Kingston cost of living
Prices in the Kingston, NY metro area run at 100.7 against a national average of 100, ranking it #76 of 387 metros. Rents there sit at 110.2.
What drives the number
Kingston sits at 100.7, which is as close to the national average as this series gets. That makes it a useful reference point: a salary quoted here means roughly what the same salary means nationally. Against New York as a whole it is 7.2 points less expensive, which is the unusual direction, and it means the expensive part of the state is somewhere else.
The parts move together here rather than pulling against each other: goods at 99.7, rents at 110.2, other services at 133.6. Goods are close to national almost everywhere, because most are shipped and priced nationally, so it is worth noticing when rents behave the same way.
Comparing a job here against one elsewhere on the headline salary alone will mislead by roughly 0.7 per cent. Adjusting by the parity fixes that.
The vertical line is the national average of 100. Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities, SARPP, 2024.
What the biggest local jobs are really worth
The same pay buys different amounts in different places, so a salary quoted in Kingston is not comparable to one quoted elsewhere until it is divided by the local parity. These are the occupations that employ the most people here, with the quoted median alongside what that median is worth at national prices.
| Occupation | Employed | Median pay | Worth nationally | U.S. median |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cashiers | 1,750 | $33,500 | $33,267 | $31,190 |
| Retail Salespersons | 1,710 | $35,670 | $35,422 | $34,580 |
| Home Health and Personal Care Aides | 1,530 | $37,090 | $36,832 | $34,900 |
| Fast Food and Counter Workers | 1,470 | $34,670 | $34,429 | $30,480 |
| Waiters and Waitresses | 1,450 | $46,860 | $46,534 | $33,760 |
| General and Operations Managers | 1,350 | $94,550 | $93,893 | $102,950 |
| Stockers and Order Fillers | 1,270 | $37,290 | $37,031 | $37,090 |
| Teaching Assistants, Except Postsecondary | 1,140 | $35,510 | $35,263 | $35,240 |
Pay from the BLS metro survey, adjusted by dividing by the metro parity of 100.7.
Nearby metro areas
| Metro area | All items | Rents | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| New York-Newark-Jersey City | 112.6 | 148.6 | #5 |
| Kiryas Joel-Poughkeepsie-Newburgh | 109.4 | 115.8 | #13 |
| Ithaca | 103.3 | 128.4 | #43 |
| Albany-Schenectady-Troy | 99.6 | 102.6 | #94 |
| Rochester | 97.0 | 87.5 | #129 |
| Buffalo-Cheektowaga | 95.8 | 81.0 | #149 |
Kingston: common questions
Is Kingston expensive?
Prices are 0.7% above the national average, a parity of 100.7 where the country is 100. It ranks #76 of the 387 metro areas BEA measures. Against New York as a whole it is 7.2 points less expensive.
What salary do you need in Kingston?
The median worker there earns $49,050, which buys what $48,709 buys nationally once local prices are taken into account. Comparing a salary offer between cities without this adjustment is comparing nothing useful.
Is housing the reason?
Usually. Rents here are at 110.2 against goods at 99.7. Goods barely vary between American cities because most are shipped and priced nationally; housing varies enormously, and it dominates any cost of living comparison.