New York · Census, HUD and BEA figures · Updated

Cost of Living in Queens County, NY

Prices around Queens County, NY run 12.6% above the U.S. average (BEA, the metro area). The typical household there earns $86,136 a year, and HUD puts a two-bedroom at $2,910 a month. Keeping that rent under 30% of income takes about $116,400 a year.

Queens County, NY at a glance

Median household income

$86,136$7,178 per month · U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year
2-bedroom rent$2,910HUD FY2026 Fair Market Rent
Price level (U.S. = 100)112.6+12.6% · BEA, the metro area
Electricity29.5¢per kWh · EIA Residential NY
Population2,323,052Census ACS 5-year estimate

How much rent can you afford in Queens County, NY?

HUD’s fair market rent for each size, against what a typical household here earns. Change the income to see yours.

Moderate cost burden (30–50%)
HUD Fair Market Rent$2,910Monthly market rent
Share of gross income40.5%Recommended max: 30%
Annual income needed$116,400To meet the 30% standard
Max affordable rent$2,153At 30% of $86,136
0%30% (Affordability standard)100%
Compare against:

How much is rent in Queens County, NY? By bedroom, 2026

HUD's fiscal 2026 Fair Market Rents for New York, NY HUD Metro FMR Area, with the income each one takes if rent stays under 30% of it.

HUD Fair Market Rent in Queens County, NY, fiscal 2026
Unit SizeMonthly RentAnnual Rent30% Rule Min. Income% of Median Income
Studio / Efficiency$2,529$30,348$101,16035.2%
1-Bedroom Apartment$2,655$31,860$106,20037%
2-Bedroom ApartmentBenchmark$2,910$34,920$116,40040.5%
3-Bedroom Home$3,644$43,728$145,76050.8%
4-Bedroom Home$3,959$47,508$158,36055.2%

Rent in Queens County, NY, with the wage each unit needs →

What a typical income covers in Queens County, NY

The 50/30/20 rule applied to the local median of $86,136 a year ($7,178 a month before tax).

Needs (50%)$3,589/moRent ($2,910 2-BR), utilities (~$265/mo), groceries, transit
Wants (30%)$2,153/moEating out, travel, subscriptions and the rest
Savings and debt (20%)$1,436/moEmergency fund, retirement, paying down loans

What $86,136 leaves after New York taxes

Federal income tax, Social Security, Medicare and New York tax on the local median income. Change the salary to see yours.

$86,136
$30,000$175,000
Filing status:
Gross salary breakdown$86,136
Net 76%
Fed 12%
NY 5%
FICA 8%
Annual take-home$65,372After all taxes
Monthly deposit$5,448Estimated per month
Biweekly paycheck$2,514Every 2 weeks (26/yr)
Effective tax rate24.1%Total tax burden
Federal income tax$10,120 / yr
New York state income tax$4,055 / yr
FICA (Social Security & Medicare)$6,589 / yr

Living in Queens County, NY: common questions

What is the median household income in Queens County, NY?

According to the latest U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year survey, the median household income in Queens County, NY is $86,136 per year (approximately $7,178 per month).

What is the average rent in Queens County, NY?

The closest official figure is HUD's Fair Market Rent for 2026: $2,529 for a studio, $2,655 for one bedroom, $2,910 for two, $3,644 for three and $3,959 for four, utilities included.

It is not an average of listings. HUD sets it at the rent 40% of recent movers paid or less for a standard unit, so a new lease on a nicer place will usually cost more.

Is Queens County, NY expensive to live in?

Prices there run 12.6% above the U.S. average. BEA's regional price parity for the metro area is 112.6, where the U.S. is 100. Rent moves the number most: housing is where places differ, while goods cost about the same everywhere.

How much do you need to earn to comfortably afford rent in Queens County, NY?

To keep a $2,910 two-bedroom under 30% of gross income, a household needs about $116,400 a year, or $9,700 a month. That is 135% of what the typical household in Queens County, NY earns.

How much do you need to live comfortably in Queens County, NY?

On the local median income of $86,136 ($7,178 a month before tax), the 50/30/20 rule leaves $3,589 a month for needs like rent, utilities and groceries, $2,153 for everything else and $1,436 for savings or debt. A two-bedroom at $2,910 takes 81% of the needs share.

How much is the electric bill in Queens County, NY?

Homes in New York paid 29.5¢ per kWh on average (EIA). At 900 kWh a month, a typical use, that is about $265. Your bill depends mostly on heating and cooling.