One Of New York's Friendliest Towns Also Has A Below Average Cost Of Living

The cost of living in America has gotten incredibly expensive in recent years. This being the case, it's no wonder that so many young people have been moving out of major cities and relocating to smaller, more remote areas where the cost of living is significantly more affordable. It's also worth noting that certain regions experienced significantly higher inflation in 2024 compared to others, which also may be contributing to this mass migration. Regardless, if you find yourself struggling with the cost of living in a larger metro area, it might be a good time to consider relocating to a small town. For current residents of New York City, you could even stay in-state by exploring Chittenango.

While New York State is undeniably one of the most expensive states in the country, Chittenango can be a welcome — and affordable — break. Not only will you be escaping the noise and hustle that typically plagues residents of big cities, but also the high rent prices and cost of living. After all, according to Payscale, housing prices in a metro like New York City are over 400% higher than the national average — with Rent.com finding that the average rent for an apartment in the city in 2025 is between $4,090 and $7,300. That said, a move to Chittenango could provide you a degree of peace and quiet in addition to added savings.

According to BestPlaces, Chittenango received a cost of living score of 84.7. This takes into consideration the affordability of various factors like housing, food, transportation, childcare, and more. That said, the price of these and other cost-related factors in Chittenango is over 15% lower than the U.S. national average. For housing in particular, the cost of renting a two bedroom apartment there is astonishingly cheap at around $1040 a month. Seeing as the average rent price in the U.S. is $1,430, you can potentially save almost $400 a month by moving there, which would be a game changer for many people struggling with the cost of living in America. However, for those looking to purchase a home, the average cost to do so in Chittenango is roughly $200,000, over 40% cheaper than the average home price in the U.S. today.

in order to comfortably live in this quaint and peaceful town, you would need to make roughly $37,000 a year for a family, or around $33,000 a year if you're single. This amounts to around $3,100 for a family or $2,800 a month individually. Regardless, when considering earning either of these salaries, it makes living in Chittenango over 40% less expensive than the national average. That said, before you get to hiring a moving company and relocating to Chittenango, let's explore what else the town has to offer outside of affordability.

Outside of its various affordability factors, Chittenango is a quaint, small town located in Madison County, New York. It was once the home of L. Frank Baum, who originally wrote the Wizard of Oz, which was later adapted into the movie many of us are familiar with today. This being the case, Chittenango is also home to the "All things Oz" Museum, which pays homage to the popular book, movie, and musicals. Inside, you can find various props from the movie and musicals, as well as rare items like those autographed by the actress who played Dorothy in the movie, Judy Garland. You can also take a trip to the Yellow Brick Road Casino and Sports Book as well if you're looking for an Oz themed place to gamble.

However, beyond of its many Oz themed locations, Chittenango also has a lot of natural beauty. For those that enjoy nature, you can visit the Chittenango Falls State Park. With its incredible waterfall and natural surroundings, this is an amazing place to go out and immerse yourself in the beauty of the great outdoors, something many residents of major cities aren't typically able to access on a regular basis. Also, during the summertime, you can access Green Lakes State Park to go swimming in the lake there. However, beyond nature, the town also has access to an abundance of many great local restaurants and stores, as well as a very highly rated public school district.