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It sounds like there are a fair share of people who are disenfranchised with Westchester county, for varying reasons. As a fairly recent transplant from NYC to northern Westchester, I wanted to start a discussion about the things that make it a great place to live. I for one have really enjoyed my time up here. I know the taxes are bit on the high side compared to most of US, but I don't think they are that high compared to other NYC suburbs (at least in my town). I love the aesthetic of winding roads with stone walls and heavy forested areas. That's something that I just haven't seen in many places. I like that I am commutable to Manhattan, but still feel like I live in the country. I see it as the best of both worlds. I also love the history, the older homes, and the ability to go out an hike off the grid for miles at a time. I think its a great place to start a family.
Chime in with some positive comments if you feel so inclined
I absolutely love Westchester for many of the reasons listed by the original poster. It is to me the best of the best when it comes to NYC suburbs, and I love the vibe here overall. I also think that as suburbs go, it has terrific restaurants, which is a huge plus.
Having lived into two capital cities before I ended up in NYC, and then out to Westchester, it is still a wonder to me that I can see rabbits on my walk home from the station and the occasional osprey flying overhead within 35 minutes of Grand Central Terminal. I'm not really touching on the myriad things I enjoy about living here, and I have lived in many, many places (all outside the US apart from my 15 years or so in Brooklyn), but that always gets me.
Being in a suburb of NYC is a great thing if you do use the city, as we do. But when we were looking to buy in the burbs, with great trepidation having lived in inner cities all our lives, we found the commutable parts of LI generally too congested traffic and transport wise (and Penn is just god-awful), and New Jersey had an odd atmosphere about it. Couldn't put my finger on it but just couldn't see it feeling like home.
So in a nutshell, the proximity to such an amazing city but still having the relative space, great schools, and spillover of people (including many ex-pats and others who live here), restaurants, and some of the scenes from NYC make for an excellent mix. As for the taxes - yes they are high. But I was paying a huge amount of taxes in NYC what with NYC income tax and real estate taxes combined- and there my taxes just went into some hole! At least here my kids get to go to an excellent school with great academics, great extracirriculars and great sporting fields - I can see what my money buys.
For me I always liked Northern Westchester and Putnam County, out by Bear Mountain and USMA is also very pretty, I'm a certified Audi/Volkswagen mechanic so I never really needed the city to earn a living, I actually have done decent avoiding Manhattan, lol.
I was born and raised in the country and prefer it over living in any city. Manhattan is a fun place to visit but I would never live there, I can tolerate a 3-4 hour visit.
My neck of the woods was Yorktown, Peekskill, Jefferson Valley when the mall opened, Mahopac, Carmel, Patterson, and Danbury was were I spent weekends in my younger years, Mt. Kisco was also a place I would go.
I live in Charlottesville Virginia now, but I do go back and visit when I can, the reflection of autumn leaves off of Lake Carmel is gorgeous, last time I saw that I asked myself why I ever left, then I remember the taxes and Im like oh yeah....
Its a beautiful county. Hilly, plenty of nautical environments along the LI sound and Hudson River and very safe. Each village has a distinct personality. Port Chester, White Plains, Tarrytown and several other locations have a great restaurant and nightlife. You rarely sit in traffic (except for 287 west during rushour and the Hutch) because of a plethora of parkways that run north and south. Some great hiking in northern parts of the county. Small communities that often shun big box stores. Most of the downtown parts of villages still have that early 20th centrury architecture.
Its a beautiful county. Hilly, plenty of nautical environments along the LI sound and Hudson River and very safe. Each village has a distinct personality. Port Chester, White Plains, Tarrytown and several other locations have a great restaurant and nightlife. You rarely sit in traffic (except for 287 west during rushour and the Hutch) because of a plethora of parkways that run north and south. Some great hiking in northern parts of the county. Small communities that often shun big box stores. Most of the downtown parts of villages still have that early 20th centrury architecture.
Great points. Historic village centers with small mom and pop stores as opposed to big box chains is a huge plus. I am not against large chains for convenience, but keep them grouped together in business districts. I love walking through the village green in Bedford and seeing 200+ year old structures with original architecture in-tact. I also love the small historic cemeteries preserved and nestled quietly along the winding country roads.
Great points. Historic village centers with small mom and pop stores as opposed to big box chains is a huge plus. I am not against large chains for convenience, but keep them grouped together in business districts. I love walking through the village green in Bedford and seeing 200+ year old structures with original architecture in-tact. I also love the small historic cemeteries preserved and nestled quietly along the winding country roads.
^^All of this. Totally agree! I drive through Bedford pretty much daily and it never gets old.
The chain store comment is especially interesting. Katonah is revolting against plans for an expanded CVS. Good for them. That's why Katonah looks the way it does. Much about living here reflects an ethos that prioritizes aesthetics over 'convenience.' What we see as an advantage apparently seems disadvantageous to many people from other regions - perhaps because in those regions all they have is chain stores, developments and strip malls of various kinds.
A few years ago my wife and I were talking to the wife of a transferee from the midwest at a party. She was lamenting the relative lack of big boxes and Walmart in particular. My wife replied that she was glad that there were so few in Westchester, thank god, and that she'd never shop there regardless - appalling service, shoddy Chinese junk, substandard wages, benefits, etc etc. The other woman was aghast and replied "but don't you want to save money??" My wife replied that she did not if it meant shopping at Walmart. That line has become a family joke for everything cheap and disposable and socially regressive. Like some of the posters on this board.
Location: Westchester County, NY -> Pinellas County, FL -> Dutchess County, NY -> Denver?
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Originally Posted by kletter1mann
^^All of this. Totally agree! I drive through Bedford pretty much daily and it never gets old.
The chain store comment is especially interesting. Katonah is revolting against plans for an expanded CVS. Good for them. That's why Katonah looks the way it does. Much about living here reflects an ethos that prioritizes aesthetics over 'convenience.' What we see as an advantage apparently seems disadvantageous to many people from other regions - perhaps because in those regions all they have is chain stores, developments and strip malls of various kinds.
A few years ago my wife and I were talking to the wife of a transferee from the midwest at a party. She was lamenting the relative lack of big boxes and Walmart in particular. My wife replied that she was glad that there were so few in Westchester, thank god, and that she'd never shop there regardless - appalling service, shoddy Chinese junk, substandard wages, benefits, etc etc. The other woman was aghast and replied "but don't you want to save money??" My wife replied that she did not if it meant shopping at Walmart. That line has become a family joke for everything cheap and disposable and socially regressive. Like some of the posters on this board.
I'm at a loss. You seem to be living on a different planet.
Hey, I posted in that other, negative thread, and I still love it here. As far as NYC suburbs go, it's tough to beat. Rockland is pretty, but lacks restaurants and transportation. Long Island is bland, overcrowded and you're trapped, having to drive through the whole city to get literally anywhere else. Jersey? Well, I can't quite put my finger on it, but I actually spent time looking there recently and found myself underwhelmed.
One day, I will be forced to move for economic reasons, but as for the time being I fit just fine into a 1 bedroom apartment, I'm quite all right in my lush, green, charming little riverside village.
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