A new list from U.S. News & World Report has revealed the best places to live in New York for 2025–26, with Massapequa Park taking the top spot.
According to the report, Massapequa Park—located on the South Shore of Long Island—earned the No. 1 ranking among 26 villages and cities across the state.
The nationwide report evaluated 250 major U.S. cities, using a range of metrics including quality of education, healthcare access, housing affordability, crime rates, and commuter indexes. Data was sourced from both public and private organizations, including the U.S. Census Bureau, and compiled into an overall score out of 10.
Massapequa Park earned a total score of 6.1.
Several other NYC suburbs also made the list. Hicksville ranked at No. 3, followed by White Plains at No. 5, New Rochelle at No. 8, and Yonkers at No. 12.
Full ranking list of best places to live in New York 2025 – 26
- Massapequa Park, NY
- Greece, NY
- Hicksville, NY
- Cheektowaga, NY
- White Plains, NY
- Tonawanda, NY
- Glens Falls, NY
- New Rochelle, NY
- Elmira, NY
- Lindenhurst, NY
- Middletown, NY
- Yonkers, NY
- Mount Vernon, NY
- Kingston, NY
- Utica, NY
- Schenectady, NY
- Binghamton, NY
- Buffalo, NY
- Albany, NY
- Ithaca, NY
- Watertown, NY
- Syracuse, NY
- Rochester, NY
- New York City, NY
- Spring Valley, NY
- Poughkeepsie, NY
The full report from U.S. News & World Report can be found here.