Scarsdale vs Bronxville (Rye, Pelham, Great Neck: apartment complexes, rentals, condos)
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Bronxville is probably the last bastion in metro NY of being a true almost fully exclusionary "WASPy" suburb (ironic per what ABQConvict said, you can almost literally "walk to the ghetto" from Bronxville (though not quite as the parts of Yonkers and Mt. Vernon that literally border Bronxville physically look almost the same, just have more diverse and less "uppity" neighbors).
To me, Scarsdale is basically what Bronxville would be like if it had a lot of non-WASPS. A lot of the same competitiveness and "uppity airs" are there, it's just more "diverse" in a sense. I am Jewish and I guess I would be "comfortable" in Scarsdale compared to Bronxville in the sense that there's a large Jewish community there, but in the sense that I do not make 6-figures and do not have a lot of the tastes and attitudes of "Bronxville/Scarsdale culture" I'm sure I'd be "looked down on" and "uncomfortable" regardless. And I think their school district is way too hypercompetitive. I think this "attitude" is actually why housing prices are so ridiculous in most of Westchester and why many even with good jobs and incomes can't afford (or can barely afford) to live here. That's my take on it, if one can afford it, I think the "River towns" have much of the demographics of Scarsdale but are more "breathable" and would look there.
Here's my basis: I regularly see youth and school groups (scouts, church, synagogue, school, etc etc etc) from all the soundside towns plus Eastchester, S'dale, B'ville, Harrison, Rye Brook and lower Fairfield county. Riverdale too. I'm talking about over 25,000 kids in the last couple years, a pretty big sample. My staff has had enough experience with these groups that they can predict where they come from by their behaviour/attitiude/vibe with about 90% accuracy. They've turned it into a game and take bets. Sometimes they'll come up with a couple possibilities, e.g., "Rye or Greenwich" or "Larchmont or Pelham." But they'd NEVER say "Bronxville or Scarsdale."
I realize this is an old thread, but I am curious if you have a similar experience with kids from the Edgemont Schools? Seely place elementary or Edgemont High? Trying to figure out if Bronxville or Edgemont is the right fit for us… Thanks!
Here's my basis: I regularly see youth and school groups (scouts, church, synagogue, school, etc etc etc) from all the soundside towns plus Eastchester, S'dale, B'ville, Harrison, Rye Brook and lower Fairfield county. Riverdale too. I'm talking about over 25,000 kids in the last couple years, a pretty big sample. My staff has had enough experience with these groups that they can predict where they come from by their behaviour/attitiude/vibe with about 90% accuracy. They've turned it into a game and take bets. Sometimes they'll come up with a couple possibilities, e.g., "Rye or Greenwich" or "Larchmont or Pelham." But they'd NEVER say "Bronxville or Scarsdale."
I realize this is an old thread, but I am curious if you have a similar experience with kids from the Edgemont Schools? Seely place elementary or Edgemont High? Trying to figure out if Bronxville or Edgemont is the right fit for us… Thanks!
Hey bud, you plagiarized my remarks from an old thread.
I grew up going to Bronxville almost every day after school to visit schoolmates from Ursuline, all of whom were Catholic. Now I'm there on every trip to see family. I haven't raised kids there, but Bronxville always seems like a sleepy little village, not any high-powered city. There are always lots of old people walking around; I don't see shiny rich show-offy people, although the super-rich are usually walking around in cutoffs and flip flops. It's the people in hock up to their eyeballs that are walking around on Manolos carrying Longchamp bags.
I also have a hard time believing the discrimination legend, as I have had Italian relatives living there since the 1930s. There is a Catholic church in B'ville. I have always heard that they kept out Jews. Years ago, a realtor told me that when a house comes up for sale in Bronxville, it goes into a city-wide homeowners group. Then they select who to sell the house to. This, again, could be a myth.
Whenever I went to Scarsdale, the downtown seemed busy and frantic, but I have not been there much.
Just my impressions.
We live between the two and I wouldn't live in either because I'd be a poor family in either community. We spend a lot of time in Bronxville and I will add that it is an extremely sports focused community, especially team sports. Kids end up leaving in High School if they aren't on a varsity team. Not every kid but sports are the main extracurricular in BXV.
Scarsdale is far more diverse and I think the tail of the wealthy is flashier. I think the communities are totally different other than that money is a common denominator.
Not sure if it matters but both get low scores for accommodating special needs. Bronxville doesn't have the critical mass and Scarsdale puts all special needs kids in a given grade at one of the elementary schools regardless of where you live. For example, you have a second grade SN kids and live in Heathcote but all second grade SN kids are housed at Fox Meadow so you'll be busing your kid there.
We live between the two and I wouldn't live in either because I'd be a poor family in either community. We spend a lot of time in Bronxville and I will add that it is an extremely sports focused community, especially team sports. Kids end up leaving in High School if they aren't on a varsity team. Not every kid but sports are the main extracurricular in BXV.
Scarsdale is far more diverse and I think the tail of the wealthy is flashier. I think the communities are totally different other than that money is a common denominator.
Not sure if it matters but both get low scores for accommodating special needs. Bronxville doesn't have the critical mass and Scarsdale puts all special needs kids in a given grade at one of the elementary schools regardless of where you live. For example, you have a second grade SN kids and live in Heathcote but all second grade SN kids are housed at Fox Meadow so you'll be busing your kid there.
Hey bud, you plagiarized my remarks from an old thread.
Sorry, I'm new at this and I thought I had quoted you, which is what I wanted to do. I wanted to qoute you to see if you were around, and ask you the question at the bottom of my post...
Sorry, I'm new at this and I thought I had quoted you, which is what I wanted to do. I wanted to qoute you to see if you were around, and ask you the question at the bottom of my post...
Oh. OK. yes, I live and breathe! Unfortunately I can't comment on Edgemont at all, from my perspective they seem pretty invisible. Sorry I can't shed more light.
I'd love to hear a breakdown of the behavior of the kids/vibe of the districts. I know it's not ideal to generalize but stereotypes exist for a reason as well.. Thanks....
I'd love to hear a breakdown of the behavior of the kids/vibe of the districts. I know it's not ideal to generalize but stereotypes exist for a reason as well.. Thanks....
Wow, this is a really old thread!
I just read the thread and some guy 13 years ago said he could tell Scarsdale kids from Bronxville kids by their behavior...I call BS on that. The families who move to one town are extremely similar to families who move to the other -- most people moving to the suburbs just make a list of "top towns near NYC" and look at both towns (plus a few others like Rye) and they pick one town or the other, but it could easily have gone the other way.
Bronxville is noticeably smaller (only one school for all kids K-12) but they attract parents of similar income levels, similar values, similar demographics. Maybe a few more Asians in Scarsdale, and Scarsdale is larger so there would be more outliers there that will stick in your memory and give you confirmation bias; but honestly, the demographics of Bronxville and Scarsdale are so similar that it's really hard for me to believe there's any kind of noticeable difference in the kids behavior.
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