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Living in
Mount Vernon.
About
Life in Mount Vernon
Mount Vernon works best if you're seeking an urban, densely populated neighborhood feel close to New York City with a tight-knit, predominantly Black community and strong Caribbean cultural roots. The downtown feels dated after failed redevelopment efforts, but the Sandford Boulevard commercial corridor has been revitalized since the 1980s and attracts shoppers from across Westchester. Your commute to Manhattan will run roughly 36 minutes on average, which is manageable but not short.
Mount Vernon at a Glance
Population, income, housing and more
Median Age
40.7 yrs
Poverty Rate
14.7%
Foreign-Born
33.0%
Broadband Internet
83.6%
of households
Population Growth
-2.2%
recent change · Census Bureau
Median household income
Demographics33.0% foreign-born, most often from Jamaica
Who lives in Mount Vernon: race and ethnicity, ages, households, languages and countries of origin
In Mount Vernon, the largest foreign-born group is from Jamaica (43.5%), and 15.7% of residents speak Spanish at home.
Under 18
21.1%
of residents
65 and Older
17.1%
of residents
Households with Kids
27.9%
anyone under 18
Living Alone
34.8%
of households
Married Couples
30.4%
of households
Avg Household Size
2.55
people
Race & Ethnicity
Hispanic or Latino of any race; other groups are non-Hispanic
Top countries of origin (foreign-born)
Languages Spoken at Home
Cost of Livingrent about average for NY
Rent, home values, and income in Mount Vernon
In Mount Vernon, home values are 14% above the NY average.
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
Rent Burdened
50.1%
spending 30%+ of income on rent
Severely Rent Burdened
25.5%
spending 50%+
Cost of Living Index
112.6
metro area (BEA) · US avg = 100
Homeowners
42.9%
of occupied homes are owned
Typical Home Built
1953
median year built
Vacant Homes
6.7%
of housing units
Home Value Trend
Latest: $593,663 (September 2026)
Jobs & Economyunemployment about average for NY
Unemployment in Mount Vernon and typical pay across the metro area
Unemployment in Mount Vernon is close to the NY average.
Unemployment rate
City-level rate · BLS annual average
Unemployment Rate — 10 Year Trend
City-level (BLS) · Annual averages
What Mount Vernon Residents Do for Work · share of employed residents by industry
City residents, wherever they work
Median Salary by Occupation · metro area
New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA metro area
Commute35 min avg
How Mount Vernon residents get to work, and the nearest airports
In Mount Vernon, most residents drive alone to work (48%), and 45% get there in under 30 minutes.
How People Get to Work
Commute Time Distribution
Nearest airports · with airline service
- 10 mi
LaGuardia Airport (LGA)
Major hub16.3M passengers boarded in 2025
Straight-line distance. Size is the FAA’s hub category, based on passenger traffic: regional airports may have only a few flights a day.
Safetyviolent crime 51% above national average
Crime rates for 2025
Violent crime in Mount Vernon runs 51% above the national average.
Violent Crime Rate
495.7
per 100,000 residents
Above average (329 national, 2025)
Property Crime Rate
1,401.9
per 100,000 residents
Below average (1,552 national, 2025)
Mount Vernon Police Department
Natural DisastersThunderstorm Wind most common — 17 events in 2025
Natural hazard risk, storms and earthquakes
FEMA National Risk Index
Relatively High
96.2 / 100
Compares expected losses from natural hazards, social vulnerability and community resilience against every US county (higher = more risk).
Westchester County, county-wide · FEMA NRI December 2025
In Westchester County, which includes Mount Vernon, the most common type is thunderstorm wind, with 17 recorded events in 2025.
Most common events:
Storm events by year
| Year | Events | Top Type | Property Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 17 | Winter Weather | $34,000 |
| 2024 | 25 | Thunderstorm Wind | $77,000 |
| 2023 | 16 | Flash Flood | $50,000 |
| 2022 | 15 | Winter Weather | $10,950 |
| 2021 | 20 | Flash Flood | $92.6M |
| 2020 | 14 | Thunderstorm Wind | $695,000 |
| 2019 | 24 | Strong Wind | $397,000 |
| 2018 | 28 | Thunderstorm Wind | $933,500 |
Property damage is the National Weather Service's estimate filed with each event. “None reported” means the events were logged with $0 damage; “Not estimated” means no estimate was filed. Storms covering several counties aren't counted here, since NOAA doesn't split their damage by county.
0 earthquakes of magnitude 2.5+ within 100 miles in the past year
Westchester County, county-wide
Air Quality38 median AQI — Good
Days by air quality category (2025)
Air quality in Westchester County, which includes Mount Vernon, is typically good — 301 good-air days per year.
Median AQI
38
Good Days
301
per year
Moderate Days
58
per year
Unhealthy Days
0
per year
Westchester County, county-wide
Climate84°F summers, 30°F winters
30-year climate averages (1991–2020) — monthly temperatures and precipitation
Mount Vernon has warm summers (avg high 84°F) and cold winters (avg low 30°F).
Spring (Mar–May)
61°/45°F
avg high / low
Summer (Jun–Aug)
84°/68°F
avg high / low
Fall (Sep–Nov)
66°/51°F
avg high / low
Winter (Dec–Feb)
42°/30°F
avg high / low
Annual Precipitation
49.9"
Annual Snowfall
32.7"
Hot Days/Year
23
days above 90°F
Freeze Days/Year
67
days below 32°F
Rainy Days/Year
128
Average month
Show month-by-month table ↓Hide table ↑
| Month | High | Low | Precip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 40°F | 27°F | 3.74" |
| Feb | 43°F | 29°F | 3.19" |
| Mar | 50°F | 35°F | 4.37" |
| Apr | 61°F | 44°F | 3.95" |
| May | 72°F | 55°F | 4.06" |
| Jun | 81°F | 64°F | 4.55" |
| Jul | 86°F | 71°F | 4.37" |
| Aug | 84°F | 69°F | 4.82" |
| Sep | 77°F | 62°F | 4.55" |
| Oct | 66°F | 51°F | 4.13" |
| Nov | 54°F | 41°F | 3.45" |
| Dec | 45°F | 33°F | 4.67" |
Healthcare1 hospital, avg 3.0/5
Hospitals, ratings, and health insurance in Mount Vernon
Mount Vernon has 1 hospital, averaging 3.0 out of 5 on CMS's quality rating.
Hospitals
1
within city limits
Uninsured
7.1%
of residents
Avg Hospital Rating
3.0 / 5
Montefiore Mount Vernon Hospital
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available
Nearby hospitals · within 15 miles
Montefiore New Rochelle Hospital
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 2.2 mi away · New Rochelle
Montefiore Medical Center
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 3.6 mi away · Bronx
St Joseph's Medical Center
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 3.8 mi away · Yonkers
Adult Health · vs. the typical US place
Share of adults. Modeled estimates, not counted cases. “US” = the typical US place.
Medicare-certified hospitals only. Doesn’t include clinics, urgent care, or freestanding ERs.
Education11.6:1 student/teacher ratio
Schools and degree attainment in Mount Vernon
Mount Vernon's student/teacher ratio is 11.6:1 (lower than the national average of 16:1), and 35.9% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Public Schools
18
within city limits
Private Schools
2
within city limits
College Degree Rate
35.9%
adults 25+ with bachelor's or higher
Student/Teacher Ratio
11.6:1
National avg 16:1
Schools located within city limits (2023) — school-level metrics change slowly year to year
Colleges & Universities in Mount Vernon
Private nonprofit · 2-year · 121 students · 91% graduate
Nearby Colleges (within 15 miles)
Public · 4-year · 16,289 students · in-state tuition $7,382 · 59% graduate · median earnings $70,502 (10 yrs after entry)
Public · 4-year · 16,154 students · in-state tuition $7,462 · 72% graduate · median earnings $83,742 (10 yrs after entry)
Public · 4-year · 12,550 students · in-state tuition $7,538 · 57% graduate · median earnings $68,324 (10 yrs after entry)
Public · 4-year · 12,505 students · in-state tuition $7,340 · 58% graduate · median earnings $69,594 (10 yrs after entry)
CUNY John Jay College of Criminal Justice
12.9 mi awayPublic · 4-year · 11,590 students · in-state tuition $7,470 · 63% graduate · median earnings $65,870 (10 yrs after entry)
CUNY LaGuardia Community College
12.9 mi awayPublic · 2-year · 11,254 students · in-state tuition $5,254 · 38% graduate · median earnings $48,879 (10 yrs after entry)
Degree-granting colleges with 100+ students, placed by campus location (main campuses only — branch campuses are reported under their parent school)
Parks & Recreationclosest: Saint Paul's Church National Historic Site, 1 mi
Nearby national parks, recreation areas and public libraries for Mount Vernon
Mount Vernon has 8 nearby national parks or recreation areas, closest being Saint Paul's Church National Historic Site (1 mi away).
Nearby National Parks & Recreation Areas
Saint Paul's Church National Historic Site
National Historic Site
1 mi awayHamilton Grange National Memorial
National Memorial
9 mi awayGeneral Grant National Memorial
National Memorial
10 mi awayStonewall National Monument
National Monument
15 mi awayTheodore Roosevelt Birthplace National Historic Site
National Historic Site
15 mi awayLower East Side Tenement Museum National Historic Site
National Historic Site
16 mi awayAfrican Burial Ground National Monument
National Monument
17 mi awayFederal Hall National Memorial
National Memorial
17 mi awayPublic Libraries in Mount Vernon
Mount Vernon Public Library
28 South First Avenue, Mount Vernon
Cities Near Mount Vernon
The closest cities within 60 miles
Planning a move to Mount Vernon?
Read our full moving guide — what it's really like to live here.
Mount Vernon FAQ
Is Mount Vernon, New York affordable?⌄
Mount Vernon's median rent is $1,629/month, which is above the national average. The median household income is $78,779/year. Median home value is $484,000.
Is Mount Vernon, New York safe?⌄
Mount Vernon's violent crime rate was 496 per 100,000 residents in 2025, which is above the national average of 329/100k that year. Property crime rate is 1402 per 100,000. As with any city, crime rates vary by neighborhood.
What is the job market like in Mount Vernon, New York?⌄
Mount Vernon has an unemployment rate of 4.2%, which is close to the national average of 4.3%.
What is the cost of living in Mount Vernon, New York?⌄
The cost of living in Mount Vernon is primarily driven by housing. Median rent is $1,629/month and median household income is $78,779/year. The median home value is $484,000. About 50% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing.
How is the commute in Mount Vernon, New York?⌄
The average commute in Mount Vernon is 35 minutes, which is longer than average compared to the national average of 26 minutes.
Data from the US Census Bureau, BLS, FBI, NOAA, EPA, Zillow Research and other public sources. Where our data comes from