LivabilityCalc
Find Your City
City Housing Verdict

Hillcrest, NY

High Pressure

Living in Hillcrest, NY costs about 39% more than the national average (Cost Index: 139). Housing is the main driver — the typical home value of $551,200 is well above the $303,400 US median. The local median household income is $142,260, which helps frame the place-side housing burden.

Hillcrest already reads as a high-pressure housing market, with 21% rent burden, 3.9x home-price-to-income, and a housing index of 182. Treat this page as a stress test for rent, mortgage, and tax burden before assuming the move works.Data Sources: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 · BEA RPP 2023 · Zillow ZHVI

Data Updated: March 2026
Housing Feasibility Verdict
Stretch

Based on your household income, housing mode, local rent, home value, property tax, and mortgage assumptions for Hillcrest.

Monthly Housing
$2,488/mo
Lower of rent or buy scenario
Housing Burden
21%
Healthy
Residual Cash
$8,867/mo
After housing and debt · $2,956/person
Rent vs Buy
Renting is the lower-pressure baseline
Main pressure: everyday costs
Assumptions
Housing Mode
Confidence: MediumHome source: ACSRent source: ACSBEA proxy: nonmetroHousehold size: 3Down payment: 20%Fixed burden: 25%
Uses a URL fragment, so it does not create a separate indexed page.
Cost Index
139
Very Expensive
Based on housing costs · See methodology
Median Home Value
$551,200
Source: Census ACS
National: $303,400
Median Rent
$2,488/mo
Source: Census ACS
National: $1,348/mo
Household Income
$142,260
National: $78,538
Population
8,989
Purchasing Power
130
100 = national baseline

Cost of Living Breakdown

Each index uses 100 as the US national average. A score of 150 means 50% more expensive; 80 means 20% cheaper.

Housing Cost Index
182 / 100
82% above average
Rent Index
185 / 100
85% above average
Goods & Groceries
96 / 100
About the same as most US cities
BEA State Nonmetro avg.
Utilities
88 / 100
12% lower utility bills
BEA State Nonmetro avg.
Healthcare & Services
98 / 100
In line with national average
BEA State Nonmetro avg.
Overall Index
139
Very Expensive · 39% above average

Hillcrest Mortgage Calculator

Pre-filled with the local median home value of $551,200 and New York's property tax rate of 1.72%.

Household Housing Budget

Local median household income is shown only as a place-side affordability input. Personal salary, filing status, and take-home pay analysis belong in salary.city.

Local Household Income
$142,260
Census ACS place context
Rent Burden Estimate
21%
Typical annual rent / local household income
Home Price to Income
3.9x
Typical home value / local household income
Use this section to judge whether Hillcrest looks structurally manageable for a household budget. For a specific job offer, filing status, payroll taxes, or salary equivalence across cities, run the income-side decision in salary.city.

Property Tax in Hillcrest, NY

Est. Annual Property Tax
$9,481
Monthly Impact
$790
Added to your mortgage
Effective Rate
1.72%
National avg: ~1.00%

New York Place Tax Context

Tax TypeNew YorkNational Avg
Property Tax Rate1.72%1.00%
Top Income Tax Rate10.9%~5.0%
State Sales Tax8.52%~5.0%

Compare Hillcrest to Another City

Compare place-side costs such as housing, rent, groceries, utilities, services, and tax context.

Cost of Living Comparison

Compare place-side housing, rent, goods, services, and utility pressure between cities.

Hillcrest, NY
139
185
Loading cities...
---
---

Cost Index Comparison (100 = National Avg)

Housing CostsNational Avg: 100
Hillcrest, NY: 182
Rent Prices
185

FAQ: Living in Hillcrest

Is Hillcrest, NY an expensive place to live?+

Yes — Hillcrest is about 39% more expensive than the national average, with an overall Cost Index of 139. Housing is the biggest factor: the typical home here is valued around $551,200, and monthly rents average roughly $2,488. Day-to-day costs like groceries and utilities tend to run closer to the national norm.

How does Hillcrest fit a household housing budget?+

Start with housing. Typical monthly rent is $2,488, while local median household income is $142,260. That implies a rent-burden proxy of about 21% before utilities and other costs. For a specific job offer, filing status, or take-home pay scenario, use salary.city.

How much are taxes in Hillcrest, NY?+

New York has a progressive state income tax with a top rate of 10.9%. The effective property tax rate is 1.72%. On a home worth $551,200, that translates to roughly $9,481 per year in property taxes. Sales tax (state + local) averages around 8.52% on everyday purchases.

How much does it cost to rent in Hillcrest, NY?+

The typical monthly rent in Hillcrest is around $2,488. That's about 85% higher than the $1,348 national median. For comparison, the median home value here is $551,200, so buyers should also factor in mortgage payments, property taxes, and insurance.

How much does a house cost in Hillcrest, NY?+

The median home in Hillcrest is valued at $551,200. With 20% down and a 6.5% mortgage rate, you'd be looking at roughly $2,787/month for principal and interest alone — before property taxes and insurance. About 74% of residents here own their homes.

Are groceries and utilities expensive in Hillcrest?+

Grocery prices in Hillcrest are about average compared to the rest of the US (index: 96, where 100 is the national average). Utility bills (electricity, gas, water) are below average (index: 88). Overall, these everyday costs shouldn't cause major surprises if you're moving from another similarly-sized US city.

What is Hillcrest, NY like to live in?+

Hillcrest is a small town with a population of about 8,989. The median age of residents is 35.3, which is close to the national median. The local poverty rate is 15.65%, near the national average of 12.4%.

Lower-Pressure Alternatives in New York

If Hillcrest feels tight, start with these same-state cities that look easier on rent burden or buy-side pressure.

Higher-Pressure Comparisons in New York

Use these city pages when you want to compare Hillcrest against tougher same-state markets before deciding whether the current city is already a stretch.

LC
Reviewed by LivabilityCalc Research Team
Financial Data Analysts · Census & Economic Data Specialists
Data Sources & Methodology
  • Real Estate & Housing: Zillow Home Value Index (ZHVI, Smoothed & Seasonally Adjusted) and Zillow Observed Rent Index (ZORI). Structural fallback utilizes U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates.
  • Goods, Utilities & Services: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) Metropolitan Area Regional Price Parities (MARPP), incorporating verified State Nonmetropolitan averages.
  • Mortgage Rates: Freddie Mac 30-Year Fixed Rate Mortgage Average in the United States (PMMS) via Federal Reserve Economic Data (FRED).
  • Tax Context: State-level property, sales, and income-tax context used for place-side relocation planning. Personal take-home pay and offer analysis are handled by salary.city.
  • Index Methodology: Weighting matrix derived from Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Consumer Expenditure Surveys (CEX) distributional models. Baseline standardized at 100. (Read methodology details)
Last data update: March 2026 · Mortgage rates updated monthly