What it's like to live in White Plains
White Plains is a smaller 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. White Plains deals with rent well above the national average, home prices well above the national average, a rent burden that leaves many renters stretched thin, and cold winters.
The good
- Low unemployment
- Higher-than-average incomes
- Low crime rates
- Clean air
- Highly educated workforce
- Growing population
The not so good
- Rent well above the national average
- High home prices
- High rent burden for renters
- Cold winters
How White Plains compares
Median household income
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
What it takes to move to White Plains
Based on White Plains's median rent, home value and household income
To rent
$4,538
up front: first month plus a typical one-month deposit
- Income to keep rent under 30%: $90,760 a year
- 51% of White Plains renters spend 30% or more of their income on rent
To buy
$124,160
a 20% down payment on the median home
- With 10% down: $62,080
- Homes cost 5.6× the typical local household income (US: 4.1×)
Moving costs, closing costs and taxes not included.
The details
Cost of living▲ 61% above US
$2,269/mo median rent
Rent is expensive here, at $2,269 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 $620,800. Renting first to get a feel for the city before buying is often the more practical route.
Median home value $620,800 · 51% 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▼ 65% below US
115 violent crimes per 100k
Pretty safe, all things considered. Violent crime sits below the national average, nothing alarming, just ordinary city-life awareness.
Property crime 1439/100k · White Plains Police Department · 2025 data
Getting aroundNear US average
27 min average commute
Commutes run about average, at 27.4 minutes. Fine day to day, but it adds up over a year, and where someone lives relative to where they work starts to matter. 6 in 10 workers drive to work; 13% take public transit; 22% work from home.
How workers get to work
Climate
Summers are warm, with highs around 81°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
Healthcare
1 hospital
There's one Medicare-certified hospital inside city limits, rated 5.0 out of 5 by Medicare. Hospitals in neighboring towns aren't counted here.
Medicare-certified hospitals
Education & workforce▲ 50% above US
54% 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 9 private schools. 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 (10 miles away). There are 8 national parks and sites within a day's drive.
Bottom line
White Plains'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 ($2,269/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 remote workers (22% of workers here already work from home). It may be a harder fit for renters on a tight budget.
Other places near White Plains
All New York guides →Moving to Harrison →
2 mi away · pop. 29,961
Rent $2,616/mo · Income $164,250
Compare with White Plains →Moving to Scarsdale →
2 mi away · pop. 18,010
Rent $3,500+/mo · Income $250,000+
Compare with White Plains →Moving to Port Chester →
5 mi away · pop. 31,102
Rent $2,028/mo · Income $92,222
Compare with White Plains →Moving to Eastchester →
5 mi away · pop. 20,491
Rent $2,210/mo · Income $157,202
Compare with White Plains →Not sure White Plains is the one?
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