Sell Your Commercial Property In Mount Vernon, NY

Who rents in Mount Vernon

Mount Vernon had 72,427 residents and 28,078 occupied homes in the ACS 2020–2024 estimates. Renters occupied 16,021, or 57.1%, and owners 12,057. The median household income was $78,779 and the median gross rent was $1,629.

Next to its neighbors, Mount Vernon is the lower-rent option. Its median rent is $155 below Yonkers, $288 below New Rochelle and $192 below New York City, while its renter share is higher than in either Westchester neighbor (ACS 2020–2024). Renters still feel the squeeze: 50.1% spend 30% or more of income on rent and 25.5%, about 4,090 households, spend half or more (table B25070). Between those groups, 1,717 households pay 30% to 35%, 671 pay 35% to 40% and 1,553 pay 40% to 50%. Only 3,104 renter households, 19.4%, spend less than 20% of income, the smallest such cushion of the three Westchester cities. For an owner, that means renewal increases and collections deserve as much attention in a sale as the headline rent level.

The apartment stock

Mount Vernon's 30,080 housing units are spread across building types more evenly than in Yonkers or New Rochelle (table B25024):

The 10- to 49-unit range holds 6,835 units, 22.7% of the city's housing. That is a larger share than New Rochelle's 16.2% and close to Yonkers' 19.1% (ACS 2020–2024). Mount Vernon's share of units in 50+ unit buildings, 20.4%, is lower than the 26.2% in both Yonkers and New Rochelle, so its apartment market leans more toward walk-ups and mid-rise buildings than toward large complexes.

The median year built is 1953, older than Yonkers (1958) and New Rochelle (1955). About 10,172 units, 33.8%, predate 1940, another 14,624 were built from 1940 through 1979, and only 1,086, 3.6%, date from 2010 or later (table B25034). In all, 82.4% of the housing predates 1980. Buildings of that age often need boiler, roof, facade and electrical work, and units built before 1978 can contain lead-based paint.

Rent stabilization

Westchester County lists Mount Vernon among the municipalities that adopted the Emergency Tenant Protection Act, with a six-unit minimum in most adopting municipalities. The Village of Ossining's ETPA guide says the vast majority of Westchester's ETPA units are in Yonkers, Mount Vernon and New Rochelle. For covered apartments, the Westchester County Rent Guidelines Board sets the allowed increases on renewal and vacancy leases, and stabilization stays with the unit after a sale.

Because so much of the city's stock dates from before 1974, an owner of a 1950s or 1960s building of six or more units should expect a buyer to request the full rent registration history. Mount Vernon was not among the municipalities listed by HCR as having opted into Good Cause Eviction as of May 4, 2026 (HCR notice).

Local inspections and certificates

Under § 267-53 of the city code, a Building Official must inspect the common areas of multiple dwellings every year. Violations of the chapter can bring a fine of up to $1,000, imprisonment of up to 15 days or both, and each day a violation continues counts as a separate offense. The city's certificate of occupancy application costs $150 plus $50 per dwelling unit, so $650 for a 10-unit building or $1,150 for a 20-unit building. If the building's use does not match city records, the owner must legalize the work through a building permit before a certificate issues. A buyer's lender and title review will usually check that the certificate on file matches the actual unit count.

Taxes and closing costs

New York assessments can be set at a fraction of market value (NYS Tax Department). We could not verify a current Mount Vernon tax rate from an official source for this profile, so use your latest bills when pricing. The state transfer tax is 0.4% of the price, paid by the seller (NYS Tax Department). Deposits are capped at one month's rent with an itemized statement due within 14 days (GOL § 7-108), and nonpayment cases require a 14-day written rent demand (RPAPL § 711).

What this means if you own a building here

Mount Vernon buyers look for a clean record: current registrations for stabilized units, a passed common-area inspection and a certificate of occupancy that matches the building. Open violations can carry daily fines, so resolving them before listing protects your price. Our apartment building value calculator helps test value on in-place net operating income. Skyline Capital Investments buys 5+ unit buildings in Fleetwood, Chester Hill, downtown and the South Side, and our seller page explains how we underwrite.