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Hello,
My partner and I are moving to New York in May. We currently live in Chicago but are both from the California Bay Area (die hard Oaklanders). She got a job at IBM Research in Yorktown Heights -- our dilemma is where to live. We loved living in Oakland because it had a small city feel with both quick access to nature and San Francisco. We also love Chicago because of all the neighborhoods. We live in the northern most neighborhood that feels quiet but still has quick access to downtown. Our requirements are the following -- a neighborhood/community that has some nightlife (doesn't have to be clubs since we aren't in our 20s anymore), restaurants, bars, coffee shop, nature, relatively quick access to the city or a city, and economically and racially diverse. We also lived just outside of Boston and felt like it was a little too sleepy. Are we asking too much? We tend to gravitate towards areas that the outside might deem "not as nice" but the locals know different. Thank you!!!
Perhaps White Plains, parts of New Rochelle and the Fleetwood/northern Mount Vernon(around/north of the Cross County) area? Maybe Ossining and Peekskill, along with a couple of the other Rivertowns.
Perhaps White Plains, parts of New Rochelle and the Fleetwood/northern Mount Vernon(around/north of the Cross County) area? Maybe Ossining and Peekskill, along with a couple of the other Rivertowns.
White Plains is closest to what you describe, but it is not all that close. Nothing like that exists here. Manhattan and its life, along with nearby Brooklyn and parts of queens, and absolute ending points. In manhattan, its obviously the Bronz that stops them, and northern Manhattan/Harlam, Wash Hgts, all make for very quick ends to the areas you describe. They do not ease into suburbs like in Oakland or Chicago, but its a fast line where it simply stops.
White Plains has some nice places for foodies, and some nice clubs and bars, but not like a major city. that is probably your best bet. Peekskill is great, but far too small for you. Its got 5 or 6 nice places to eat for foodies, a few nice pubs, but that is it. Its great for being a place to visit or see a show, but its not what you describe.
I second White Plains. You can also try Tarrytown and Mt Kisco. If longer commute is OK then Stamford CT will be a great option. Good luck with your move!
The Oakland of NYC would be Brooklyn or Queens, really, but those are way far from Yorktown Heights and offer zero access to nature or anything outside the city or LI. Your options in Westchester are going to be far less urban, so be prepared if that's where you are looking.
You might find some areas up here that you like if you can adjust to living in small town vs a small city. I think Peekskill is the best option for some nightlife, culture, and a diverse community. It's technically a city, but nothing like Oakland in terms of size. You didn't mention schools as a factor, but that's the big drawback there. There are bad parts, but the combo of a real downtown and a pretty location on the Hudson could make for a good lifestyle.
Ossining is a great community that could fit you well, but does not offer much nightlife. I live there, but mostly tend to venture to Peekskill or Tarrytown for a night out. Otherwise, Ossining is a diverse and interesting place. We liked that it was a bit more colorful than the other nearby towns that we looked at, and have enjoyed the laid-back feel of the town. The schools are terrific but score lower than others due to the ESL population. It's only a few miles from IBM Research. I know at least a couple people in town who work over there.
On the plus side for Westchester, the whole area up here has great access to nature, both locally and throughout the Hudson Valley. I'd suggest you check it out. Otherwise, you could always reverse commute from upper Manhattan I suppose.
I just thought about this, but Jersey City and Oakland are very similar demographically and are pretty close in terms of population/size. It wouldn't work in terms of a commute though.
Nyack in Rockland County is a nice, diverse smaller community with some nightlife, but the commute would be the issue.
Nyack in Rockland County is a nice, diverse smaller community with some nightlife, but the commute would be the issue.
Agree on Nyack, too. It did not come to mind because the NYC commute is bad, but it could possibly work for a commute to Yorktown. That is another nice community.
Hello,
My partner and I are moving to New York in May. We currently live in Chicago but are both from the California Bay Area (die hard Oaklanders). She got a job at IBM Research in Yorktown Heights -- our dilemma is where to live. We loved living in Oakland because it had a small city feel with both quick access to nature and San Francisco. We also love Chicago because of all the neighborhoods. We live in the northern most neighborhood that feels quiet but still has quick access to downtown. Our requirements are the following -- a neighborhood/community that has some nightlife (doesn't have to be clubs since we aren't in our 20s anymore), restaurants, bars, coffee shop, nature, relatively quick access to the city or a city, and economically and racially diverse. We also lived just outside of Boston and felt like it was a little too sleepy. Are we asking too much? We tend to gravitate towards areas that the outside might deem "not as nice" but the locals know different. Thank you!!!
Actually NYC's suburbs outside of the 5 borough's are similar to Chicago's suburbs. You know how in Chicago outside of Evanston & Oak Park most of the burbs are sleepy, bedroom towns (many which have commuter rail to the city)? NYC is laid out the same way. Chicago's burbs arguably has a larger employment base than NYC's burbs with the exception of the New Jersey suburbs (lot of Fortune 500 companies up & down that state). Correct me if I'm wrong folks, but most folks in NY's Westchester County & Nassau County (Long Island) commute to Manhattan to make their $$$. Most communities that resemble Oakland in any way would be within the city limits of NYC. Someone I know that moved from NYC to Oakland, CA told me that Oakland is like the Brooklyn of San Francisco. So you may want to look into parts of Brooklyn although it has gotten quite pricey as of late.
Norwalk, CT has some funkiness and a pretty waterfront downtown. But if you're going to travel that far daily, you may as well live in NYC and reverse commute.
I have to agree with the poster who mentioned the Fleetwood area of Mt. Vernon. That part of Mt. Vernon is pretty safe and offers some nice amenities. It's also close to several parks if you want to get outdoors and the MetroNorth runs right thru it. It might actually make a stop in Yorktown, but I'm not sure.
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