Most cash-strapped cities in New York (2026)
Elmira is the most cash-strapped city in New York on our Cash Strain Index, followed by Binghamton, Spring Valley. We ranked all 192 New York cities with 10,000+ residents on rent burden, low household incomes, poverty and unemployment. Elwood ranks as the least strained.
All 192 New York cities ranked
| Rank | City | Score | Renters paying 30%+ of income on rent | Households under $35k | Poverty rate | Unemployment rate | Rent as % of median income |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Elmira | 97.6 | 58.3% | 40.9% | 30.2% | 9.9% | 25.3% |
| 2 | Binghamton | 96.6 | 51.4% | 38.7% | 32.6% | 10.2% | 22.9% |
| 3 | Spring Valley | 96.5 | 65.8% | 30.5% | 27.6% | 4.2% | 35.6% |
| 4 | Haverstraw | 96.4 | 69.1% | 29.3% | 16.4% | 8.2% | 33.7% |
| 5 | Rochester | 95.7 | 53.3% | 39.3% | 27.8% | 7.9% | 27.5% |
| 6 | Syracuse | 95.6 | 55.4% | 39.2% | 28.8% | 7.7% | 26.1% |
| 7 | Newburgh | 94.9 | 59.4% | 35.9% | 24.3% | 6.1% | 30.6% |
| 8 | Johnson City | 93.7 | 57.8% | 34.7% | 19.6% | 11.4% | 22.0% |
| 9 | Niagara Falls | 93.1 | 58.4% | 37.8% | 23.7% | 9.6% | 20.1% |
| 10 | Jamestown | 92.6 | 51.8% | 40.8% | 25.3% | 9.0% | 20.9% |
| 11 | Schenectady | 92.5 | 58.5% | 32.1% | 23.8% | 8.7% | 23.5% |
| 12 | Poughkeepsie | 92.4 | 60.0% | 30.3% | 17.6% | 8.8% | 27.7% |
| 13 | Buffalo | 92.2 | 52.3% | 36.9% | 26.0% | 7.3% | 25.1% |
| 14 | Utica | 92.0 | 52.6% | 36.8% | 27.5% | 8.2% | 21.7% |
| 15 | Oswego | 91.9 | 60.4% | 32.5% | 20.6% | 8.1% | 25.0% |
| 16 | Troy | 91.8 | 52.7% | 33.2% | 23.4% | 9.1% | 24.1% |
| 17 | North Bellport | 88.8 | 70.0% | 12.5% | 4.8% | 8.8% | 35.8% |
| 18 | Terryville | 88.0 | 84.6% | 16.1% | 11.0% | 7.5% | 24.6% |
| 19 | Albany | 87.4 | 51.4% | 30.5% | 22.9% | 7.8% | 23.5% |
| 20 | Mastic Beach | 87.0 | 70.8% | 22.5% | 21.2% | 4.4% | 26.1% |
| 21 | New York | 86.0 | 52.4% | 25.7% | 17.9% | 8.0% | 27.2% |
| 22 | Massena | 85.8 | 57.8% | 38.4% | 24.3% | 6.5% | 16.8% |
| 23 | Olean | 85.4 | 52.0% | 36.4% | 26.7% | 6.3% | 18.6% |
| 24 | Lackawanna | 85.0 | 51.8% | 35.5% | 23.2% | 6.9% | 20.1% |
| 25 | Endicott | 85.0 | 43.5% | 36.7% | 29.0% | 5.8% | 21.6% |
| 26 | Mount Vernon | 84.8 | 54.8% | 24.6% | 14.7% | 9.3% | 24.8% |
| 27 | Fulton | 84.6 | 52.0% | 35.0% | 23.5% | 6.5% | 20.5% |
| 28 | Kingston | 83.6 | 59.4% | 28.0% | 17.6% | 5.4% | 25.9% |
| 29 | Cohoes | 83.4 | 48.6% | 27.4% | 25.9% | 5.8% | 24.6% |
| 30 | Glen Cove | 83.4 | 65.8% | 20.5% | 13.5% | 4.4% | 31.3% |
| 31 | Melville | 80.4 | 73.0% | 9.8% | 4.5% | 9.7% | 26.3% |
| 32 | Riverhead | 80.4 | 59.0% | 19.9% | 10.7% | 6.8% | 29.6% |
| 33 | Hempstead | 80.3 | 57.1% | 22.8% | 14.4% | 9.2% | 21.5% |
| 34 | Auburn | 80.2 | 55.0% | 36.3% | 19.5% | 4.9% | 21.1% |
| 35 | Middle Island | 79.2 | 68.9% | 19.6% | 13.0% | 5.0% | 26.2% |
| 36 | Plattsburgh | 79.1 | 48.6% | 31.2% | 22.7% | 5.9% | 21.4% |
| 37 | Peekskill | 78.6 | 58.7% | 18.3% | 11.9% | 6.7% | 28.4% |
| 38 | Yonkers | 77.8 | 54.5% | 22.5% | 13.8% | 7.1% | 25.6% |
| 39 | Amsterdam | 77.2 | 45.4% | 31.2% | 20.2% | 6.7% | 21.5% |
| 40 | Mastic | 76.3 | 60.7% | 9.9% | 6.6% | 10.6% | 25.7% |
| 41 | Inwood | 76.2 | 58.5% | 23.3% | 14.5% | 5.5% | 25.1% |
| 42 | Greece | 75.5 | 61.5% | 22.3% | 11.0% | 7.9% | 21.3% |
| 43 | Middletown | 75.3 | 55.3% | 22.1% | 13.6% | 6.6% | 25.1% |
| 44 | Dunkirk | 75.0 | 46.6% | 34.2% | 24.3% | 4.7% | 19.5% |
| 45 | Watertown | 74.7 | 44.8% | 33.3% | 20.1% | 5.3% | 22.4% |
| 46 | Watervliet | 72.5 | 49.8% | 31.7% | 18.4% | 4.5% | 22.4% |
| 47 | Cortland | 70.2 | 52.4% | 30.1% | 20.8% | 4.2% | 19.7% |
| 48 | Lake Ronkonkoma | 69.1 | 62.5% | 17.0% | 7.8% | 6.2% | 25.6% |
| 49 | East Meadow | 69.0 | 77.1% | 10.1% | 6.4% | 4.8% | 25.9% |
| 50 | Port Chester | 66.1 | 52.6% | 18.0% | 12.9% | 5.4% | 26.4% |
| 51 | Rome | 65.7 | 45.6% | 31.5% | 18.1% | 5.9% | 18.2% |
| 52 | Ossining | 64.2 | 61.5% | 13.9% | 8.6% | 6.0% | 25.0% |
| 53 | East Patchogue | 63.5 | 70.3% | 16.0% | 5.9% | 5.4% | 22.6% |
| 54 | White Plains | 63.2 | 54.4% | 17.4% | 11.2% | 5.9% | 24.6% |
| 55 | Tonawanda | 62.6 | 53.9% | 27.3% | 13.8% | 6.2% | 17.2% |
| 56 | Rocky Point | 62.2 | 79.1% | 7.7% | 2.9% | 6.3% | 22.1% |
| 57 | Woodbury | 61.7 | 74.1% | 11.1% | 4.6% | 7.7% | 18.5% |
| 58 | Coram | 61.6 | 59.4% | 13.6% | 7.5% | 4.7% | 28.4% |
| 59 | Gloversville | 61.4 | 42.6% | 31.5% | 17.6% | 4.4% | 21.0% |
| 60 | Central Islip | 61.0 | 63.8% | 13.7% | 9.2% | 6.1% | 21.9% |
| 61 | Shirley | 60.1 | 66.4% | 12.9% | 6.5% | 6.4% | 21.9% |
| 62 | Patchogue | 59.4 | 58.1% | 19.8% | 10.6% | 3.5% | 25.3% |
| 63 | Lake Grove | 59.1 | 67.9% | 12.8% | 8.1% | 5.2% | 22.2% |
| 64 | West Haverstraw | 58.9 | 44.9% | 16.4% | 17.9% | 4.9% | 25.1% |
| 65 | Stony Point | 58.6 | 78.0% | 13.0% | 4.9% | 6.5% | 16.7% |
| 66 | Bay Shore | 58.1 | 60.1% | 16.2% | 10.2% | 4.7% | 23.4% |
| 67 | Selden | 57.8 | 66.5% | 13.4% | 6.7% | 4.0% | 25.5% |
| 68 | Islip | 57.2 | 67.0% | 12.8% | 5.7% | 5.8% | 22.2% |
| 69 | Uniondale | 57.0 | 52.1% | 12.5% | 9.2% | 7.2% | 24.0% |
| 70 | Corning | 55.8 | 43.2% | 30.7% | 11.7% | 5.8% | 19.7% |
| 71 | Batavia | 55.4 | 45.9% | 27.5% | 14.2% | 5.5% | 18.7% |
| 72 | Stony Brook | 54.8 | 66.8% | 8.2% | 6.5% | 5.2% | 24.0% |
| 73 | Medford | 53.3 | 60.1% | 12.4% | 7.1% | 6.2% | 22.0% |
| 74 | East Islip | 53.2 | 81.0% | 13.0% | 4.4% | 2.1% | 22.0% |
| 75 | New Rochelle | 51.7 | 51.0% | 18.5% | 10.1% | 5.9% | 21.1% |
| 76 | Glens Falls | 51.3 | 49.7% | 25.8% | 11.3% | 4.9% | 19.1% |
| 77 | Jericho | 51.2 | 75.2% | 10.4% | 7.3% | 4.1% | 19.0% |
| 78 | Sleepy Hollow | 51.2 | 52.9% | 17.7% | 8.7% | 5.5% | 22.1% |
| 79 | North Tonawanda | 51.1 | 50.7% | 24.1% | 12.4% | 5.8% | 16.7% |
| 80 | Oneida | 50.8 | 48.2% | 31.2% | 14.3% | 3.5% | 17.6% |
| 81 | Roosevelt | 50.3 | 71.3% | 3.2% | 3.8% | 5.8% | 22.8% |
| 82 | Mamaroneck | 50.3 | 57.4% | 16.3% | 10.7% | 4.1% | 21.6% |
| 83 | Centereach | 49.7 | 64.8% | 9.0% | 5.3% | 5.7% | 22.0% |
| 84 | Miller Place | 49.4 | 94.1% | 7.5% | 5.8% | 5.1% | 9.6% |
| 85 | Ronkonkoma | 48.9 | 53.8% | 11.1% | 3.3% | 7.7% | 23.1% |
| 86 | New City | 47.8 | 72.3% | 7.2% | 4.3% | 7.5% | 15.5% |
| 87 | Elmont | 47.7 | 56.1% | 8.9% | 5.0% | 6.8% | 23.2% |
| 88 | Scotchtown | 47.6 | 45.4% | 14.2% | 8.3% | 7.2% | 22.5% |
| 89 | Beacon | 47.6 | 46.4% | 20.1% | 9.0% | 7.3% | 18.4% |
| 90 | Ridge | 46.7 | 37.6% | 17.7% | 4.1% | 5.1% | 31.2% |
| 91 | Irondequoit | 44.7 | 57.5% | 20.0% | 9.2% | 4.4% | 17.6% |
| 92 | Lockport | 44.4 | 40.3% | 24.9% | 15.2% | 4.8% | 18.2% |
| 93 | North Merrick | 44.4 | 71.9% | 8.7% | 3.7% | 3.6% | 21.6% |
| 94 | West Babylon | 43.3 | 58.6% | 10.3% | 5.8% | 5.9% | 20.6% |
| 95 | Freeport | 42.9 | 52.1% | 11.6% | 7.4% | 6.4% | 20.7% |
| 96 | Copiague | 42.2 | 60.1% | 11.1% | 5.7% | 5.1% | 20.7% |
| 97 | Suffern | 42.1 | 47.3% | 15.7% | 6.1% | 5.2% | 24.0% |
| 98 | Tarrytown | 42.1 | 46.4% | 16.1% | 7.9% | 4.8% | 23.8% |
| 99 | Nesconset | 41.7 | 66.9% | 10.8% | 4.6% | 2.1% | 24.4% |
| 100 | East Setauket | 41.6 | 65.3% | 12.0% | 4.8% | 5.6% | 17.2% |
| 101 | West Glens Falls | 41.2 | 73.4% | 17.0% | 7.5% | 1.5% | 17.3% |
| 102 | Hauppauge | 41.0 | 58.0% | 8.1% | 5.2% | 5.4% | 22.5% |
| 103 | Great Neck | 40.6 | 59.2% | 12.6% | 6.6% | 6.7% | 15.7% |
| 104 | Nanuet | 40.4 | 54.9% | 12.6% | 9.3% | 2.9% | 23.6% |
| 105 | Bethpage | 40.3 | 58.1% | 11.5% | 5.6% | 5.5% | 19.8% |
| 106 | Canandaigua | 40.1 | 40.2% | 24.5% | 10.8% | 4.5% | 20.2% |
| 107 | Depew | 39.6 | 54.6% | 19.2% | 9.4% | 4.2% | 17.3% |
| 108 | North Valley Stream | 39.2 | 47.7% | 10.2% | 4.0% | 5.6% | 25.7% |
| 109 | Cheektowaga | 38.7 | 47.5% | 23.1% | 10.7% | 3.7% | 18.5% |
| 110 | Mount Kisco | 38.6 | 47.3% | 18.2% | 8.2% | 5.7% | 18.6% |
| 111 | South Farmingdale | 37.7 | 57.8% | 7.4% | 2.9% | 7.4% | 18.6% |
| 112 | Lindenhurst | 36.0 | 56.3% | 10.3% | 5.7% | 6.3% | 17.4% |
| 113 | Brighton | 35.6 | 49.6% | 18.7% | 8.9% | 3.9% | 19.0% |
| 114 | Pearl River | 35.5 | 73.4% | 8.9% | 7.3% | 2.6% | 16.3% |
| 115 | Tonawanda Town | 34.9 | 51.5% | 20.4% | 10.0% | 3.5% | 17.0% |
| 116 | Long Beach | 34.2 | 54.4% | 12.9% | 7.6% | 3.2% | 21.4% |
| 117 | Hicksville | 33.3 | 44.8% | 10.0% | 3.8% | 5.0% | 25.9% |
| 118 | Farmingville | 33.0 | 56.4% | 9.5% | 6.2% | 3.4% | 22.1% |
| 119 | Woodmere | 32.7 | 64.6% | 7.9% | 2.1% | 4.8% | 18.9% |
| 120 | Lynbrook | 31.6 | 49.3% | 13.7% | 7.5% | 4.5% | 19.6% |
| 121 | Kings Park | 31.5 | 63.6% | 12.1% | 2.4% | 3.5% | 19.1% |
| 122 | Holtsville | 31.3 | 60.6% | 8.9% | 4.1% | 3.4% | 21.0% |
| 123 | Geneva | 31.1 | 41.8% | 22.8% | 16.0% | 3.4% | 14.7% |
| 124 | Kenmore | 30.8 | 47.2% | 17.5% | 9.1% | 4.7% | 16.7% |
| 125 | North Amityville | 30.7 | 46.4% | 12.0% | 6.0% | 4.8% | 21.7% |
| 126 | West Seneca | 30.7 | 47.5% | 17.5% | 8.8% | 4.7% | 16.7% |
| 127 | West Hempstead | 29.8 | 49.0% | 7.7% | 4.5% | 5.5% | 21.7% |
| 128 | Harrison | 29.8 | 53.7% | 9.0% | 4.1% | 5.5% | 19.1% |
| 129 | Levittown | 29.7 | 48.2% | 9.2% | 4.7% | 5.2% | 21.8% |
| 130 | North Lindenhurst | 29.6 | 50.9% | 13.9% | 6.8% | 3.4% | 20.4% |
| 131 | St. James | 27.7 | 63.8% | 7.7% | 3.3% | 3.5% | 18.7% |
| 132 | Babylon | 27.2 | 54.3% | 12.1% | 3.5% | 3.5% | 20.7% |
| 133 | Commack | 27.1 | 58.0% | 6.8% | 4.2% | 4.6% | 18.8% |
| 134 | Rockville Centre | 26.9 | 52.9% | 13.6% | 4.7% | 5.8% | 14.9% |
| 135 | North Babylon | 26.7 | 58.4% | 7.9% | 3.3% | 4.7% | 18.3% |
| 136 | Plainview | 26.7 | 56.4% | 8.2% | 2.9% | 3.7% | 21.4% |
| 137 | Eastchester | 26.6 | 62.0% | 14.6% | 4.8% | 2.4% | 16.9% |
| 138 | North New Hyde Park | 26.0 | 59.0% | 5.1% | 3.1% | 4.7% | 19.3% |
| 139 | Hampton Bays | 25.5 | 42.7% | 14.2% | 7.9% | 3.5% | 21.4% |
| 140 | Franklin Square | 25.3 | 49.7% | 9.5% | 5.6% | 5.6% | 17.6% |
| 141 | Sayville | 24.3 | 58.0% | 13.4% | 4.9% | 2.0% | 19.2% |
| 142 | Lancaster | 23.9 | 52.0% | 22.3% | 6.7% | 1.3% | 17.6% |
| 143 | Baldwin | 23.7 | 53.9% | 11.9% | 6.6% | 4.3% | 15.6% |
| 144 | East Rockaway | 23.3 | 50.9% | 9.4% | 2.6% | 3.2% | 23.2% |
| 145 | Dobbs Ferry | 23.2 | 51.1% | 8.1% | 6.6% | 5.0% | 17.2% |
| 146 | Endwell | 23.0 | 49.6% | 21.4% | 8.4% | 3.4% | 13.3% |
| 147 | Valley Stream | 21.8 | 54.7% | 10.2% | 5.5% | 2.8% | 19.1% |
| 148 | Eggertsville | 21.7 | 38.3% | 21.2% | 14.0% | 4.1% | 12.8% |
| 149 | De Witt | 21.6 | 51.3% | 17.4% | 8.5% | 4.5% | 11.4% |
| 150 | Rye | 20.3 | 50.8% | 8.6% | 2.7% | 5.4% | 17.5% |
| 151 | Syosset | 20.2 | 49.9% | 10.7% | 4.2% | 3.6% | 19.5% |
| 152 | Jefferson Valley-Yorktown | 20.1 | 39.3% | 10.7% | 4.0% | 7.7% | 16.1% |
| 153 | Seaford | 19.6 | 55.9% | 8.7% | 3.6% | 3.7% | 17.3% |
| 154 | Smithtown | 19.4 | 58.3% | 10.4% | 4.1% | 3.1% | 16.1% |
| 155 | Huntington | 19.3 | 52.9% | 9.4% | 4.4% | 3.5% | 18.1% |
| 156 | Port Washington | 19.2 | 58.0% | 10.2% | 4.1% | 3.5% | 15.4% |
| 157 | Huntington Station | 18.4 | 43.7% | 10.0% | 7.2% | 4.3% | 18.2% |
| 158 | Mount Sinai | 17.6 | 54.6% | 5.6% | 1.6% | 2.3% | 22.8% |
| 159 | New Hyde Park | 17.6 | 46.5% | 9.0% | 3.6% | 4.9% | 18.2% |
| 160 | East Glenville | 16.7 | 38.3% | 11.2% | 4.9% | 5.5% | 18.3% |
| 161 | Holbrook | 16.7 | 41.2% | 7.4% | 5.2% | 4.7% | 20.2% |
| 162 | Saratoga Springs | 16.6 | 41.1% | 17.3% | 9.7% | 2.5% | 16.7% |
| 163 | Mineola | 16.1 | 44.7% | 7.9% | 5.3% | 3.2% | 21.0% |
| 164 | Rotterdam | 15.4 | 41.2% | 14.2% | 6.8% | 3.3% | 17.9% |
| 165 | Manorville | 15.2 | 51.3% | 12.3% | 6.6% | 1.2% | 18.4% |
| 166 | Garden City | 14.2 | 54.8% | 6.5% | 3.0% | 3.9% | 16.0% |
| 167 | Floral Park | 14.1 | 51.6% | 9.0% | 3.0% | 3.1% | 17.9% |
| 168 | Scarsdale | 13.6 | 54.3% | 2.3% | 2.9% | 4.5% | 16.8% |
| 169 | Myers Corner | 12.5 | 47.1% | 8.6% | 4.9% | 2.9% | 18.3% |
| 170 | Deer Park | 12.3 | 55.6% | 8.6% | 3.4% | 2.2% | 16.7% |
| 171 | Merrick | 12.0 | 47.2% | 6.4% | 2.3% | 3.9% | 18.9% |
| 172 | Oceanside | 11.7 | 38.2% | 7.8% | 2.9% | 5.8% | 17.9% |
| 173 | Chestnut Ridge | 10.7 | 33.0% | 10.9% | 8.1% | 4.0% | 18.4% |
| 174 | East Northport | 10.5 | 30.4% | 10.9% | 7.0% | 4.5% | 19.2% |
| 175 | Bellmore | 9.2 | 44.7% | 8.9% | 3.1% | 4.1% | 16.0% |
| 176 | Latham | 9.0 | 37.3% | 12.1% | 9.0% | 2.5% | 16.8% |
| 177 | North Bellmore | 8.6 | 50.5% | 3.2% | 1.2% | 4.0% | 16.9% |
| 178 | New Cassel | 8.4 | 37.0% | 9.2% | 7.6% | 3.6% | 16.5% |
| 179 | Massapequa Park | 8.0 | 22.2% | 9.3% | 3.1% | 4.6% | 24.2% |
| 180 | North Bay Shore | 7.4 | 41.4% | 8.3% | 6.8% | 4.0% | 13.5% |
| 181 | West Islip | 7.0 | 40.1% | 5.1% | 2.7% | 3.7% | 18.8% |
| 182 | East Massapequa | 6.9 | 45.0% | 9.7% | 3.3% | 4.4% | 12.2% |
| 183 | North Massapequa | 6.6 | 31.9% | 8.1% | 4.9% | 4.1% | 18.6% |
| 184 | Massapequa | 6.2 | 36.6% | 5.8% | 2.4% | 4.8% | 17.4% |
| 185 | Roessleville | 5.0 | 30.7% | 10.1% | 6.7% | 2.9% | 17.7% |
| 186 | Loudonville | 5.0 | 50.3% | 5.2% | 3.3% | 1.8% | 15.4% |
| 187 | Niskayuna | 3.8 | 39.5% | 8.0% | 4.0% | 3.1% | 14.2% |
| 188 | Westbury | 3.6 | 34.2% | 9.2% | 3.4% | 3.9% | 14.7% |
| 189 | Wantagh | 3.3 | 31.4% | 6.7% | 3.1% | 4.6% | 15.2% |
| 190 | North Wantagh | 2.5 | 48.1% | 5.8% | 3.2% | 2.6% | 10.5% |
| 191 | Dix Hills | 1.1 | 26.2% | 7.0% | 3.6% | 3.8% | 14.0% |
| 192 | Elwood | 0.1 | 13.2% | 5.3% | 3.5% | 2.1% | 14.0% |
Score = national percentile (100 = more strain than every other ranked U.S. city). See the national ranking, or personal loans in New York.
Download the full dataset (CSV)
Methodology
The Cash Strain Index combines five measures of household financial pressure for every U.S. city with 10,000+ residents that has complete data (4,121 cities; college towns with a median age under 25 are excluded because student households distort income measures): the share of renters paying 30% or more of income on rent, the share of households earning under $35,000, the poverty rate, the unemployment rate, and median annual rent as a percentage of median household income. Each measure is standardized (z-score) across all ranked cities and the five are averaged with equal weight. The score shown is a percentile from 0 to 100, where 100 means more strain than every other ranked city. The national list ranks cities with 100,000+ residents; state lists rank every city with 10,000+ residents.
Data: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020–2024 5-year estimates (tables B25070, B19001, B17001, B23025, B25064, B19013). ACS estimates carry margins of error, so small differences between neighboring ranks are not meaningful.
Use this data
Journalists, researchers and bloggers may use these rankings and the CSV with credit and a link to this page (“Zebra Finance Cash Strain Index 2026”). Questions or a custom cut for your city: support@zebrafinance.com.