Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
Where is the most affordable location within an hour and half-2hrs drive to NYC? State doesn't matter.
I would lose the driving aspect if you haven't already. A 1.5 to 2 hour drive can land you a mere 30 to 40 miles away, as traffic jams through tunnels and over bridges can be gridlock. Consider Staten Island and the Staten Island Railroad or Long Island and the LIRR.
Staten Island is often overlooked, but the prices fall off DRAMATICALLY there.
2 to 3 bedroom apartments there rent for the cost of a NYC studio. Home prices, while mostly attached housing, go for $250-$350K. The train from Tottenville at the southernmost end of Staten Island takes 1 hour and twenty minutes (including ferry time) to arrive at Whitehall Street in Lower Manhattan
On Long Island there are a ton of housing options in the mid 200K range and within similar rental rates as Staten Island. Two thirds of Long Island is within 2 hours of NYC Penn Station by train.
MTA LIRR - LIRR Map (http://www.mta.info/lirr/html/lirrmap.htm - broken link)
I presume the poster is also interested in the tax rates, as well as middle-management housing, there are cheap areas but that may be in high crime areas, are areas distant from public transit and if not have other issues (too rural), bad schools.
Are you looking for single housing , or more family orientated (ie, 2500 square foot home in a more safer neighborhood with decent schools doesn't have to be the best).
Not sure about ny v. nj or even pike county, pa (that's another topic) as regard to taxation
I presume the poster is also interested in the tax rates, as well as middle-management housing, there are cheap areas but that may be in high crime areas, are areas distant from public transit and if not have other issues (too rural), bad schools.
Are you looking for single housing , or more family orientated (ie, 2500 square foot home in a more safer neighborhood with decent schools doesn't have to be the best).
Not sure about ny v. nj or even pike county, pa (that's another topic) as regard to taxation
New York state and Long Island has some of the highest taxes in the country, New Jersey has the highest taxes in the country, and Connecticut is up there as well... 2 hours from NYC doesn't get you away from high taxes besides maybe Pennsylvania which still isn't that much of a relief.
The post is just too vague to answer.. Vague question, vague responses.
Well it isn't really a vague response, but the question was vague , so its hard to answer, the poster should give more details as to what he/she is looking for , is he/she is single or married with kids and cares about school districts or wants a bigger sized home or amenities, or prefers a rural area, or could live in a condo or townhome.
Western New Haven County, Connecticut. Beacon Falls, Naugatuck, Ansonia, etc. is about 2 hours to NYC, a little less actually and is very cheap. Average home prices in the 200,000 range. Just remember, these areas aren't the nicest, most are older, factory and mill type towns.
Some eastern parts of Fairfield County Connecticut as well. You can get to NYC from Trumbull, Monroe and Newtown, Stratford, Shelton, etc. in way less then 2 hours, average home prices in these towns are around $400,000-500,000 for anything decent. Nicer properties will cost alot more though...
Heck, Columbia, Ulster, Sullivan, Greene and Dutchess Counties in NY could work too. Parts of Albany County might only be 2 hours away.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.