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If you are looking to live in a suburban setting anywhere in the NYC metro area, you should adjust your expectations regarding commute time. As a general rule, add 1/2 hour to an hour on top of whatever the train ride is from Westchester or LI to allow for commuting to the commuter railroad station from your house, and then either walking/ taking a cab/ taking the subway after you arrive in Manhattan on the commuter railroad and then make your way to your job location. So a bare minimum of one hour each way and you would be extremely lucky. More likely, and unfortunately, 1.5 - 2 hours each way is the average, unless you work odd hours and are able to drive (which would only be advisable at night.)
If you are looking to live in a suburban setting anywhere in the NYC metro area, you should adjust your expectations regarding commute time. As a general rule, add 1/2 hour to an hour on top of whatever the train ride is from Westchester or LI to allow for commuting to the commuter railroad station from your house, and then either walking/ taking a cab/ taking the subway after you arrive in Manhattan on the commuter railroad and then make your way to your job location. So a bare minimum of one hour each way and you would be extremely lucky. More likely, and unfortunately, 1.5 - 2 hours each way is the average, unless you work odd hours and are able to drive (which would only be advisable at night.)
1/2 an hour or more to the train station?? I would say this is only the case if your way out in Suffolk, its not the case if your in Nassau or most of western Suffolk.
Now if you tend to go in a little later you might want to give yourself an extra few minutes to find parking and to walk to the station from where you park. However, as a general rule your not looking at more than a 10 minute or so drive to the train station (and in many areas less) in the communities that are being discussed
I wouldn't say 1/2 hour to the train station, but I would, in most cases, add 30 mins minimum on top of the train time. Unless you live right by the station and walk, it will take at least 10 minutes to get to the station, park, and get to the train (even in western Suffolk/eastern Nassau it might be more--I used to commute from Huntington, so I know) then, unless you're lucky and work right by Penn Station, you'd have at least 15 minutes to get from the station to work.
Only way to get a short commute in the NYC area is to have home and work lined up on the same train/subway line--a tough task! Or copy my sister, live in Manhattan and walk.
If you need such a short commute time to NYC, you are better off looking in Queens rather than Nassau county. Although Nassau is much nicer and has a suburban feel, I can't think of any town that would match your commute time. If you do look in Queens, be careful with certain towns. You also would want to investigate private schools.
If you are a boat person, unless you want to live on the Hudson, Westchester is only going to offer small lakes, on the LI if you want to travel more than a half an hour to your boat. Anywhere in Nassau or Suffolk is good for salt water ocean/bay/sound because you’ll probably never be more than 20 minutes away from where you dock unless you buy on the water.
Commute from Massapequa to Manhattan (Penn Station) on the train is from 50 to 60 minutes. Add in you time to drive to the station and travel to your job. I worked on Water Street just south of Wall Street and my commute one way was 1 ½ hours (less than 5 minute drive to the station, 20 minutes on the subway and 5 minutes to walk). That is when there are no problems, which is about 95% of the time.
Long Beach is closer than Merrick/Freeport, but is more expensive. My old boss lived in beautiful section of a section of Queens that you would not think existed in NYC called Belle Harbor (all the streets are Beach 128th Street, Beach 128th Street, etc...). It is expensive there as well and his commute on the subway was about 45 minutes.
Long Beach is closer than Merrick/Freeport, but is more expensive. My old boss lived in beautiful section of a section of Queens that you would not think existed in NYC called Belle Harbor (all the streets are Beach 128th Street, Beach 128th Street, etc...). It is expensive there as well and his commute on the subway was about 45 minutes.
The typical commute from Belle Harbor is longer than the commute from virtually anywhere in Nassau County, well over 45 minutes. First off, train service doesn't even touch Belle Harbor - it stops at the next neighborhood east of it, Rockaway Park. You either have to drive there or catch a bus. Then, from Rockaway Park there is only a shuttle train that runs between there and Broad Channel, where you need to transfer to the regular A Train and continue on your way to Manhattan. Midtown is at least an 80 minute trip, possibly more.
Even within NYC's borders, there aren't too many 30 minute commutes!
If you are a boat person, unless you want to live on the Hudson, Westchester is only going to offer small lakes, on the LI if you want to travel more than a half an hour to your boat. Anywhere in Nassau or Suffolk is good for salt water ocean/bay/sound because you’ll probably never be more than 20 minutes away from where you dock unless you buy on the water.
Commute from Massapequa to Manhattan (Penn Station) on the train is from 50 to 60 minutes. Add in you time to drive to the station and travel to your job. I worked on Water Street just south of Wall Street and my commute one way was 1 ½ hours (less than 5 minute drive to the station, 20 minutes on the subway and 5 minutes to walk). That is when there are no problems, which is about 95% of the time.
Long Beach is closer than Merrick/Freeport, but is more expensive. My old boss lived in beautiful section of a section of Queens that you would not think existed in NYC called Belle Harbor (all the streets are Beach 128th Street, Beach 128th Street, etc...). It is expensive there as well and his commute on the subway was about 45 minutes.
True, I left out that part of Westchester is on the LI Sound. On the whole, there are more boating opportunities on LI than in Westchester. Not sure what the home cost range was, but it seems the OPs request is not possible for most of LI with the 30 minute commute to Manhattan requirement, close in areas of Queens would be more likely. Not sure what the commute times are in Westchester that would qualify based the 30 minute time frame.
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