Moving from New York to Arizona: The Real Numbers
ClozeEZ, the for-sale-by-owner site, lays out the real numbers on moving from New York to Arizona. About 5,077 New Yorkers moved to Arizona in 2024 against only 2,936 moving the other way, a ratio of roughly 1.7 to 1, the most lopsided of any state in this set (Census ACS 2024 1-year). The volume is modest but the per-household stakes are the highest here: New York City residents face a combined state and city income tax approaching 10.7%, against Arizona's flat 2.5%.
New York vs. Arizona at a glance
| New York | Arizona | |
|---|---|---|
| Moved to Arizona (2024) | 5,077 people (net +2,141) | The most lopsided ratio on this list |
| Median home price | $540,000 state / $718,000 NYC metro | $433,500 state / $455,000 Phoenix metro |
| Income tax | 3.90%-10.90%, plus NYC's 3.078%-3.876% | 2.5% flat |
| Effective property tax | 1.30% state; suburbs far higher | 0.48% |
| Annual snowfall | 29.8 inches (NYC) | None recorded (Phoenix) |
The city and the suburbs are two different comparisons
For a New York City resident, income tax carries the argument. State rates run 3.90% to 10.90% and the city adds its own 3.078% to 3.876%, so a typical household above roughly $90,000 pays somewhere around 9.8% to 10.7% combined. Arizona charges 2.5% flat, with no municipal income tax anywhere in the state. That is the largest income tax delta in this entire comparison set.
Property tax is not the city's story. Assessment caps make the boroughs deceptively low: Brooklyn around 0.56%, Manhattan 0.71%, Queens 0.75%, broadly comparable to Arizona. The suburbs are where property tax dominates: Westchester at 1.84%, Nassau at 1.72%, and Suffolk at 1.62%, all with median bills above $10,000 a year against Maricopa County's median of $1,983.
Where Arizona does not win
The corridor is real but small: about 5,000 people a year, ranking New York 16th among Arizona's source states. And the statewide New York median price of $540,000 is skewed upward by New York City; it does not describe upstate, where housing is far less expensive than Phoenix.
New York to Arizona: frequently asked questions
How much income tax would I save moving from New York City to Arizona?
A New York City household typically pays roughly 9.8% to 10.7% combined state and city income tax above about $90,000 of income. Arizona charges a flat 2.5% with no municipal income tax, making this the largest income tax gap among Arizona's common source states.
Are New York property taxes really higher than Arizona's?
In the suburbs, dramatically. Westchester runs about 1.84%, Nassau 1.72%, and Suffolk 1.62%, with median bills above $10,000 a year against Maricopa County's $1,983. Inside New York City the boroughs are much lower because of assessment caps, Brooklyn around 0.56%, and closer to Arizona's 0.48%.
How many New Yorkers move to Arizona?
About 5,077 in 2024, against 2,936 moving from Arizona to New York, a net gain of 2,141 and the most lopsided ratio among Arizona's source states, though the absolute volume ranks New York only 16th.
Does the comparison work for upstate New York?
Less cleanly. The statewide median of $540,000 is pulled up by New York City; much of upstate is less expensive than Phoenix. Upstate's stronger argument is property tax and winter rather than home price.