While big cities like New York City offer culture, cuisine, and charisma, they also deliver terrible traffic, towering expenses, and a taxing quality of life.
With that in mind, we wanted to uncover the best suburbs around New York City. These burbs have all of the benefits of being near New York City without actually having to be in the city.
Of course, not all suburbs of New York City are created equally, which is precisely why we set out to find the best ones. Using Saturday Night Science, we delve into the factors that matter most, from commutes and housing costs to community vibes, to help you uncover the perfect suburban spots in the Greater New York City area.
Table Of Contents: Top Ten | Methodology | Summary | Table
The 10 best suburbs to live around New York City for 2024:
What’s the best suburb of New York City? East Williston ranks as the best suburb of New York City for 2024 based on the most recent Census and FBI data. If you happen to be a resident of East Williston, you’re probably not too surprised to find it on the top our list.
We’ll tell you what makes each of these 10 New York City ‘burbs better than the rest–but first, a bit about our methodology.
Feel free to check out some more reading about New York:
The 10 Best New York City Suburbs To Live For 2024
1. East Williston, NY
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Population: 2,630
Median Income: $225,833
Unemployment Rate: 1.6%
Poverty Rate: 2.3%
More on East Williston: Real Estate
East Williston is always mentioned as one of the best suburbs in the New York City area. We’ll tell you the good about “Awesome East Williston.”
Everyone here is rich; families average $225,833 a year, which is the 22nd highest in the New York City region. And only 1.63% are out of work. Homes average more than $1,172,966 each.
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Population: 4,234
Median Income: $250,001
Unemployment Rate: 2.0%
Poverty Rate: 0.1%
More on Ho-Ho-Kus: Data | Real Estate
Ho-Ho-Kus is the second best ‘burb we looked at near New York City for 2024.
It ranks 6th for incomes in the area and only 0.0% of residents lack insurance, good for best.
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Population: 7,242
Median Income: $250,001
Unemployment Rate: 3.6%
Poverty Rate: 1.7%
More on East Hills: Data | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
Here in East Hills, it’s really safe, and residents are just about as rich as you’ll see in the New York City metro area.
The bad side? Schools are more crowded, and the cost of living puts a large part of the city out of reach for most families.
But price is based on demand and a lot of people want to live in East Hills.
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Population: 6,570
Median Income: $206,850
Unemployment Rate: 3.5%
Poverty Rate: 6.5%
More on Bronxville: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
Bronxville ranks as the 4th best suburb of New York City for 2024.
You won’t find many better places to raise your kids in the region than in Bronxville and the schools are some of the best around.
The crime rate is bad. And everyone is rude.
I dont like how people are and how disrespectful they are.
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Population: 6,104
Median Income: $216,974
Unemployment Rate: 3.3%
Poverty Rate: 1.2%
More on Little Silver: Data | Real Estate
Coming in as the fifth best is Little Silver.
Little Silver gets kudos for having the 50th most expensive homes in the New York City area, where houses sell for an average of $936,174. However, the cost of living here is among the highest in the area.
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Population: 6,221
Median Income: $229,643
Unemployment Rate: 3.6%
Poverty Rate: 1.0%
More on Fair Haven: Data | Real Estate
Fair Haven is proud of its 6th place finish on this list. And here’s why.
Most residents have great jobs and the unemployment rate sits at 3.62%.
According to online reports, Fair Haven is quickly becoming one of the more affluent suburbs in the New York City area, meaning you need to get in soon.
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Population: 6,590
Median Income: $184,569
Unemployment Rate: 3.1%
Poverty Rate: 1.8%
More on Irvington: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
The 7th best suburb on our list goes to Irvington.
Irvington schools are some of the best in the region, and crime is really low. The cost of living makes it a lot more desirable for many families, especially first-time home buyers.
And, it’s only 25.8 miles to downtown, which is a good thing.
Grew up in Briarcliff Manor, moved to Irvington after college and marriage. Had major culture shock after being transferred to REALLY boring town in the central part of,Virginia. Literally in the midst of no where, we are an hour away from any other town of any size.
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Population: 7,797
Median Income: $246,429
Unemployment Rate: 6.2%
Poverty Rate: 1.2%
More on Glen Ridge: Data | Real Estate
Glen Ridge is growing quickly, and for a good reason. Crime is far below average, and most residents are gainfully employed. Even the cost of living is reasonable.
A solid 1.64% of people lack insurance, good for 41st in the area.
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Population: 4,787
Median Income: $250,001
Unemployment Rate: 3.2%
Poverty Rate: 4.0%
More on Flower Hill: Data | Real Estate
Is ‘Everything Better In Flower Hill?’
Almost.
It placed 9th on our list thanks to the fact that it’s really expensive to live here, but the schools are great, so you get what you pay for in that regard.
10. Essex Fells, NJ
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Population: 2,290
Median Income: $247,000
Unemployment Rate: 4.2%
Poverty Rate: 0.8%
More on Essex Fells: Real Estate
And rounding out the top ten for 2024 is Essex Fells.
This city is far above average in every category, and the best part? It’s far more affordable than the other cities listed above. So, you get a big bang for your buck here.
Methodology: How We Determined The Best Suburbs Around New York City for 2024
Figuring out the best suburbs around New York City was simple. We used Saturday Night Science to find things people like about living in the suburbs and then locate the suburbs with those things.
We analyzed the newest American Community Survey data for 2018-2022 to research each suburb. We decided upon the following criteria:
- Low unemployment rate
- High median household incomes
- Population density (lots of things to do)
- High home values
- A lot of college-educated people
- Low poverty
- High rate of insured families
We defined a suburb as being within 30 miles of New York City.
Additionally, we limited the analysis to places that have over 2,000 people. This left us with a grand total of 204 suburbs to evaluate around New York City.
We ranked each place with scores from 1 to 204 in each category, where 1 was the “best.
Next, we averaged the rankings for each place to create a quality-of-life index.
Finally, we crowned the city with the best quality of life index, the “Best Suburb near New York City.” We’re lookin’ at you, East Williston.
This result may differ from our state-wide data as we did not include commute times and crime for this analysis to allow for a more extensive selection of suburbs.
We updated the data for 2024. This report is our tenth time ranking the best New York City suburbs. Skip to the end to see the list of all the suburbs ranked from best to worst.
Summary: Welcome to the Best New York City ‘Burbs of 2024
We said it once, and we’ll say it again–life in the big city isn’t for everyone. At least not all the time.
The best suburbs of New York City are .
So if you’re craving the amenities of a larger city like New York City but don’t want to deal with the drawbacks, one of these suburbs might be for you.
For more New York reading, check out:
- Best Places To Retire In New York
- Richest Cities In New York
- Safest Places In New York According To Science
Table: Best New York City Suburbs
| Rank | City | Population | Median Income | Average Home Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | East Williston, NY | 2,630 | $225,833 | $1,172,966 |
| 2 | Ho-Ho-Kus, NY | 4,234 | $250,001 | $1,173,280 |
| 3 | East Hills, NY | 7,242 | $250,001 | $1,503,280 |
| 4 | Bronxville, NY | 6,570 | $206,850 | $1,414,491 |
| 5 | Little Silver, NY | 6,104 | $216,974 | $936,174 |
| 6 | Fair Haven, NY | 6,221 | $229,643 | $1,262,730 |
| 7 | Irvington, NY | 6,590 | $184,569 | $1,089,139 |
| 8 | Glen Ridge, NY | 7,797 | $246,429 | $970,075 |
| 9 | Flower Hill, NY | 4,787 | $250,001 | $2,272,864 |
| 10 | Essex Fells, NY | 2,290 | $247,000 | $1,234,586 |
| 11 | Pelham Manor, NY | 5,682 | $250,001 | $1,213,121 |
| 12 | Port Washington North, NY | 3,169 | $137,679 | $1,171,183 |
| 13 | Old Tappan, NY | 5,863 | $195,833 | $993,658 |
| 14 | Kings Point, NY | 5,593 | $172,402 | $2,350,495 |
| 15 | Great Neck Estates, NY | 2,936 | $175,515 | $1,900,729 |
| 16 | Munsey Park, NY | 2,792 | $250,001 | $2,198,885 |
| 17 | Pelham, NY | 7,261 | $172,692 | $1,115,333 |
| 18 | North Hills, NY | 5,425 | $182,401 | $1,477,467 |
| 19 | Westfield, NY | 30,839 | $203,235 | $1,040,776 |
| 20 | Rye, NY | 16,447 | $227,565 | $2,034,669 |
| 21 | Scarsdale, NY | 18,061 | $250,001 | $1,926,527 |
| 22 | Chatham, NY | 9,199 | $250,001 | $1,092,337 |
| 23 | Demarest, NY | 4,930 | $165,119 | $1,108,430 |
| 24 | Ridgewood, NY | 26,043 | $211,224 | $978,934 |
| 25 | Malverne, NY | 8,526 | $158,333 | $684,440 |
| 26 | Franklin Lakes, NY | 11,007 | $204,917 | $1,396,762 |
| 27 | Oradell, NY | 8,208 | $196,023 | $793,885 |
| 28 | Monmouth Beach, NY | 3,199 | $144,792 | $995,570 |
| 29 | Hastings-On-Hudson, NY | 8,456 | $161,908 | $979,873 |
| 30 | Rumson, NY | 7,285 | $250,001 | $1,812,105 |
| 31 | Stewart Manor, NY | 2,244 | $151,250 | $865,724 |
| 32 | Larchmont, NY | 6,549 | $220,714 | $1,464,885 |
| 33 | Harrington Park, NY | 4,826 | $183,138 | $825,981 |
| 34 | Glen Rock, NY | 12,086 | $202,586 | $857,563 |
| 35 | Hoboken, NY | 58,754 | $168,137 | $795,620 |
| 36 | River Edge, NY | 12,022 | $150,073 | $685,672 |
| 37 | Floral Park, NY | 15,892 | $153,659 | $769,798 |
| 38 | New Providence, NY | 13,595 | $167,188 | $806,187 |
| 39 | Sands Point, NY | 2,702 | $250,001 | $2,811,165 |
| 40 | Lawrence, NY | 6,773 | $169,029 | $1,754,064 |
| 41 | Laurel Hollow, NY | 2,050 | $250,001 | $1,911,706 |
| 42 | Williston Park, NY | 7,543 | $145,956 | $781,485 |
| 43 | Park Ridge, NY | 9,098 | $164,241 | $706,489 |
| 44 | Fanwood, NY | 7,723 | $177,727 | $651,607 |
| 45 | Haworth, NY | 3,342 | $215,972 | $943,022 |
| 46 | Lake Success, NY | 2,825 | $239,000 | $1,686,919 |
| 47 | Allendale, NY | 6,817 | $163,875 | $891,873 |
| 48 | Cresskill, NY | 9,105 | $162,430 | $824,668 |
| 49 | Roslyn, NY | 2,928 | $97,073 | $1,259,042 |
| 50 | Hillsdale, NY | 10,125 | $175,802 | $698,480 |
| 51 | Ardsley, NY | 5,013 | $243,594 | $844,517 |
| 52 | Mountainside, NY | 6,991 | $162,531 | $851,670 |
| 53 | Rockville Centre, NY | 25,784 | $147,361 | $856,286 |
| 54 | Florham Park, NY | 12,790 | $141,620 | $852,042 |
| 55 | Shrewsbury, NY | 4,138 | $158,065 | $818,921 |
| 56 | Brookville, NY | 2,988 | $250,001 | $2,356,033 |
| 57 | Massapequa Park, NY | 17,045 | $161,193 | $676,157 |
| 58 | Ramsey, NY | 14,739 | $160,589 | $705,649 |
| 59 | Piermont, NY | 2,507 | $131,458 | $730,633 |
| 60 | Wood-Ridge, NY | 9,978 | $132,901 | $617,275 |
| 61 | Waldwick, NY | 10,068 | $150,861 | $600,598 |
| 62 | Sea Cliff, NY | 5,062 | $181,375 | $956,983 |
| 63 | North Caldwell, NY | 6,625 | $215,000 | $1,001,940 |
| 64 | Cedarhurst, NY | 7,307 | $102,561 | $1,014,899 |
| 65 | Bayville, NY | 6,763 | $136,346 | $719,065 |
| 66 | Edgewater, NY | 14,394 | $136,806 | $641,816 |
| 67 | Long Beach, NY | 34,734 | $125,974 | $741,005 |
| 68 | New Hyde Park, NY | 10,235 | $144,375 | $837,167 |
| 69 | Watchung, NY | 6,417 | $157,065 | $905,582 |
| 70 | Norwood, NY | 5,657 | $156,630 | $747,730 |
| 71 | Metuchen, NY | 14,958 | $154,339 | $566,292 |
| 72 | Tenafly, NY | 15,299 | $207,652 | $1,066,620 |
| 73 | Thomaston, NY | 2,750 | $134,107 | $1,264,600 |
| 74 | Montvale, NY | 8,413 | $175,179 | $787,501 |
| 75 | Madison, NY | 16,521 | $163,567 | $906,312 |
| 76 | Farmingdale, NY | 8,428 | $127,059 | $606,719 |
| 77 | Rutherford, NY | 18,754 | $128,576 | $638,326 |
| 78 | Woodcliff Lake, NY | 6,096 | $227,500 | $1,021,125 |
| 79 | Westwood, NY | 11,241 | $160,466 | $617,848 |
| 80 | Englewood Cliffs, NY | 5,347 | $213,261 | $1,437,753 |
| 81 | Old Westbury, NY | 4,410 | $250,001 | $2,416,944 |
| 82 | Fair Lawn, NY | 34,948 | $141,540 | $601,965 |
| 83 | Caldwell, NY | 8,897 | $117,879 | $625,878 |
| 84 | Great Neck, NY | 11,060 | $128,457 | $1,274,040 |
| 85 | Silver Lake, NY | 2,621 | $131,012 | $318,605 |
| 86 | Upper Saddle River, NY | 8,313 | $234,476 | $1,204,841 |
| 87 | East Rockaway, NY | 10,070 | $115,701 | $653,020 |
| 88 | Mineola, NY | 20,940 | $130,111 | $709,636 |
| 89 | Saddle River, NY | 3,363 | $228,750 | $1,936,148 |
| 90 | Garwood, NY | 4,542 | $107,823 | $568,373 |
| 91 | Lynbrook, NY | 20,299 | $139,266 | $646,702 |
| 92 | Matawan, NY | 9,546 | $125,040 | $563,446 |
| 93 | Closter, NY | 8,555 | $181,652 | $917,085 |
| 94 | Roseland, NY | 6,221 | $135,451 | $686,003 |
| 95 | Summit, NY | 22,555 | $176,702 | $1,115,201 |
| 96 | Dobbs Ferry, NY | 11,431 | $144,000 | $860,831 |
| 97 | Oceanport, NY | 6,119 | $132,723 | $795,055 |
| 98 | Oakland, NY | 12,734 | $162,848 | $624,707 |
| 99 | Great Neck Plaza, NY | 7,443 | $97,022 | $461,075 |
| 100 | Atlantic Highlands, NY | 4,409 | $118,591 | $688,002 |
