 violent crimes per 100k
Crime runs about typical for a city this size. Some neighborhoods are safer than others, and one overall rate doesn't tell the whole story, so a neighborhood-level look matters more than the headline stat.
Property crime 1222/100k · Spring Valley Village Police Department · 2025 data
Getting aroundNear US average
24 min average commute
Commutes run about average, at 24.2 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; 13% take public transit; 5% work from home.
How workers get to work
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
30-year averages, 1991–2020
Education & workforce▼ 52% below US
17% 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
1 public school inside the boundary
There is 1 public school inside the boundary and 4 private schools. 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 Paterson Great Falls National Historical Park (15 miles away). There are 8 national parks and sites within a day's drive.
Bottom line
Spring Valley's strongest points are unemployment below the national average and air quality that stays clean most of the year; the main tradeoffs are rent well above the national average and household incomes below the national average. A year of median rent ($1,695/mo) equals 36% of the median household income here, more than the 21% typical nationwide. It tends to suit job seekers and people who would rather not drive.
Other places near Spring Valley
All New York guides →Moving to Monsey →
1 mi away · pop. 28,160
Rent $1,892/mo · Income $47,629
Compare with Spring Valley →Moving to Nanuet →
3 mi away · pop. 19,799
Rent $2,308/mo · Income $117,167
Compare with Spring Valley →Not sure Spring Valley is the one?
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