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Ok so being a NYC girl having grown up in queens and Long Island and spending my early twenties every weekend in the city, I can tell you that NYC is an amazing city & there is no other quite like it in the world. I can understand your desire to one day live there
However on $2K a month, I don't think you could even do it living in the shoebox eating ramen noodles everyday. Unless you split that shoebox with a roommate and that would mean only 1/2 a shoebox. With that said, Queens and Long Island are over congested & most parts that are only 20-30 min drive to the city aren't that super cultural and artsy like the city. The one plus is that you can take the Long Island Rail Road into Penn station from most of Nassau County (in Long Island) and be to Mid-town Manhattan within 40 mins. That's a plus because driving into the city (depending on where from and how long you stay) & parking can cost you upwards of $50 each time and that's not including gas. If you do it every friday its going to be at least $200 of your monthly budget. A round-trip ticket on the L.I.R.R. is WAY less then that.
A great place you may want to try is Nyack, NY located on the Hudson River in Rockland County, NY. It is only about a 25 min. drive into the city, (via the West Side HWY) is a very quaint and really artsy town with many city like coffee shops, boutiques, galleries and is the main night-life spot in the county. There are a lot of bars on Main street and the young crowd is there every weekend. There are a few blocks in Nyack that you will want to avoid but you wouldn't need to go there for any reason. You could probably get a 1 bedroom apt. close to the river for anywhere from $800-$1200 a month. I think based on what you want Nyack has it all.
On another note I can't help but say it, being a mother, there is nowhere in the NY Metro area that I would want my young, NAIVE (as you stated) daughter moving unless she had a room mate or family close by.
If you are hell bet on doing it than definitely Nyack or other areas (except Spring Valley, Monsey, Hillburn) of Rockland County would be best. Good luck and Congrats on the new job!
A great choice and I agree that the OP would love it. A very underrated community in Downstate NY. Suffern and the Rivertowns in Westchester County would also work(i.e.-Dobbs Ferry, ardsley, Tarrytown, sleepy Hollow, parts of Peekskill, parts of Ossining, Irvington, Hastings and Croton).
Rochester has many neighborhoods that are as you describe. Park Ave, University, Monroe, or the South Wedge. There are many bars, coffee shops, resturants and stores, all within a few steps from your apt.
WOW I can't thank you guys enough for all of these responses! You've given me tons to think about and research. Its such a scary thing but I'm glad that I asked, because I never would have known about all of these other places and cities and towns that were a good fit. I had a hunch there were smaller ones out there that'd better fit my budget, but I didn't know so many of them were this great!
You sound like someone in the same predicament as many of my friends who moved from various parts of the Northeast, South and West Coast to live in NYC after college - everyone made it here. I grew up on Long Island, and while there are some really nice towns you may feel kind of isolated much of the time without family or friends around. I've been living in Brooklyn for about 1/2 my life (since the mid-nineties) and at risk of sounding ethnocentric I think it is one of the greatest places around, and most diverse next to Queens. My husband is from Park Slope where we lived for many years and now we are in a neighborhood between Carroll Gardens and Red Hook. We love it but are actually looking to buy a home upstate soon where we can get more space for the money. If we could afford to buy here we would in a heartbeat.
The neighborhoods I would recommend for a young, single woman in Brooklyn are Park Slope, Cobble Hill, Carroll Gardens, Red Hook, Williamsburg, and Greenpoint. Rent will vary from neighborhood to neighborhood but you might be able to find a studio/Junior 1 BR for $1,000-$1,200 if you search diligently.
One of my best friends who is a single woman has been living in Astoria, Queens for years and loves it. The rents are also cheaper than Brooklyn, there is a vibrant scene and it is incredibly safe.
All these places could be a great fit for you based on what you describe you're looking for. I personally prefer these neighborhoods over many in Manhattan. IMO they have just as much to offer with a little more community and great public transportation. Check Craig's List New York City and search by Borough, and you'll be surprised at what you find. You're bound to get a better deal this time of year and in this economy.
Good luck and let me know if you have any more questions!
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