New York

Most affordable New York suburbs

Ranked on what a household actually pays: the in-house cost-of-living index at 55%, the median home value against the metro at 25% (lower is better here), and the share of households already stretched by housing costs at 20%.

Updated Sep 2026·60 suburbs considered, 10 listed
1
This is a photo of the Ocean County Courthouse in Toms River, NJ, a building listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Toms River$404k median · 30.1 min commute
Cost of living BHousing DEmployment C−
70
Affordability
overall 55 C−
2
Cheesequake Marsh from Cheesequake State Park
Old Bridge$486k median · 33.6 min commute
Cost of living BHousing DEmployment D+
67
Affordability
overall 56 C−
3
Radburn shopping center (Radburn Plaza Building?), near Radburn station, en:Fair Lawn, New Jersey.
Fair Lawn$565k median · 31.3 min commute
Cost of living C+Housing C−Employment C
58
Affordability
overall 65 C+
4
Cooper's Pond, Bergenfield NJ
Bergenfield$492k median · 32.3 min commute
Cost of living C+Housing DEmployment C−
57
Affordability
overall 57 C−
5
Aerial view of downtown in Newark, Essex County, New Jersey from an aircraft which just departed from Newark Liberty International Airport
Newark$374k median · 32.6 min commute
Cost of living C+Housing FEmployment F
55
Affordability
overall 41 D−
6
New Brunswick, New Jersey, from the air in February 2026
New Brunswick$354k median · 23.3 min commute
Cost of living C+Housing FEmployment F
55
Affordability
overall 48 D+
7
The "Be Fort Lee" sign in Fort Lee Park, Fort Lee, New Jersey
Fort Lee$448k median · 35.0 min commute
Cost of living CHousing D−Employment D+
55
Affordability
overall 63 C+
8
taken on 10/22
Shirley$425k median · 33.2 min commute
Cost of living C−Housing D+Employment D
55
Affordability
overall 45 D
9
Photo of Sayreville, New Jersey taken along southbound Washington Road (County Route 535) at French Street in Tangletown neighborhood
Sayreville$444k median · 30.8 min commute
Cost of living C−Housing D−Employment D+
54
Affordability
overall 54 C−
10
Aerial view centered on East Orange in Essex County, New Jersey, seen from an aircraft which just departed from Newark Liberty International Airport
East Orange$366k median · 35.4 min commute
Cost of living CHousing FEmployment F
53
Affordability
overall 41 D−
This list's weighting
Cost of living 55%Median home value (lower is better) 25%Cost-burdened households 20%
Other New York lists
Best New York suburbs for familiesBest New York suburbs for schoolsShortest commutes to Downtown New YorkMost walkable New York suburbsBest New York suburbs for young professionalsHow we score New York suburbs →

Photos from Wikimedia Commons: Toms River (KForce · CC BY-SA 3.0); Old Bridge (State of New Jersey, Dept of Parks and Forestry · Public domain); Fair Lawn (Rickyrab · CC BY-SA 3.0); Bergenfield (Wikimedia Commons · Public domain); Newark (Famartin · CC BY-SA 4.0); New Brunswick (Alansohn · CC BY-SA 4.0); Fort Lee (RyeCityRoller · CC BY-SA 4.0); Shirley (Nightmareman765 · CC BY-SA 4.0); Sayreville (Mr. Matté (if there is an issue with this image, contact me using this image's C · CC BY 3.0); East Orange (Famartin · CC BY-SA 4.0).