With NYC become increasingly more expensive–it was just named the 3rd most expensive city in the world–and renters paying 164% more than the average American, many people are looking towards suburbs outside of the city to make a move to, especially considering NYers need more than $1 million to retire comfortably.
So if you’re looking for a place where your multigenerational family can thrive you only really need to look an hour outside of NYC–that’s according to a recent study done by Fortune, who looked at over 2,000 cities across the country to find the best place for families to live in each of the 50 states.
As for New York that title goes to Long Island’s very own North Hempstead, which actually ranked 15th overall out of 50. Fortune writes:
The Long Island township of North Hempstead is a peaceful escape from the Big Apple with tree-filled enclaves and tranquil harbors dotted with sailboats. The area is made up of a series of incorporated villages, many of which have walkable downtowns…North Hempstead is a prime landscape for golfing and boating, thanks to its country club and many waterways. It’s also in a top-notch location; its proximity to the water means there are several beaches to enjoy during the summer months and several ponds for ice skating during the winter, while its proximity to New York City makes it easy to jazz up weekend life or commute to work; you can get there in under an hour on the LIRR.
North Hempstead has the highest Sharecare Community Well-Being ranking on the list–89 out of 100–and a Financial Well-Being Index Score of 66 out of 100. The median sale price for single family residences (according to data circa 2022) is $1,156,728, while the median household income is $144,003 (compared to NYC’s median income of $86,984).
Even more, North Hempstead is home to some of the best school districts in the state and has the highest number of recommended hospitals in the area (50) on the list.
And just because it’s not in NYC doesn’t mean there isn’t a ton to do–the suburb is rich in history and is home to more than 25 museums and historical sites to explore, like the Cradle of Aviation Museum and the Old Westbury Gardens, a historic mansion-turned-museum dating back to 1906.
To determine the best places to live for families, Fortune looked at over 2,000 cities, towns, suburbs, exurbs, villages, and townships, each with approximately 20,000 residents or more, across all 50 U.S. states. They then judged them on nearly 200 data categories across five main themes: Education, Resources for aging adults, General wellness, Financial health, and Livability.
The top 10 best places for families to live in the U.S. is as follows:
1. Silver Spring, Maryland
2. Upper Merion, Pennsylvania
3. Chantilly, Virginia
4. Ann Arbor, Michigan
5. Mason, Ohio
6. Franklin, Tennessee
7. Lafayette, Colorado
8. Overland Park, Kansas
9. Morristown, New Jersey
10. Portsmouth, New Hampshire
The full ranking can be found here.