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I'm looking at moving to New York in the near future. No matter WHERE I live I need the occasional "getting away from it all weekend".
Seeing how densly populated New York State is I envision that no matter where I go I'll always be followed by numerous cars, I'll always run into traffic problems, big box stores, etc. Am I mistaken? Is there a place in New York that one is able to "get away from it all"?
Out here in the west it seems like growth means sprawl. What used to take 45 minutes to get to (countryside away from a metro area) now takes almost 2 hrs and our population density isn't even close to yours.
Is this question making any sense? I would like to hear some input.
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I think your impression of the state may be a little bit off. Although the New York City area may appear as congested as the LA area the state as a whole is not that way. In fact depending where is the state you are moving to I think you'll find plenty of "get away" opportunities available within a convienient distance. What area are you considering?
New York State has a tremendous diversity in its economy and living situations. Almost as much so as California. From the only place in NY State with major league football (that's Buffalo ) to the Adirondack Park that's larger than Yellowstone and Yosemite put together with room for more, to wine country, to much more, there are many different living situations and communities.
But all we can assume about you is that as a single male in your 40's you probably need some sort of employment. Much of NYS has a relatively low unemployment rate but in most cases upstate that's because the people already left to find work somewhere else (such as, yours truly). The upstate metros will show off some subdivisions and big boxes but typically are hollowing out - not to say there isn't urban redevelopment and infill, and very nice examples thereof, but it's still more exception than rule.
I'll summarize as many do on this forum: Get a job BEFORE you come!
So you're a sprawl hater too, huh? Welcome to the club.
I'm considering a move to upstate New York as well, and I'm also seeking an area where there isn't much sprawl to contend with. Fortunately, due to the long-term population decline of New York state, there are a number of choices on tap that you'd might like to choose from. These range from mid-sized cities such as Syracuse and Rochester, which do have some "sprawl", but nothing like what you might be used to on the west coast, or someplace like Atlanta, where I currently reside.
Or you may want to consider some of the smaller cities and towns in the upstate, which will depend on your need for employment or having access to big-city amenities. A sentimental favorite of mine is Ithaca, which offers many advantages of larger metro areas along with almost zero sprawl. There's a Home Depot and perhaps a Walmart (I think?) crammed in there somewhere, but very, very little in the way of big-box stores and those infernal, always-red stop lights every 100 yards on over crowded-arterials. You can drive out from the downtown area and be in the green, rolling hills in less than 10 minutes. Sounds like a dream, huh?
If you have more money to spend on real estate or rent, you can get surprisingly close to New York City without contending with sprawl, such as the town of New Paltz, less than 2 hours by car or train from the heart of the City. The residents of this town are of the crunchy-granola sort that are dead-set against sprawl, so this town will probably remain sprawl-free even in the face of probable population growth. On the other end of the state, you have Jamestown, which I personally think is perfect for a classic small city revival someday, with the downtown serving as the business and social heart of the city, as opposed to the outlying areas.
In any case, I highly recommend a road trip through upstate New York and see what strikes your fancy. In any case, you'll probably find you'll have a great deal to choose from for a relocation to this lovely state.
If you live in any metro outside of NYC in the state, you will be able to get away within 20 minutes or so. Heck, you could even stay in the same county and technically get away from the hustle and bustle in any of the metros up here. That's how it is in Upstate NY and it is a change of pace from Downstate NY.
Wakyco, New York State has a large population but more than 40% of it lives in just 5 out of its 62 counties (the 5 Boroughs of New York City). Another large percentage lives in a few larger counties like Nassau, Suffolk, Monroe, Erie, Albany, Westchester etc.
To put it an other way, the bulk of the population lives in a relatively small area. Much of the state, including much of Central NY, the Finger Lakes, the Thousand Islands-St Lawrence Valley and the Southern Tier is quite rural or in small towns. Much of the Adirondacks and parts of the Catskills are even WILD.
I think you can find whatever you are looking for in New York, from the most extreme urban area of Manhattan to wilderness in the Adirondacks.
New York & Urban Sprawl in the same sentence? Never in a millions. NYC will always build upward and not outward and the majority of the bed and breakfest communities will never decrease or increase.
I agree with the previous posters... NY *State* is actually quite rural. In my hometown of Syracuse, you can be in full-blown countryside, in any direction, within 15-20 minutes, if that. Dairy farms, rolling fields of corn and grains and other crops... nurseries, sheep and goat and llama farms... sugar maple sheds and tanks... orchards, vineyards (the Finger Lakes, especially!), clusters of bee hives...
I think a drive around NY is in order. lol - I'd start in Ithaca and wind your way up to Syracuse... I can't imagine ever leaving this part of the country. Quiet, when I want it to be and bustling, when I look for it.
Wakyco, New York State has a large population but more than 40% of it lives in just 5 out of its 62 counties (the 5 Boroughs of New York City). Another large percentage lives in a few larger counties like Nassau, Suffolk, Monroe, Erie, Albany, Westchester etc.
To put it an other way, the bulk of the population lives in a relatively small area. Much of the state, including much of Central NY, the Finger Lakes, the Thousand Islands-St Lawrence Valley and the Southern Tier is quite rural or in small towns. Much of the Adirondacks and parts of the Catskills are even WILD.
I think you can find whatever you are looking for in New York, from the most extreme urban area of Manhattan to wilderness in the Adirondacks.
There's also a lot of water in Upstate NY. So, if you like recreational activities pertaining to water, this is a good place to be.
Also, the great thing about NY State is that with everything it has, you can enjoy it without having to necessarily drive such long distances like some other highly populated states. You also have cities of decent size throughout most of the state. So, that makes it easier to go from an urban area to a rural area without taking a long time.
Other counties with relatively high populations are: Onondaga, Rockland, Dutchess and Orange(the fastest growing county in the state), with counties like Niagara, Rensselaer, Oneida, Broome and maybe Schenectady (I could be forgetting a county or two) all having around 250,000 people or so.
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) to the Adirondack Park that's larger than Yellowstone and Yosemite put together with room for more, to wine country, to much more, there are many different living situations and communities.
