Demographic changes in Dobbs Ferry

[AliciaN]

I don't disagree. That is why we have been looking for years and haven't actually left yet. But we have 2 kids and we are bursting at the seems here in Manhattan. I don't think we can comfortably afford to commit to sending them to private AND pay for a big enough apartment given our employment prospects. Knowing my son, he would not do fare in a NYC public school, and the start of kindergarten is 10 months away. We are already compromising to leave the city, and I am trying to find the best alternative *for us.* If you have a better suggestion I would welcome it.

If you're really not happy with your options here maybe you can wait a little longer and do more exploring. Are there towns on your "no" list that you could revisit? Scarsdale? Bronxville? Don't take someone else's word for it that these towns aren't for you until you've spent some time there.

[jazcat]

Moving42kids, can you tell me where you found 2012 data? Can't seem to find it.

[thatgirl185]

What about Pelham Manor? Pelham is often overlooked in discussions about upper middle class Westchester and I've yet to figure out why. Smaller lots maybe? Too close to the Bronx? (Though it doesn't seem like the "bad" areas of the Bx.) We just bought a house in north Pelham, we couldn't quite afford the Manor, but the entire town seems charming. A few ok restaurants and so close to the city. There's a Target, Fairway, Costco, all nearby. Great schools. Pelham Manor and Pelham Heights have some truly gorgeous homes. Good luck!

[RJS5689]

I'm not one to tell you what your priorities should be, but if I had kids and were looking at Westchester, my primary concern would be getting them into good schools, which there are plenty of around here. Disclaimer: I'm a born and raised Westchester resident. I left the area to go to college, then moved back to Westchester to pursue career opportunities in New York. I went through the Scarsdale school system, I live in Dobbs Ferry now and I work in Pelham.

It looks like Pelham wasn't mentioned until recently (good going, thatgirl185!) Pelham has a great school district and, in my opinion, is a pretty great area to live if you have kids. Schools are great, the train ride to Manhattan is always fast, houses are nice and the quiet community is very safe. You'll have to hop in the car, but Fairway isn't far at all, or you could visit the local DeCicco Market. New Rochelle is also right around the corner.

Two often overlooked, but very strong school districts are Blind Brook and Rye Brook.

You could also consider Harrison. Although schools are not quite as strong as some of the other Westchester towns, it's still a great place to raise a family, especially if you're of Italian descent (there's a very large Italian population in Harrison). I joke with my parents that they should have settled in Harrison, rather than Scarsdale, when they came over from Italy.

Next to Harrison is another strong contender, Rye.

If you are willing to travel further north, Chappaqua and Armonk should be strong contenders, with great schools and houses that often sit on more land than the southern Westchester homes have.

If you want to look on the Hudson side of the county (where Dobbs is) you should also have a look into Irvington.

[nonny]

I only skimmed this thread, but also recommend Pelham. The lower schools are good, shopping is easy. It's amazingly convenient place to live.