City profile · New York · Census ACS 2023

Valley Stream, NY

Population, income, housing, safety, climate and schools for Valley Stream - drawn straight from Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA, NCES, HUD and FEMA, refreshed on the 2024–2025 release cycle.

40,278
Residents
$127,426
Median income
$605,000
Median home
$2,747
Median rent (state)

Valley Stream - the verdict

Valley Stream ranks in the 89th percentile for household income nationally, out of every US city with at least 1,000 residents. Source: Census ACS.

89th
percentile, household income
89th
percentile, home value
94th
percentile, median rent
📝 How we sourced this

Population, income, and housing-cost figures come from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-year estimates (B-series tables). Crime data uses FBI UCR; climate uses NOAA Climate Normals; school counts come from NCES Common Core of Data; permits use the Census Building Permits Survey (BPS). See our methodology page for the full ETL pipeline and OMB / FIPS join keys.

Data Snapshot: Valley Stream, NY

Census ACS 2023 estimates count 40,278 residents in Valley Stream, a small city within New York. The typical household in Valley Stream brings in $127,426 a year, placing it in the top quartile of U.S. cities for household income, with a poverty rate of 2.6%. Valley Stream's housing stock carries a median value of $605,000, and the median resident age is 42.0 years. 38.2% of adults here have a bachelor's degree or higher; 64.2% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

The Census Building Permit Survey recorded 19 residential units authorized here in 2024 (Building Boom), up 533% from five years earlier.

New York carries a cost-of-living premium: the state registers 107.9 on a 100-equals-national-average index (Above Average) per BEA Regional Price Parities 2024. A typical two-bedroom carries a HUD Fair Market Rent of $2,747 per month statewide. EIA 2023 residential energy data puts New York's average monthly utility costs around $285 (state average). Workers in Valley Stream report an average commute of 36.9 minutes, with 56.1% driving alone and 11.2% working from home. FEMA's National Risk Index rates natural-hazard exposure at 97.1 out of 100 (Very High).

Population

40,278 residents

Census ACS 2023 - New York

Median Household Income

$127,426 /yr

Poverty 2.6%

Cost of Living Index (state)

107.9 (US=100)

Above Average - BEA RPP 2024, New York average

How does Valley Stream compare to other US cities?

Where Valley Stream sits among all US cities (population 1,000+) on each measure, computed live from Census and FBI data.

Household income 89% higher than other cities
Home value 89% pricier than other cities
Median rent 94% pricier than other cities

"Safer than" reflects total crime rate from FBI UCR; the others use Census ACS estimates.

How we calculate these percentiles & ranks

Each percentile compares Valley Stream against every qualifying US city; each in-state rank narrows that to New York only. Full formula and direction notes: methodology.

New York-relative analysis

Median Home Value places Valley Stream toward the top of New York's cities

Among the 1,202 New York cities PlainCities tracks with reported median home value data, Valley Stream ranks #245 - the 80th percentile within the state. This is a different, narrower cut than the nationwide percentiles above: it compares Valley Stream only against its own state's cities, not the full US field.

Median Household Income
#284 of 1,205
76th percentile in New York
Median Gross Rent
#142 of 1,256
68th percentile in New York
Median Home Value
#245 of 1,202
80th percentile in New York
Poverty Rate
#822 of 1,246
33rd percentile in New York
Bachelor's Degree or Higher
#522 of 1,254
58th percentile in New York

Ranked by raw value (highest first); a higher rank is not automatically "better" for every measure, see each metric's own context above. This is a comparison within New York only, not a livability score. See the methodology for the source and calculation.

89thIncome percentile

89th percentile nationally for median household income. Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

How Valley Stream's home value compares nationally

Median home value vs. every US city (population 1,000+)

$605,000 11th percentile more affordable than 11% of 15,600 US cities

$0–$25,000: 5 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $25,000–$50,000: 54 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $50,000–$75,000: 352 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $75,000–$100,000: 1,086 US cities (7%). Below this entry. $100,000–$125,000: 1,516 US cities (10%). Below this entry. $125,000–$150,000: 1,170 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $150,000–$175,000: 1,278 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $175,000–$200,000: 1,229 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $200,000–$225,000: 1,035 US cities (7%). Below this entry. $225,000–$250,000: 976 US cities (6%). Below this entry. $250,000–$275,000: 754 US cities (5%). Below this entry. $275,000–$300,000: 712 US cities (5%). Below this entry. $300,000–$325,000: 521 US cities (3%). Below this entry. $325,000–$350,000: 526 US cities (3%). Below this entry. $350,000–$375,000: 465 US cities (3%). Below this entry. $375,000–$400,000: 393 US cities (3%). Below this entry. $400,000–$425,000: 317 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $425,000–$450,000: 300 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $450,000–$475,000: 307 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $475,000–$500,000: 250 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $500,000–$525,000: 160 US cities (1%). Below this entry. $525,000–$550,000: 156 US cities (1%). Below this entry. $550,000–$575,000: 172 US cities (1%). Below this entry. $575,000–$600,000: 172 US cities (1%). Below this entry. $600,000–$625,000: 163 US cities (1%). This entry sits in this band. $625,000–$650,000: 167 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $650,000–$675,000: 135 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $675,000–$700,000: 101 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $700,000–$725,000: 95 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $725,000–$750,000: 71 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $750,000–$775,000: 65 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $775,000–$800,000: 70 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $800,000–$825,000: 57 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $825,000–$850,000: 67 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $850,000–$875,000: 60 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $875,000–$900,000: 58 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $900,000–$925,000: 47 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $925,000–$950,000: 37 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $950,000–$975,000: 31 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $975,000–$1,000,000: 470 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $1,000,000–$1,025,000: 0 US cities (0%). Above this entry. Valley Stream $0 $1,025,000 every US city, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $25K-wide band; taller bars hold more US cities. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates · 2023

Income distribution context

Household income distribution - Valley Stream, NY Valley Stream, NY's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Valley Stream, NY-specific quintile data). The Lorenz curve traces the national cumulative income share against cumulative population share, perfect equality is the diagonal; observed inequality bows below. $ Household Income Distribution Valley Stream, NY median $127,426/yr, vs. U.S. national quintile pattern QUINTILE SHARE OF AGGREGATE INCOME Lowest 20% 3.4% Second 20% 9.2% Middle 20% 15.1% Fourth 20% 23.2% Top 20% 49.1% LORENZ CURVE cumulative income vs. population 100% 0% 100% pop. 0%
Valley Stream, NY's median household income (Census ACS 5-year estimate) plotted against the U.S. national income-quintile distribution pattern for context; the quintile shares and Lorenz curve are national figures, not computed specifically for Valley Stream, NY. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 38.2%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 2.6%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 64.2%

Census ACS S2301, share of working-age residents in the labor force

Population
40,278
Median Income
$127,426
Median Home Value
$605,000
Median Age
42.0
Poverty Rate
2.6%
Labor force participation
64.2%
Bachelor's Degree+
38.2%

Schools

Total Schools
14
Public schools in this city

Population Change

Annual U.S. Census Bureau Population Estimates Program (PEP) estimates, 2020–2025

See the fastest-growing cities →
40,100 residents40,200 residents40,300 residents40,400 residents40,500 residents40,600 residents 202020212022202320242025 40,480 residents 40,379 residents ▼ -0.2%
Valley Stream's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Housing Supply

Census Bureau Building Permits Survey (BPS) - annual residential permits authorized

📈 Building Boom
Total Permits (2024)
19
housing units authorized
Single-Family
3
detached homes
Multifamily
16
apartments & condos
Supply Intensity
0.5
permits per 1,000 residents

5-Year Permit Trend (2019–2024)

Year Total
2019 3
2020 4
2021 33
2022 4
2023 0
2024 19

Permit volume increased 533% from 2019 to 2024.

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Average Commute Time
36.9 minutes
Drive Alone
56.1%
Carpool
6.9%
Public Transit
20.5%
Walk
2.7%
Work from Home
11.2%
Other
2.6%

Based on 21,072 workers 16 and over.

Monthly Utility Costs

State-average estimates for New York - EIA 2023 residential energy data

Electricity
$130
avg/month
Natural Gas
$90
avg/month
Water & Sewer
$65
avg/month
Total Utilities
$285
estimated/month

Estimates reflect New York state averages. Actual costs vary by home size, usage, and local rates. Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023.

Living Costs & Risk

Cost of living is a New York state average from BEA; rent and hazard risk are county-level figures from HUD and FEMA for the county Valley Stream sits in

Cost of Living Index
107.9
Above Average
US average = 100 · BEA RPP 2024
Typical 2-BR Rent
$2,747/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent
County-level FMR estimate
Natural Hazard Risk
97.1 / 100
Very High
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in New York

Coram
41,527 people
Central Islip
37,751 people
West Babylon
43,239 people
Hicksville
43,868 people
Brighton
36,633 people
Kiryas Joel
36,572 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Valley Stream's 40,278 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Findlay, OH
40,280 people
Arecibo zona urbana, PR
40,255 people
Florence, SC
40,205 people
Lake Oswego, OR
40,367 people
The Acreage, FL
40,188 people
New Berlin, WI
40,384 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Valley Stream's $127,426 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Union, NJ
$127,411 median income
St. John, IN
$127,449 median income
Lake Shore, MD
$127,453 median income
Heathcote, NJ
$127,391 median income
El Cerrito, CA
$127,475 median income
Elk Creek, KY
$127,487 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Valley Stream, NY Race categories sum to one hundred percent per Census methodology. Hispanic or Latino is shown separately as an ethnicity overlay; it cuts across all race categories per OMB Directive 15. Race & Ethnicity Composition Valley Stream, NY - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 28.9% 25.1% 18.4% 16.2% 11.4% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 25.0% White 28.9% Black or African American 25.1% Asian 18.4% American Indian 0.1% Native Hawaiian 0.0% Some other race 16.2% Two or more races 11.4% Per OMB Directive 15: Hispanic/Latino ethnicity is reported separately from the race categories.
Race categories sum to 100%. Hispanic or Latino ethnicity is reported separately and cuts across race per Census/OMB methodology.

City-level race and ethnicity, Census ACS 5-year 2023 (tables B02001, B03001), OMB Directive 15 categories.

How Valley Stream compares to nearby New York cities

Population + median household income, sourced from Census Bureau ACS 5-year B01001 (population) and B19013 (median household income).

City Population Median Household Income
Valley Stream (this city) 40,278 $127,426
Coram 41,527 $107,159
Central Islip 37,751 $110,166
West Babylon 43,239 $127,785
Census ACS 5-year FIPS NY NCES CCD Census BPS 2024 OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Valley Stream, NY?

What is the population of Valley Stream, NY? +

The population of Valley Stream, NY stands at 40,278 according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the median household income in Valley Stream, NY? +

The median household income in Valley Stream is $127,426 per year, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Valley Stream? +

BEA does not publish a city-level cost-of-living figure for Valley Stream; the closest available measure is the New York state average, a cost of living index of 107.9 (U.S. average = 100), rated "Above Average" based on BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 data. Costs within New York vary by metro area.

What is the median home value in Valley Stream, NY? +

A typical home in Valley Stream is worth $605,000, according to Census ACS 2023 estimates.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year 2023, NCES CCD, Census BPS 2024, Census ACS B08301/B08136, U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023, BEA Regional Price Parities 2024, HUD Fair Market Rents 2026, FEMA National Risk Index.

Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.

Primary sources: Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA Climate Normals, NCES.

Citation & verification links Data sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainCities

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Every figure on PlainCities is rendered directly from Census ACS source data, no number is typed in by an editor. This page draws directly on Census ACS source data, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.