Rye vs Long Island (Mamaroneck, Rockville Centre: houses, to buy, public schools)
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We have been looking for the right suburb to move to, and last year I was 100% set on Rye. Love the town, have close friends there, think the schools are great etc. etc. - it has everything I want on paper. After losing out on a few houses we started looking at Long Island, specifically Garden City and Rockville Centre - for the same reasons we like Rye, but with the added bonus of being able to buy a house for less money than Rye and to be closer to family on Long Island. To get to the point - has anyone decided between Rye and Long Island? Why did you choose to buy where you are now? This is what I'm worried about -
Nice LI towns are usually next to a less nice town, whereas lower Westchester is all pretty nice
Schools. Which public schools are better?
Better commute to midtown? My husband would like the option to drive if he wants to, and LI traffic is the worst.
For a train commute, it will depend on whether his workplace is nearer GCT or Penn Station. Rye is better for the former, Nassau is better for the later. In terms of time to each station, Rockville Center is probably the shortest by a few minutes, but Rye does have one express run that is very quick.
For driving, its hard to say, but I think the trip from Rye will be the easiest, although this is just an educated guess. Will only know by doing some dry runs.
I think Rye is the more upscale of the three, but you probably already know that since you know about the housing prices. It will seem less crowded and have that lower westchester look and feel that is rarely found elsewhere. GC and RVC are more like ordinary suburban areas, although very nice. You are also not "stuck" on Long Island. Rye to me is also more future proof - none of these places are going downhill anytime soon, but over a multi-decade window, Rye is most likely of the three to maintain property values (relative to the nation at large) and quality of life. Rye will also likely have a more geographical diverse population - meaning well to do people born and raised in a lot of different places. GC and RVC will be much more people with LI ties. The guy from Ohio who went to Harvard and is now looking to get out of Manhattan and settle down is much more likely going to Rye than GC or RVC.
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Family can always be visited and Rye to LI on the weekend is not a bad drive. One big advantage to Rye is you are on the mainland and you don't have to fight your way through NYC every time you want go somewhere. Metro North to GCS is normally considered a better trip than the LIRR to Penn and I think attempting to drive to mid-town would be a wash in terms of traffic and aggravation.
I grew up in Queens and on Long Island and my husband grew up in the Bronx. We chose Westchester because I hated the idea of being *stuck* on Long Island, like VA Yankee said. If you're a huge fan of the ocean or work on Long Island I can understand it. Otherwise I much prefer the space of Westchester and the fact that you're in line with everyone else every time you're coming and going.
987ABC is also spot on about Rye having the most stability in the future
FWIW, my in laws live on Long Island and we long debated moving to Long Island versus opting to settle in one of the various towns in Westchester that we liked, and we ended up choosing Westchester by a landslide. Long Island has at least twice the population density, and its roads and highways certainly reflect the increased congestion. And from Rye you can easily visit Long Island (as we can from Larchmont). If you fell in love with Rye and have friends there, by all means live in Rye and don't try to convince yourself to move to Long Island against your better judgment. Just my two cents.
Otherwise I much prefer the space of Westchester and the fact that you're in line with everyone else every time you're coming and going.
I think I already had a glass of wine when I wrote that lol
I meant I hate that on Long Island you're always in a line of people coming and going from anywhere.
And also FWIW, my entire family is on Long Island and in Queens. I still chose Westchester happily
We have been looking for the right suburb to move to, and last year I was 100% set on Rye. Love the town, have close friends there, think the schools are great etc. etc. - it has everything I want on paper. After losing out on a few houses we started looking at Long Island, specifically Garden City and Rockville Centre - for the same reasons we like Rye, but with the added bonus of being able to buy a house for less money than Rye and to be closer to family on Long Island. To get to the point - has anyone decided between Rye and Long Island? Why did you choose to buy where you are now? This is what I'm worried about -
Nice LI towns are usually next to a less nice town, whereas lower Westchester is all pretty nice
Schools. Which public schools are better?
Better commute to midtown? My husband would like the option to drive if he wants to, and LI traffic is the worst.
Thanks in advance
I would chose Garden City over Rye. You can walk to a train station from 80% of the village of Garden City (I believe Rye has a waiting list). Garden City is the nicest suburb on Long Island and, while still expensive, you will get much more bang for your buck compared to Rye. Just my two cents. All 3 are excellent so you can't really go wrong with those choices. RVC is a little less upscale than the other 2 but still a great town.
I would guess that people cross shopping Rye vs Long Island are looking at places like Great Neck, Kings Point, Manhasset, Port Washington etc. before considering GC or Rockville. You pay more for being in a town on the ocean in Rye, GC and Rockville are both land locked.
I would guess that people cross shopping Rye vs Long Island are looking at places like Great Neck, Kings Point, Manhasset, Port Washington etc. before considering GC or Rockville. You pay more for being in a town on the ocean in Rye, GC and Rockville are both land locked.
Yes, and they are also cross shopping vs Nassau and not Long Island. Long Island is a large region, and its Westchester area equivalent is the Hudson Valley. No one, and I mean no one, will ever cross shop an A+ Lower Westchester town with anything in Suffolk County.
Yes, and they are also cross shopping vs Nassau and not Long Island. Long Island is a large region, and its Westchester area equivalent is the Hudson Valley. No one, and I mean no one, will ever cross shop an A+ Lower Westchester town with anything in Suffolk County.
Very good point 987. And to your point, I meant above that we were cross shopping Larchmont/Mamaroneck with Port Washington/Plandome/Manhasset, and were certainly not looking into Suffolk County.
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