City Comparison
Cheyenne vs New York City
Cost of living, salaries, climate and quality of life compared side by side.
VS
Cheyenne scores higher overall
Performance
Score Breakdown
Cheyenne
New York City
Livability
Affordability
Business
Growth
Expenses
Cost of Living
Cheyenne is the more affordable option overall — monthly living expenses run about
39% lower than in New York City.
Housing costs are a major driver: Cheyenne's average rent is
60% lower than New York City's.
| Metric | Cheyenne | New York City | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average Rent | $1,367 | $3,382 | -60% |
| Groceries | $705 | $520 | +36% |
| Utilities | $352 | $370 | -5% |
| Transport | $250 | $130 | +92% |
| Healthcare | $141 | $250 | -44% |
| Monthly Total | $2,815 | $4,652 | -39% |
| Cost Index | 100 | 178 | out of 100 |
Income
Salary & Income
New York City offers 46% lower average salaries.
However, when adjusted for local cost of living, New York City delivers stronger purchasing power —
meaning your dollar stretches further day-to-day.
The minimum comfortable salary in Cheyenne is estimated at
$75,000 vs $61,000 in New York City.
| Metric | Cheyenne | New York City |
|---|---|---|
| Average Salary | $54,402 | $100,877 |
| Salary Needed | $75,000 | $61,000 |
| Purchasing Power | 54,402 idx | 56,672 idx |
| Household Income | $78,839 | $80,483 |
Weather
Climate Comparison
Both cities share a similar average temperature, within 0°F of each other.
| Metric | Cheyenne | New York City |
|---|---|---|
| Avg Temp | °F | °F |
| Summer High | °F | °F |
| Winter Low | °F | °F |
| Rainfall | in | in |
| Snowfall | in | in |
| Sunny Days | ||
| Humidity | % | 63.00% |
Mobility
Commute & Transport
Cheyenne has the shorter commute — saving residents roughly
13,500 minutes (225 hours) per year compared to New York City.
New York City scores higher for public transit, making it the better choice for car-free living.
For walkability, New York City leads — a better score here means more amenities reachable on foot.
| Metric | Cheyenne | New York City |
|---|---|---|
| Commute Time | 16 min | 43 min |
| Transit Score | 30.0/100 | 88.0/100 |
| Walkability | 40.0/100 | 89.0/100 |
| Traffic Index | 167.60 | |
| Car Dependency | High | Low |
Population
Economy & Demographics
New York City is the larger city
.
From a growth perspective, Cheyenne is expanding faster, signaling stronger demand for housing, jobs, and services.
On the employment side, Cheyenne has a lower unemployment rate, reflecting a tighter and more competitive job market.
| Metric | Cheyenne | New York City |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 66,580 | 8,585,000 |
| Pop. Growth | 0.11% | — |
| Median Age | 38.9 | 38.2 |
| Unemployment | 3.70% | 4.90% |
| GDP | — | $1,354.0B |
At a Glance
Pros & Cons
Cheyenne
Advantages
Cheyenne's unemployment rate of 3.7% (Q4 2024) is lower than the national average, indicating a healthy job market.
The average commute time in Cheyenne is only 16 minutes, significantly shorter than many other U.S. cities.
Overall crime rates in Cheyenne decreased by 8% in 2025 compared to 2024, and continued to decline by 12.4% in 2026.
The cost of living in Cheyenne is comparable to the national average, with utilities being 5.2% lower.
Cheyenne offers a strong sense of community and rich Western heritage, highlighted by events like Cheyenne Frontier Days.
Drawbacks
Cheyenne's crime rate is higher than 99% of other communities within Wyoming and higher than average for cities of similar population size.
Public transportation options are limited, leading to a high reliance on personal vehicles.
Groceries in Cheyenne are approximately 1.7% pricier than the national average.
While overall healthcare costs are lower, a doctor's visit without insurance can be 16.2% higher than the national average.
The city experiences cold and long winters with significant snowfall.
New York City
Advantages
New York City is the most linguistically diverse city globally, with an estimated 800 languages spoken.
The city boasts a world-class public transportation system, with a transit score of 88 and a walkability score of 89.
New York City's private sector employment reached a record high of 4.25 million jobs in December 2024.
Overall index crime in New York City saw a nearly 3% reduction in 2024, marking the second consecutive year of declines.
New York City is a global hub for finance, media, tech, healthcare, and tourism, offering unparalleled opportunities.
Drawbacks
The cost of living in New York City is 78% higher than the national average, making it one of the most expensive cities globally.
Median rent for a 1-bedroom apartment in Manhattan reached $4,595 in April 2024.
The city experienced a population decline of 12,000 residents between June 2024 and July 2025.
New York City has a high traffic index of 167.6 and an average commute time of 43.34 minutes.
Housing affordability has reached a crisis due to high costs and a slow pace of new housing construction.
Explore
Dive Deeper
Key figures side by side — see which city wins each category at a glance.
Cheyenne
#578Wyoming, USA
46.1 / 100 overall
Avg Rent
$1,367
Avg Salary
$54,402
Cost Index
100
Commute
16 min
Transit Score
30.0/100
Walkability
40.0/100
Sunny Days
/yr
Avg Temp
°F
Pop. Growth
0.11%
Unemployment
3.70%
Livability
72
Business
65
New York City
#584New York, USA
45.2 / 100 overall
Avg Rent
$3,382
Avg Salary
$100,877
Cost Index
178
Commute
43 min
Transit Score
88.0/100
Walkability
89.0/100
Sunny Days
/yr
Avg Temp
°F
Pop. Growth
%
Unemployment
4.90%
Livability
70
Business
62
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