New York-Newark-Jersey City vs Washington-Arlington-Alexandria: Housing Market Comparison (2026)
Side-by-side Alpha Scores, affordability, momentum, supply, jobs, and rental yield · as of May 2026
New York-Newark-Jersey City vs Washington-Arlington-Alexandria side by side
| Metric | ● New York-Newark-Jersey City | ● Washington-Arlington-Alexandria |
|---|---|---|
| Alpha Score | 27 | 25 |
| Price Momentum | 50 | 50 |
| Inventory Health | 0 | 1 |
| Affordability | 5 | 15 |
| Economic Strength | 62 | 39 |
| Rental Yield | 24 | 26 |
| Median Sale Price | — | — |
| Price-to-Income | 6.0 | 4.5 |
| Payment-to-Income | 37.0% | 27.4% |
| Months of Supply | — | — |
| Gross Rental Yield | 3.6% | 4.3% |
| Overvaluation Index | 40 | 20 |
Highlighted = the stronger read for that metric (supply, valuation, and payment burden are better when lower). Income/rent inputs lag annually.
How New York-Newark-Jersey City and Washington-Arlington-Alexandria compare, dimension by dimension
- Affordability: Washington-Arlington-Alexandria leads — New York-Newark-Jersey City 5/100 vs Washington-Arlington-Alexandria 15/100.
- Price Momentum: New York-Newark-Jersey City and Washington-Arlington-Alexandria score the same (50/100).
- Inventory Health: Washington-Arlington-Alexandria leads — New York-Newark-Jersey City 0/100 vs Washington-Arlington-Alexandria 1/100.
- Economic Strength: New York-Newark-Jersey City leads — New York-Newark-Jersey City 62/100 vs Washington-Arlington-Alexandria 39/100.
- Rental Yield: Washington-Arlington-Alexandria leads — New York-Newark-Jersey City 24/100 vs Washington-Arlington-Alexandria 26/100.
Frequently asked questions
Which has a higher Alpha Score, New York-Newark-Jersey City or Washington-Arlington-Alexandria?
New York-Newark-Jersey City scores higher — 27 vs 25 out of 100. The Alpha Score is a 0-100 composite of price momentum, inventory health, affordability, economic strength, and rental yield.
Is New York-Newark-Jersey City or Washington-Arlington-Alexandria more affordable?
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria is more affordable on our affordability dimension. Price-to-income is 6.0 in New York-Newark-Jersey City and 4.5 in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria.
Which housing market has stronger momentum, New York-Newark-Jersey City or Washington-Arlington-Alexandria?
Both markets show similar price momentum (about 50/100).
Want to swap in other cities, change the metrics, or chart the trend over time? Customize this comparison → in the interactive Compare tool. Or read the New York-Newark-Jersey City market brief and the Washington-Arlington-Alexandria brief.