Median Income
$96,891
household / year
Median Home Value
$391,500
owner-occupied
Median Rent
$1,605
gross / month
Cost of Living
106
national avg = 100

Is Beacon, NY a Good Place to Live?

Beacon is a small city of 13,876 in New York, with a median household income of $96,891 and a 3.4% unemployment rate. Its cost of living index is 106 (US average = 100), which is 6% above the national average.

Strengths: Beacon stands out for lower-than-average crime, solid school ratings (A), a well-educated population.

Trade-offs: Potential downsides include longer commutes. Whether Beacon is right for you depends on your priorities — the full breakdown is below.

All Beacon city data on this page comes from official government sources — the US Census Bureau, FBI, NCES, BEA, and NOAA — updated annually.

Cost of Living

Index: 105.6

Beacon's overall cost of living index is 105.6, where 100 represents the US national average. Living in Beacon costs roughly 6% more than the average American city.

Metric Beacon, NY National Avg
Median Home Value $391,500 $244,900
Median Monthly Rent $1,605 $1,163
Homeownership Rate 61.0% 65.9%
Median Household Income $96,891 $74,755

Crime & Safety

Very Safe

Beacon's violent crime rate is 111.4 per 100,000 residents — 71% lower than the national average of ~380 per 100,000.

Violent Crime
111.4 /100k
Property Crime
655.0 /100k

Vertical marker = national average. Source: FBI UCR Program.

Schools & Education

Beacon is served primarily by BEACON CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT. The student-to-teacher ratio is 10.2:1 (better than the national average of ~16:1).

Metric Beacon, NY National Avg
School District BEACON CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT
Elementary Schools 4
Middle Schools 1
High Schools 1
Student/Teacher Ratio 10.2:1 16:1
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 45.2% 35.4%
High School Diploma or Higher 90.9% 91.1%

Weather & Climate

Beacon sees average highs of 35.8°F in January and 85.2°F in July, with 49.2 inches of annual precipitation and 35.7 inches of snow per year.

MetricBeacon, NY
Average High — January35.8°F
Average High — July85.2°F
Annual Precipitation49.2"
Annual Snowfall35.7"

Demographics

MetricBeacon, NYNational Avg
Population13,876
Median Age41.238.9
Unemployment Rate3.4%3.7%
Avg Commute Time41.8 min26 min
White (non-Hispanic)68.3%59.3%
Black or African American15.6%13.6%
Hispanic or Latino11.7%18.9%
Asian1.2%6.3%
Under 1820.1%22.2%
65 and over14.0%16.8%

Nearby Cities

ZIP Codes in Beacon

Beacon, NY is covered by 1 ZIP code:

Beacon vs Other Cities

Frequently Asked Questions

Beacon's cost of living index is 106, where 100 is the national average. That puts Beacon roughly 6% above the national average in cost. The median home price is $391,500 and median rent is $1,605/month.
Beacon's violent crime rate is 111.4 per 100,000 residents — the national average is ~380 per 100,000. Property crime is 655.0 per 100,000 (national avg ~2,100). Data from the FBI Uniform Crime Reporting Program.
Public schools in Beacon are operated by BEACON CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT. The district has 4 elementary, 1 middle, and 1 high schools. The student-to-teacher ratio is 10.2:1. 45.2% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Beacon, NY has a population of 13,876, a median household income of $96,891, and an unemployment rate of 3.4%. Whether it's right for you depends on your priorities — use the compare tool above to stack it against another city you're considering.
Beacon averages 35.8°F in January and 85.2°F in July. Annual rainfall is 49.2 inches with about 35.7 inches of snow per year. Based on NOAA 30-year climate normals (1991–2020).
Beacon, NY is covered by 1 ZIP code: 12508.
The population of Beacon, New York is 13,876 with a median age of 41.2. Source: US Census ACS 5-Year Estimates.
Key numbers for living in Beacon: cost of living index 106 (100 = US average), median home $391,500, median household income $96,891, crime index 30 (100 = US average, lower is safer), schools rated A. Whether these are benefits or drawbacks depends on where you're coming from — compare Beacon side by side with your current city to see the trade-offs.