New York City ranks among the lowest-rated major cities in the country for overall government effectiveness, according to a new study from WalletHub.
The personal finance website compared 148 of the nation’s largest cities, measuring the quality of municipal services against each city’s per-capita budget to determine which governments deliver the most value for taxpayers.
“The best-run cities in America use their budgets most effectively to provide high-quality financial security, education, health, safety and transportation to their residents,” WalletHub analyst Chip Lupo said.
Where New York City ranked
New York City ranked No. 146 out of 148 cities overall, placing it among the bottom three cities in the nation in WalletHub’s rankings.
Despite its low overall placement, New York City performed better in several individual categories. The city ranked:
New York City received an overall score of 60.30 out of 100.
The study also noted that New York City had one of the lowest median household incomes when adjusted for cost of living. WalletHub found that residents of Fremont, California, have a median household income roughly four times higher than New Yorkers on that measure.
How other New York cities ranked
Several other New York cities finished higher than New York City in the overall rankings:
Yonkers stood out nationally, ranking No. 3 for health and safety.
While none of the New York cities cracked the top 10 overall, several ranked among the nation’s top cities in health-related measures.
Top 10 best-run cities in America
According to WalletHub, the highest-ranked cities were:
Bottom 10 cities in the rankings
The lowest-ranked cities were:
How WalletHub measured city performance
WalletHub evaluated cities across six major categories:
The rankings were based on 36 metrics, including crime rates, school quality, life expectancy, unemployment, income growth, housing trends, road quality, commute times, air quality and internet access.
Among the specific factors considered were:
Financial stability
Education
Health
Safety
Economy
Infrastructure and pollution
WalletHub said the data used for the rankings was collected through May 19, 2026, from sources including the U.S. Census Bureau, Bureau of Labor Statistics and other government and research organizations.
This article originally appeared on Rockland/Westchester Journal News: NYC ranks among worst-run cities in America, new study says
Reporting by Beyonce Thomas-Reynoso and Madison Scott, New York Connect Team / Rockland/Westchester Journal News
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Beyonce Thomas-Reynoso and Madison Scott, New York Connect Team | USA TODAY Network
