Cost of living answer

Cost of Living in Rome, NY

Cost of Living in Rome, NY has an overall index of 86, 14% below the U.S. baseline of 100. The typical home value is $199,530; typical monthly rent is $871; and median household income is $58,857.

Cost index: committed city housing/rent inputs and BEA 2024 metro-area price parities. Home value: Zillow ZHVI market signal as of 2026-02. Rent: Census ACS 2023 fallback place estimate. A place-level signal, not a personal affordability decision or financial recommendation.

Cost vs U.S.14% belowOverall modeled index 86
Typical rent$871/moCensus ACS
Typical home value$199,530Zillow ZHVI
Median household income$58,857Census ACS place estimate
Market PressureLower

Rent and home prices are comparatively balanced with local income. This describes the local market, not your household.

Rent pressure
18%
Typical annual rent divided by local median household income.
Buy pressure
3.4x
Typical home value divided by local median household income.
Your Household Fit

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Are you renting or buying?
Advanced assumptions
Initial rent input: $871 from ACS. Edit it to match the housing option you are considering.
Mortgage benchmark: 6.11% 30-year fixed, Freddie Mac Primary Mortgage Market Survey via FRED, as of 2026-03-12. Not a lender quote or approval.
Property-tax input: State-level effective owner-occupied property-tax proxy Not a parcel or individual tax-bill estimate.

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City details

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Overall cost index86100 = U.S. baseline
Goods1000% above baseline
Services982% below baseline
Utilities13232% above baseline
Frequently asked questions about Rome

Living in Rome

Is Rome, NY an affordable place to live?+

Yes — everyday expenses in Rome run about 14% below the US average (Cost Index: 86). Housing is especially affordable: the median home is valued around $199,530, compared to the $303,400 national median. Monthly rent is $871, versus $1,348 nationally.

How does Rome fit a household housing budget?+

Start with housing. Typical monthly rent is $871, while local median household income is $58,857. That implies a rent-burden proxy of about 18% before utilities and other costs. Use that as a planning signal for whether the place looks manageable under your own household assumptions.

How much are taxes in Rome, NY?+

New York uses a progressive model; 10.9% is top marginal-rate context. Applying the 1.72% state-level effective owner-occupied proxy to a home worth $199,530 gives a planning estimate near $3,432 per year; it is not a city, county, parcel, or individual tax bill. State plus average local sales-tax context is around 8.52%.

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

The typical monthly rent in Rome is around $871. That's roughly 35% lower than the $1,348 national median. For comparison, the median home value here is $199,530, so buyers should also factor in mortgage payments, property taxes, and insurance.

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

The typical home value in Rome is $199,530. With 20% down and the committed 6.11% national 30-year fixed benchmark as of 2026-03-12, principal and interest are roughly $968/month before property tax and insurance. This is a planning estimate, not a local lender quote. About 55% of residents here own their homes.

Are groceries and utilities expensive in Rome?+

Grocery prices in Rome are about average compared to the rest of the US (index: 100, where 100 is the national average). Utility bills (electricity, gas, water) are on the high side (index: 132). Overall, these everyday costs shouldn't cause major surprises if you're moving from another similarly-sized US city.

What is Rome, NY like to live in?+

Rome is a smaller city with a population of about 31,795. The median age of residents is 40.4, which is close to the national median. The local poverty rate is 18.13%, above the national average of 12.4%.