New York, NY
Not a tax move. A career and energy move, priced like LA.
New York is the outlier on this site. Moving from Los Angeles to New York is rarely about saving money: in the most recent Redfin data the typical New York home sold for about $899K, versus about $904K for the typical LA County zip code. People make this move for work, energy and a different way of living.
The money picture
| Typical LA County zip | New York, NY | |
|---|---|---|
| Median sale price | $904K | $899K |
| Median price per sq ft | $588 | $639 |
| Median days on market | n/a | 68 |
| State income tax on wages | Progressive, top rate 13.3% | Progressive, 4% to 10.9% (New York City adds its own income tax) |
Market figures: Redfin Data Center. New York: May 2026, all residential. LA: median of LA County zip-code medians, Mar 2026 to May 2026. Medians are a rough guide and hide a wide range of homes. Tax rates as published by each state for tax year 2026; rates change, so verify with the state's revenue department.
The typical detached house sold for about $795K and the typical condo for about $830K, but the per-foot numbers tell the real story: $639 per square foot overall, and $1,061 for condos, against $588 for the typical LA zip. Expect less space for the money. Homes sold at about 98.3% of list price with a median of 68 days on market.
For an LA owner, the real question is what the equity buys. LA equity can translate into a co-op or condo in many parts of the city, but monthly carrying costs (maintenance fees, common charges and property taxes) work differently than in LA and deserve a close look before committing. Many buyers rent first to learn the neighborhoods and the building types, then buy once they know which tradeoffs they actually want. Either way, coordinating the LA sale with a New York search takes planning.
Taxes
New York has a progressive income tax with rates from 4% to a top rate of 10.9%, and New York City also has its own city income tax on top of the state tax. For most people leaving LA, a move to New York is about work and lifestyle rather than taxes. Current rates and rules are at the New York State Department of Taxation and Finance.
Consider a high earner moving from LA to Manhattan. California's top rate is 13.3% and New York State's is 10.9%, but New York City adds its own income tax on top, so the combined picture can land closer to California than people expect. This is a simplified illustration: brackets apply to slices of income rather than the whole amount, the year of the move usually means part-year returns in both states, and deductions and other income change everything. A CPA is the right person to run real numbers.
What people tend to weigh
- Climate. Four full seasons: hot, humid summers and cold winters with snow. A real coat becomes standard equipment.
- Housing stock. Mostly apartments, much of it co-ops with board approval processes and financial requirements, plus condos and townhouses. Detached houses are more common in the outer boroughs and suburbs.
- Getting back to LA. A cross-country flight of roughly five to six hours and a three-hour time difference. Frequent nonstops from JFK, LaGuardia and Newark make it routine, not quick.
- Jobs and pace. Finance, media, fashion and law are concentrated here, and the city moves fast. For the state-level picture, read moving from California to New York and our guide to selling your LA home and moving out of state.
Common questions
How much does a home cost in New York compared with Los Angeles?
The typical New York home sold for about $899K ($639 per square foot) in Redfin's May 2026 data, versus about $904K ($588 per square foot) for a typical LA County zip code. Medians hide a wide range of homes.
Does New York have a state income tax?
Progressive, 4% to 10.9% (New York City adds its own income tax). California's top marginal rate is 13.3%. Tax rules change, so confirm current rates with the state's revenue department and a CPA.
How fast are homes selling in New York?
Homes in New York had a median of 68 days on market and sold for about 98.3% of list price on average (Redfin, May 2026).
What could $1 million from an LA sale buy in New York?
As a rough illustration, $1 million at New York's median of $639 per square foot works out to about 1,560 square feet, compared with about 1,700 at the LA median. Use the calculator on this page for your own numbers.
The move starts with the sale.
Before you land anywhere, your LA home has to sell, and how it sells sets your budget for everything after. The seller's playbook covers timing, California withholding at closing, transfer taxes and the questions to bring your CPA.