Where to live between N Manhattan and Pearl River NY? (White Plains: renting, homes)

[JW_in_boston]

Have a potential job opportunity at CCNY and my spouse works for a company where she could transfer to Pearl River NY. The 2 places don't seem too far apart, but we've never lived there so we don't know the traffic/commuting problems and also differences in schools/housing $$ etc in the different areas. We're not opposed to living in a somewhat urban area living in Somerville now and Philly suburbs previously (and we visited NYC a lot and are comfortable walking around most of it). I'd prefer that at least 1 of us has a train/subway commute (preferably me as I'm going to manhattan), and we'd prefer each to have a commute of less than 45 mins (prefer longer train ride than driving). We have 1 kid now and this would be a permanent move, so good areas for families, schools are a must, but diversity is good (and we're liberal and open-minded, but very white!). Here's my questions (and feel free to point me to where each of these have been discussed before)...

1. What areas of NY would work for this and how do they differ? If we're on the east side of the Hudson (White Plains area?) the trains seem better for me, but she'd have to cross the Tappan Zee every day, is that doable or a huge pain (I'm guessing pain). Conversely if we're close to Pearl River I'd either have to drive or transfer a ton and take forever to get to CCNY.

2. If we look on the W Hudson side, should we be looking in NY or NJ? I know NJ schools are supposed to be good but we're inexperienced w/that area of NJ and in general the NY area seems nicer. Would the Pearl River general area be a commuting nightmare for me?

3. Are there other areas I didn't mention that could work? Are there other smaller/cheaper/less travelled bridges N of the Tappan Zee that wouldn't give me a hellish train ride? If only 1 of us has a commute I'd prefer it was me and not her driving from Manhattan/NYC to Pearl River every day.

4. Are the Pearl River/White Plains areas liberal/progressive and good for finding organics/co-ops etc? I know most of our central NJ friends are quite conservative, which is fine but we want to live somewhere multi-cultural/open-minded and progressive, or at least a nice mix of all kinds of people. If NYC is anything like NJ and Philly while it's overall Democratically dominated there are clear areas that are "red" and we'd prefer not to live there, blue/purple is preferred.

Thanks!

[Viralmd]

The biggest problem is that Pearl River is on the opposite side of the Hudson. It makes for a miserable commute, however you cut it.

What is your price range?

[Marie1249]

You could try Wood-Ridge, Englewood, or Oradell, NJ. Those areas have express bus or train service to NYC, with the added benefit of being an easy drive to Pearl River.

The simplest commute from Pearl River to CCNY would be to take a bus to the George Washington Bridge terminal. You'd have to check that buses go to that terminal, since most buses from Rockland County go to Penn Station. However, I suspect that might be a longish commute, given the traffic on the bridge during rush hour.

[bmwguydc]

There are a few options you can consider for this trip to Columbia, since it will be easier for your wife to get to Pearl River, generally speaking.

All along this bank of the Hudson, in the New Jersey towns on the way to NYC, and some parts of Rockland such as Nanuet, Pearl River, Nyack, etc. you can get a bus that will take you to the George Washington Bridge Port Authority Bus Depot where you can transfer to the subway to get to Columbia. The bus from Nyack, express to the GWB terminal is about an hour or so, before you get on the subway for a reference point.

Another option is to take the Hudson Line train of Metro North to Marble Hill station in Northern Manhattan at the Bronx border, and switch there to the #1 subway to get down to Columbia. This would allow you to have a commute from places like Tarrytown, Sleepy Hollow, Ardsley, Hastings, Irvington, even Croton. The downside to this is that the #1 subway at Marble Hill is a local route and it can take time to get down to Columbia, but it's pretty direct. The Hudson line is the most direct, since the other lines stop at 125th St, and you would have to commute from there. Plus, it's easier for your wife to be as close to the Westchester portion of the Tappan Zee should you choose Westchester. Also, not going into Manhattan proper saves a fare zone on the train, so getting off at Marble Hill is significantly less expensive.

There is a third option, but it's a little more complex and time consuming for you. It would be to get on the TappanZeexpress bus in Nyack, get on Metro North at Tarrytown to Marble Hill, and then the subway to Columbia. The TappanZeexpress only serves Nyack to Tarrytown, however, not the surrounding towns in Rockland.

The train from Pearl River and surrounding New Jersey areas goes to Secaucus Junction and then on to Penn Station, so I'd not consider it for your commute, since you have a long ride uptwon from Penn after a long ride to Penn from the Rockland/NNJ area.

Either way, for your wife, it's largely a reverse commute, and staying on the Wetchester side of the Tappan Zee allows her to bypass most of the issues on the Cross Westchester Expressway, but that said, there will be days when the bridge is just bad. She can get off 287 on bad days right over the bridge and take 59 to Pearl River, so she is not bound to the Thruway on bad days, it's just the bridge that can cause headaches. Unfortunately, it's either the GWB, Tappan Zee, or way up river at Bear Mountain for outbound crossings from the Westchester/NYC side of the Hudson. Staying in NNJ, she would have a reverse commute as well on the Palisades or Garden State Parkway, depending upon the town, and you'd have the option of the bus to the GWB terminal to the subway, which might be faster if you can find the community and commute you'd like.

In terms of political philosophy, many river towns are more progressive, as is Nyack. Pearl River has better schools, but is more conservative. Some Westchester towns have excellent schools on the river, as well, and insofar as organic produce and foods, you'd not be out of place at all in Westchester. Many along the west bank of the Hudson in NNJ are very expensive and tend to be a little more conservative as well, towns like Montvale, Alpine, Saddle River, Ho-Ho-Kus.

[DITC]

why choose sides? Just buy a boat and live in the Hudson

[mortgage king]

nyack is a liberal place but how old is your kid? are you buying or renting? not sure if I would send my kid to nyack high school. Private or public school?

[mortgage king]

if you want to be near a trader joes maybe Edgewater or Fort Lee

[ponytrekker]

Originally Posted by JW_in_boston

Have a potential job opportunity at CCNY and my spouse works for a company where she could transfer to Pearl River NY. The 2 places don't seem too far apart, but we've never lived there so we don't know the traffic/commuting problems and also differences in schools/housing $$ etc in the different areas. We're not opposed to living in a somewhat urban area living in Somerville now and Philly suburbs previously (and we visited NYC a lot and are comfortable walking around most of it). I'd prefer that at least 1 of us has a train/subway commute (preferably me as I'm going to manhattan), and we'd prefer each to have a commute of less than 45 mins (prefer longer train ride than driving). We have 1 kid now and this would be a permanent move, so good areas for families, schools are a must, but diversity is good (and we're liberal and open-minded, but very white!). Here's my questions (and feel free to point me to where each of these have been discussed before)...

1. What areas of NY would work for this and how do they differ? If we're on the east side of the Hudson (White Plains area?) the trains seem better for me, but she'd have to cross the Tappan Zee every day, is that doable or a huge pain (I'm guessing pain). Conversely if we're close to Pearl River I'd either have to drive or transfer a ton and take forever to get to CCNY.

2. If we look on the W Hudson side, should we be looking in NY or NJ? I know NJ schools are supposed to be good but we're inexperienced w/that area of NJ and in general the NY area seems nicer. Would the Pearl River general area be a commuting nightmare for me?

3. Are there other areas I didn't mention that could work? Are there other smaller/cheaper/less travelled bridges N of the Tappan Zee that wouldn't give me a hellish train ride? If only 1 of us has a commute I'd prefer it was me and not her driving from Manhattan/NYC to Pearl River every day.

4. Are the Pearl River/White Plains areas liberal/progressive and good for finding organics/co-ops etc? I know most of our central NJ friends are quite conservative, which is fine but we want to live somewhere multi-cultural/open-minded and progressive, or at least a nice mix of all kinds of people. If NYC is anything like NJ and Philly while it's overall Democratically dominated there are clear areas that are "red" and we'd prefer not to live there, blue/purple is preferred.

Thanks!

If you live in Rockland county, your commute (eastbound on the TZ WITH rush hour traffic) will be brutal. You have a choice of driving it, taking the bus or an indirect commuter train. All suck. Getting across the TZ is tough; getting across the GW by bus is even worse. One four hour commute home a Friday before labor day was enough to send me to Westchester. Pearl River is a nice place, but you will be one of five families not employed by either NYPD or FDNY.

If you live in Westchester, your commute (southbound by train or with traffic to upper Manhattan WITH rush hour traffic if you drive) won't be that bad because you will be missing a large chunk of Manhattan travel -- south of 125th St. Your wife's commute will be against traffic and generally, not that bad.

You'll find more progressive neighborhoods in Westchester. A River town, such as Hastings, Irvington, etc., while expensive, would be ideal. Progressive, and centrally located.

[JW_in_boston]

You've mostly confirmed that westchester E of the Hudson is the way to go, if I can land that job! We'll see on that front.

Some answers to questions asked...

1. Buying, not renting. Haven't thought too much on price ranges, but we're not rich. More than likely $500K or less (our combined income will initially be $150-200K), so some of those tonier towns that are all 6-800K plus are probably out of the question.

2. So far only 1 kid who would still be an infant by the time we'd move there next summer.

3. Closeness to Trader Joe's is great, as would be walking/short distance to the commuter rail.

4. Want good public schools, we're not private school people, esp with the cost, but since the kid is so young, if the elementary is good but HS, not so much, that's probably ok, as that's more than 10 years away...

[bmwguydc]

The areas where I would concentrate my search, given your criteria, would be Ardsley, Hastings, Irvington, and Dobbs Ferry. While they can all tend to the higher price ranges quite easily, you can sometimes find a smaller home at or near $500k (under $550k) in those areas, and they give a good value for schools and commute options. You stand a better chance if you want a single family home in Ardsley, Hastings, and Dobbs Ferry as Irvington is generally more expensive, though sometimes there are smaller in-town homes around your preferred price range.

For shopping, Trader Joes' is in Hartsdale, about 10-15 minutes drive, and there's a Whole Foods in White Plains that's about 20 minutes. Some of the larger Stop & Shop stores also have plenty of organic offerings as well. And, you have Mrs. Green's Natural Market in Scarsdale, which is a smaller chain, near another Trader Joe's so you can combine trips into that one general area. There's also an organic market in Hastings called Food For Thought that is a great option and close-by.