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So, long story short, I'm currently a CT resident living in Milford. I have a big job opportunity in NYC that I'm strongly considering, but the commute from Milford would be brutal.
Since the potential pay increase is pretty substantial, I would be more than able to afford to rent a crash pad to stay at during the week as needed. I'd be looking to spend in the vicinity of $1200-$1600 a month for a studio or 1BR.
I'm thinking Westchester is ideal for me. It's away from the craziness of the city, can be a very reasonable commute, and I can keep my car with me if I have to shoot up to my house and have the freedom to get around (yeah, I'm kind of a car person).
The office is a half mile walk from GCT.
I just have a few questions:
1. I'm looking for a Metro North train commute at about 30 minutes or less. What stations offer paid parking without having to wait for a parking permit for years?
2. One concern is seating. On the New Haven line, by the time the train gets to Stamford or so - there's very little seating available at rush hour. Anyone have any experience with Westchester commutes that can chime in on the seating situation?
3. If I chose to commute by car occasionally, how bad is the West Side Highway at rush hour?
My guess is your best bet is to look in New Rochelle. Try to find something within walking distance to the MNR so you don't have to park there.
I live in Hastings -- you could find a 1br for around $1500 here or in nearby Dobbs Ferry, within walking distance to the train and really nice towns. Definitely nicer than New Rochelle. But a really nice 1br is probably more like $2000.
Much of Yonkers is perfectly nice too, but you'd be paying extra income tax there... 3.6% or so
My guess is your best bet is to look in New Rochelle. Try to find something within walking distance to the MNR so you don't have to park there.
I live in Hastings -- you could find a 1br for around $1500 here or in nearby Dobbs Ferry, within walking distance to the train and really nice towns. Definitely nicer than New Rochelle. But a really nice 1br is probably more like $2000.
Much of Yonkers is perfectly nice too, but you'd be paying extra income tax there... 3.6% or so
Agreed. And you might be able to do without the car altogether.
I'm actually not sure how exactly the Yonkers tax is computed. But if it's similar to the NYC tax, then no. NYC doesn't care if it's your primary residence, only that you "maintain" it and spend a certain minimum number of days that year in it.
I work about 3/4 mile from GCT and commute on Metro North+ walk it every day, commuting from Stamford. So, my situation is analogous to yours on the Manhattan end of things.
What I've found in a year+ of doing it is:
1. don't underestimate the endpoint costs -- when you get to GCT at a nonpeak time and have to wait 15 minutes for a train, that's part of the commute.
2. Expect each train to, on average, have another 5-10 minutes of delay on top of the GMaps time. The variance is quite large. The delays tend to happen most frequently near GCT or before Harlem-125, so don't think living closer will really help -- it won't.
A "35 minute commute" in reality, with any amount of walking plus the above, is a 60 minute door to door. My door to door is very reliably 90 minutes.
Manhattan in the summer is barely tolerable on foot. I commonly ride the subway to near work when it's vile outside even though it doesn't shave much time just to avoid arriving a sweaty shambles.
On the plus side, after last spring, MNR has been extremely reliable, at least on my line. Jersey and LIRR don't currently measure up.
If I had the option of getting a crash pad I'd rent a walkup studio in Harlem in a heartbeat. You just need a bed and a bathroom, right? Heck, you're the perfect roommate.
Still concerned about how crowded the trains are once boarding at New Rochelle.
I would be getting the 8:44 or 8:52. Anyone take those?
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