11 Things to Know When Moving to New York State
Known as the “Empire State,” New York is a large state that is famous for some of its various resources and, of course, the Big Apple aka New York City. The weather in New York is quite diverse; you’ll experience chilly snowy winters and warm humid summers. While New York is known for its main city, the state has affordable housing and family-friendly neighborhoods, making it a great place to live. If you are considering moving to New York, there are several things that you need to prepare. Here are 11 things you need to know before moving to New York State.
What to Know Before your Move to New York
1. Before you Arrive in New York
Find a reliable moving company, truck rental or moving container
For your move to New York, you will need to hire a reliable moving company or take on the move yourself. To find the best moving company in New York, look for good reviews, a professional-looking website, and years of experience.
Planning a move to New York? Have a look at our selection of the Best Moving Companies in New York, Ny, Queens, Brooklyn, Rochester, and The Bronx.
Forward your mail
If you are moving to New York permanently and you receive a lot of mail (excluding packages), you may want to sign up with USPS’s mail forwarding service. Mail forwarding will allow your mail to be redirected to the right address for a given period of time. The fee for regular mail forwarding is only a little over a dollar for 6 months. If you want to extend the service, you will have to pay around $20 for 6 months more. You can begin your mail forwarding process by signing up on USPS’s website or directly at your local Post Office.
Sell or donate goods you won’t need in New York
It’s always a good idea to identify the things that you won’t be needing when you move. Just keep the stuff that makes sense to keep and is necessary and sell out the rest. It not only saves effort and money with the shipment process, but it will also help you get some extra cash to bear the moving expenses. Some of the things that you can sell are old furniture, old appliances and clothes that you don’t wear anymore. You can simply put your items on Facebook Marketplace or Craigslist or donate them to your local charitable organization.
2. What are the First Steps to Take When Arriving in New York?
Change your address
Along with mail forwarding, you will also have to update your new address with the concerned authorities in New York like the DMV. You can register to vote by mail or in person at county elections offices. You can check your voter registration status on the Voter Look Up website. You should also change your address with your employer, bank, doctor, insurer, and service providers so that you can avoid any complications further down the road.
Exchange your driver’s license
If you have recently moved to New York, you will be required to transfer your out-of-state driver’s license to the state within 30 days of becoming a resident in New York. Your New York license will be valid for 5 years. To get a list of all the documents required, you can visit the DMV website.
Register your vehicle
If you’ve brought your out-of-state vehicle with you to New York, you’ll need to have it registered in New York within 180 days of the effective date on your insurance ID card. You can fill out and submit the vehicle registration application form online.
Consider getting health insurance
Getting health insurance is an excellent way to get peace of mind when it comes to your health. With health insurance, you will not have to worry about spending a ton of money in case of a health-related emergency. Healthcare is regulated by the state in the US and so the state of New York proposes a website to help you with your health insurance search. Simply choose New York as your state and create an account.
Consider getting home insurance
Getting a property insurance plan is a great idea when you move to New York to cover for damages caused by natural disasters. The most common natural disasters that occur in New York include floods, severe storms, tropical storms, blackouts, wildfires. Some less significant ones include landslides, tornadoes, and droughts. So, it is better to get a property insurance plan when you move.
3. Best Places to Live in New York
If you are a couple, you might want to consider living in Albany. It has affordable housing and multiple job opportunities.
If you are a family, you might want to consider Rochester. It has high- quality schools and top-notch health care facilities.
If you are single, you should consider moving to New York City. It’s a great place for millennials who are in search of job opportunities and social activities.
4. Housing and Renting in New York
How to find an apartment in New York?
How to find a house in New York?
5. How to Set Up Utilities in New York?
Electricity, water, and gas in New York
For electricity and gas supply, you can either contact or visit the website of New York State Electric and Gas Corporation . For electricity supply, you can also visit the website of Clearview Energy & Constellation Energy. The Buffalo Water Board is a public benefit corporation of the State of New York and is dedicated to providing water service to its customers.
Internet and cell phone in New York
New York is mainly covered by both 3G and 4G LTE technology. It is the 4th most connected state, having around 42 internet providers. They provide services such as Fiber, DSL, Cable, Mobile and Phone services. You can expect reliability and a great customer service experience. The best internet providers in New York will have bundling options, various speeds, and multiple package options at reasonable prices.
6. Cost of Living in New York
The average cost of living in New York City is $5650 for a couple per month.
Cost of living for a couple in New York City
Expense | USD $ |
Rent – Mortgage | $3000 |
Utilities (gas, water, electricity, phone, internet) | $450 |
Groceries | $800 |
Entertainment | $400 |
Insurance (home, car, health) | $600 |
Other (transportation, material goods) | $400 |
Source: BankRate, Numbeo, TrustedChoice, Ehealthinsurance
7. What’s the Weather like in New York?
On average, there are 230 sunny days per year in New York State.
The hottest month in New York is July, with an average temperature of 78°F and the coldest is January at 35°F.
8. How to Get Around in New York?
Public transportation in New York state is definitely not as well developed as in New York City. In New York city, most people get around, by bike, taxi and subways. The subway system in New York City (MTA) is one of the best in the world and has 472 stations!
9. Places to Shop and Eat in New York
Some of the most popular grocery stores in New York include:
The 2 most popular big chain stores are: Walmart and Costco.
Popular fast-food places include: Church’s Chicken and Chick-fil-A.
10. What’s There to Do in New York?
Some activities you can do in New York state are visiting Niagara Falls, visiting the Adirondack State Park and also checking out the Boldt Castle. New York City, on the other hand, has thousands of attractions. Some of the must see attractions in New York City include visiting the Statue of Liberty, visiting the 9/11 memorial site, taking a stroll through central park, walking around Time Square and much more!
11. Fun Facts About New York
Niagara Falls, one of the most popular waterfalls in the world is situated on the border of Canada, Ontario and New York, United States.
New York state was initially called New Amsterdam.
New York is the only state that borders both the Great Lakes and Atlantic Ocean.
Special Mention!
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- Update accounts.
- Book movers, find storage or rent a rental moving truck.
- Connect Internet, TV and Phone.
- Secure home and auto insurance.
- Find resources, checklists and more.
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