DC to New York Moving Guide
Updated June 8, 2025

Planning a 432 mile interstate move from DC to New York? This moving guide will help you compare living in DC vs New York across 7 important categories. Compare the pros & cons (like higher cost of living vs vibrant cultural scene), food & health (like Half-Smoke vs Bagels), real estate & housing (federal and victorian vs art deco and modern), weather & wardrobe, cost of living & taxes (it's more expensive in New York), politics & religion, and education.
Key Takeaways:
- Say goodbye to Half-Smoke and Mumbo Sauce Wings, but get your taste buds ready for Bagels & Pastrami on Rye
- New York housing costs are 26% less expensive than they are in DC
- Rent in New York is 4.13% more expensive than in DC
- Moving from DC to New York will cost on average between $1,000 - $4,500
- Our top recommended DC to New York movers is JP Urban Moving
DC to New York Moving Guide
Pros and Cons of Moving from DC to New York
- Higher cost of living
- Heavy traffic
- Sweltering summers
- Limited job diversity
- Vibrant cultural scene
- Excellent public transport
- Four distinct seasons
- Career opportunities
- Fast-paced lifestyle
- Concrete jungle feel
- Busier subway system
- Higher noise levels
- Historical landmarks
- Green parks like Rock Creek
- Less crowded metro
- Diverse diplomatic presence
Pros of moving from DC to New York
- Say goodbye to the higher cost of living and hello to the vibrant cultural scene
- Look forward to moving away from heavy traffic and moving to New York with excellent public transport
- Swap the sweltering summers of DC for four distinct seasons in New York
- Get ready for career opportunities in New York
Cons of moving from DC to New York
- Unfortunately, you'll be moving away from the historical landmarks in DC to live with a fast-paced lifestyle in New York
- You'll lose out on the pro of green parks like Rock Creek and have to settle for the con of the concrete jungle feel
- Time to bid farewell to the less crowded metro and get used to a busier subway system in New York
- Swap the diverse diplomatic presence for higher noise levels
DC vs. New York: Comparing the Local Foodie Scene
Comparison | DC | New York |
---|---|---|
Most iconic local food item | Half-Smoke | Bagels |
Most popular meat dish | Mumbo Sauce Wings | Pastrami on Rye |
Most popular street food item | Jumbo Slice | Hot Dogs |
Most popular vegan food | Vegan Chili | Seitan Sandwich |
Top 3 iconic restaurants that summarize the state |
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Fitness/Health Conscientiousness | πͺπͺπͺπͺπͺπͺπͺπͺπͺπͺ | πͺπͺπͺπͺπͺπͺπͺπͺπͺπͺ |
Abundance of Food Trucks | ππππππππππ | ππππππππππ |
Foodie Scene | π΄π΄π΄π΄π΄π΄π΄π΄π΄π΄ | π΄π΄π΄π΄π΄π΄π΄π΄π΄π΄ |
Vegan Friendly | π±π±π±π±π±π±π±π±π±π± | π±π±π±π±π±π±π±π±π±π± |
If you're moving from DC to New York, you will be trading the iconic Half-Smoke of DC for the equally delicious Bagels of New York. And while the locals in DC rave about their flavorful Mumbo Sauce Wings and sumptuous Jumbo Slice, New York residents know they have tasty Pastrami on Rye and Hot Dogs to savor. While the vegan transplants might be saying goodbye to the Vegan Chili they've grown to love, they can get ready for the Seitan Sandwich of New York. In the days before your move, make sure you get one final trip to iconic DC eateries like Ben's Chili Bowl, Zaytinya, and Rosa's Thai Cafe. After the boxes are unpacked in New York, don't wait too long before making your way to New York's acclaimed eateries like Katz's Delicatessen, Per Se, and Dominique Ansel Bakery.
When comparing lifestyles, New York shows less emphasis on fitness and health consciousness than DC. Food truck fans will discover a greater selection in New York, compared to what you are used to in DC. Also, the overall foodie scene is more bustling in New York.
Real Estate & Lifestyle Differences between DC and New York
Comparison | DC | New York |
---|---|---|
Typical Architecture Style | Federal and Victorian | Art Deco and Modern |
Walkability | ππππππππππ | ππππππππππ |
Bikeability | π²π²π²π²π²π²π²π²π²π² | π²π²π²π²π²π²π²π²π²π² |
Urban Lifestyle | ποΈποΈποΈποΈποΈποΈποΈποΈποΈποΈ | ποΈποΈποΈποΈποΈποΈποΈποΈποΈποΈ |
Most popular items mentioned in real estate listing | Green spaces, Metro access | Proximity to transit, Views |
- The Federal and Victorian architecture that DC is known for will be replaced with the Art Deco and Modern architecture typical of New York.
- Compared to DC's real estate listings that commonly reference green spaces and metro access, New York real estate listings often highlight features like proximity to transit and views.
- Make sure you unpack those walking shoes. New York is more walkable than DC.
- Make sure the movers take care of your bike. New York is more bike-friendly than DC.
- New York has more of an urban feel than DC.
- New York housing costs are 26% less expensive than they are in DC, with a median home price of $460,812 compared to DCβs $619,320.
- Over the prior 5 years, home prices in New York have increased 36% compared to an 8% increase in DC.
- Rent in New York is 4.13% more expensive than in DC.
Your Move, Your Forecast: Key Weather Differences between DC and New York
Comparison | DC | New York |
---|---|---|
Days of Sunshine per Year | βοΈβοΈβοΈβοΈβοΈ | βοΈβοΈβοΈβοΈβοΈ |
Avg. Annual Humidity | π¦π¦π¦π¦π¦π¦π¦π¦π¦π¦ | π¦π¦π¦π¦π¦π¦π¦π¦π¦π¦ |
Avg. UV Index | πΆοΈπΆοΈπΆοΈπΆοΈπΆοΈπΆοΈπΆοΈπΆοΈπΆοΈπΆοΈπΆοΈ | πΆοΈπΆοΈπΆοΈπΆοΈπΆοΈπΆοΈπΆοΈπΆοΈπΆοΈπΆοΈπΆοΈ |
Natural Disasters | Hurricanes, Floods | Hurricanes, Blizzards |
Air Quality | Moderate | Moderate to Low |
Average Summer High/Low (Β°F) | 89/71 | 85/68 |
Average Winter High/Low (Β°F) | 47/29 | 39/26 |
Annual Rainfall (Inches) | 39.74 | 50.35 |
Annual Snowfall (Inches) | 15.4 | 25.3 |
- Break out the sunglasses for your move from DC to New York. New York gets 10% more sunshine days than DC.
- New York has lower humidity and a lower average UV index compared to DC.
- Say goodbye to the possible hurricanes and floods in DC, but be on the lookout for potential hurricanes and blizzards in New York.
- Get ready for colder summers. The average summer high temperature in New York is 4 degrees colder than in DC.
- The average winter lows are 3 degrees colder than they are in DC.
- Your umbrella might be more overworked in New York. New York receives 10.6 more inches of rain compared to DC.
Financial & Community Snapshot: DC and New York
Comparison | DC | New York |
---|---|---|
Avg. Household Income | $101,027 | $79,557 |
Cost of Living Index | 140.1 | 102.8 |
State Income Tax | 8.5 | 8.8 |
Avg. Property Tax | 0.55 | 0.87 |
Avg. Sales Tax | 6.0 | 8.5 |
Top 3 Industries | Government, Education, Healthcare | Finance, Healthcare, Media |
Affluence | Pronounced | Significant |
Poverty | Moderate | High |
Homelessness | Visible | Pervasive |
- When it comes to your monthly paycheck, residents in New York tend to earn about 21% less than in DC
- The COLI in New York will be 27% lower than what you are used to living in DC
- The state income tax in NY is 8.8 compared to 8.5 in DC
- The affluence in New York is significant compared to pronounced affluence in DC
- The poverty level is high in New York compared to moderate poverty in DC
- In terms of homelessness, it is visible in DC and pervasive in New York
Political and Religious Climate in DC vs. New York
Comparison | DC | New York |
---|---|---|
Political Make-up | Strongly Democratic | Leans Democratic |
Local Politics | Highly engaged, Federal government focus | Diverse, with significant state and city level engagement |
Religion | Variety of religious institutions | Diverse religious communities |
- DC tends to lean strongly Democratic in its political climate
- New York, on the other hand, is often described as leaning Democratic
- New York's religious environment can be described as diverse religious communities
- DC's residents' religious practices can be generally categorized as a variety of religious institutions
Education Guide When Moving from DC to New York
Comparison | DC | New York |
---|---|---|
Where most Seniors go to college (top 3) | University of Maryland George Washington University Howard University | New York University Columbia University Cornell University |
Top 3 Elementary Schools | Janney Elementary School Washington Mann Elementary School Lafayette Elementary School | PS 77 Lower Lab School PS 334 The Anderson School PS 290 Manhattan New School |
Top 3 Middle Schools | Deal Middle School Hardy Middle School McKinley Middle School | MS 255 Salk School of Science JHS 167 Robert F. Wagner JHS 54 Booker T. Washington |
Top 3 High Schools | School Without Walls High School Banneker High School McKinley Technology High School | Stuyvesant High School Bronx High School of Science Brooklyn Technical High School |
Top 3 private high schools | Sidwell Friends School Georgetown Day School St. Albans School | Horace Mann School Collegiate School Trinity School |
Top 3 private K-12 schools | Maret School Sidwell Friends School St. Albans School | Horace Mann School Collegiate School Trinity School |
Top 3 School Districts | District of Columbia Public Schools | New York City Department of Education |
How Much Do DC to New York Movers Cost?
Moving 432 miles from DC to New York will typically cost between $2,000 and $4,500 to hire full service movers. See the chart below for a detailed breakdown by home size.
- Expected Range: $2,000 - $4,500
- Expected Time To Complete: 2-7 days
- Most Affordable Recommended Movers: Magical Moving & Storage
HOME SIZE | MOVING COST | VOLUME OF PACKED ITEMS (FT3) | $/FT3 |
---|---|---|---|
Studio | $1,230 | 300 ft3 | $4.10 |
1 Bedroom | $1,826 | 450 ft3 | $4.06 |
2 Bedrooms | $3,012 | 750 ft3 | $4.02 |
3 Bedrooms | $4,371 | 1100 ft3 | $3.97 |
4 Bedrooms | $6,290 | 1600 ft3 | $3.93 |
5+ Bedrooms | $6,999 | 1800 ft3 | $3.89 |
Top DC to New York Movers
Read our in-depth analysis of the best DC to New York movers with detailed rankings, cost breakdowns, and reviews.