NYC PaycheckCalculator

Staten Island neighbourhood

St. George cost of living

The Staten Island ferry terminal district, giving a free 25-minute commute to Lower Manhattan. HUD's FY2026 benchmark rent is $2,770 for a 1-bedroom and $3,040 for a 2-bedroom in ZIP 10301.

By the NYC Paycheck Calculator TeamReviewed October 12, 2026Editorial standards

HUD 1BR benchmark

$2,770

HUD 2BR benchmark

$3,040

Income for 1BR (40x)

$110,800

Income for 2BR (40x)

$121,600

St. George rent benchmarks by apartment size

These are HUD FY2026 Small Area Fair Market Rents for ZIP 10301, alongside the income the 40x rule implies for each unit size.

UnitHUD monthly rentAnnual rentIncome needed (40x)
Studio$2,640$31,680$105,600
1 bedroom$2,770$33,240$110,800
2 bedrooms$3,040$36,480$121,600
3 bedrooms$3,810$45,720$152,400
4 bedrooms$4,140$49,680$165,600

Source: HUD USER, FY2026 Small Area Fair Market Rents for the New York, NY HUD Metro FMR Area. Fair Market Rent is the 40th percentile of gross rent including basic utilities.

What salary a $3,040 2-bedroom needs in St. George

Rent is paid from take-home pay, so the same rent feels different at different income levels. These rows solve for the gross salary that holds a 2-bedroom at each share of after-tax income for a single NYC resident.

Rent as share of take-homeGross salary neededMonthly take-homeLeft after rent
25% of take-home$224,500$12,163$9,123
30% of take-home$186,000$10,148$7,108
35% of take-home$156,500$8,701$5,661

St. George against the New York City benchmark

The New York, NY metro Fair Market Rent for a 1-bedroom is $2,655. ZIP 10301 is $2,770, which is above the metro figure by about 4.3%.

Two things keep the neighbourhood comparison honest. First, HUD benchmarks are survey-based and published annually, so they move slowly and can lag a fast-moving rental market. Second, rent is only one line in a New York budget. Transit, whether the apartment is rent-stabilised, and how many stops you are from work all change the real cost of a given ZIP.

For the landlord income test rather than the rent itself, see rent affordability by amount, and for income-restricted units see the affordable housing income limits.

Compare other neighbourhoods

Or start from the New York City cost of living page, the salary library or the salary needed calculator. $2,770.00 a month is the 1-bedroom benchmark.

St. George cost of living questions

How much rent should I expect in St. George?+

HUD sets the FY2026 1-bedroom Small Area Fair Market Rent for ZIP 10301 at $2,770 a month and the 2-bedroom at $3,040. Fair Market Rent is the 40th percentile of gross rent for standard-quality units including basic utilities, so it is a benchmark rather than an average asking price, and market rents in premium buildings will run above it.

What income do I need to rent in St. George?+

Applying the 40x rule that most NYC landlords use, a 1-bedroom at $2,770 implies about $110,800 of gross income, and a 2-bedroom at $3,040 implies about $121,600. Those are screening thresholds, not comfort thresholds.

How much of my paycheck would rent take in St. George?+

At $121,600 gross, a single NYC resident takes home about $6,997 a month, so a $3,040 2-bedroom would consume roughly 43.4% of take-home pay.

Is St. George cheaper than the New York City average?+

St. George sits above the New York, NY metro Fair Market Rent for a 1-bedroom by about 4.3%. The metro benchmark is $2,655 against $2,770 for ZIP 10301.

Is Fair Market Rent the same as market rent?+

No. Fair Market Rent is published by HUD from survey data at the 40th percentile, and it is used to set Section 8 payment standards. Actual asking rents come from live listings. HUD figures are a stable, published baseline you can compare between neighbourhoods; listing data is more current but moves constantly.