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Best Neighborhoods in Long Island

Long Island is one of the best places to raise a family in America. Though the idea of moving out of the city is daunting to many New Yorkers, there are plenty of neighborhoods in Long Island with easy commutes to NYC that give young families the opportunity to own their homes instead of renting. Here are our favorite places in Long Island.

Sand’s Point

Town(s) North Hempstead
Average Home Value $2,289,600
Average Yearly Household Income $250,001
School District Port Washington Union Free School District
School District Ranking for NY State #36
Closest Train Station Port Washington – 30 min drive
Commute Time to Penn Station 1 hour 20 mins
Distance to Manhattan by Car 29 miles

The New York Times once called Sand’s Point “A Fairy-Tale Village, for Those Who Can Afford It.” There’s no denying that the neighborhood is extremely expensive, with an average home value of well over $2 million.

mansion

However, the neighborhood was the inspiration for “East Egg” in the Great Gatsby. If you can make living here work, financially, you’ll be living in a fairy-tale straight from the novel.

Roslyn

child doing school work at his desk

Town(s) North Hempstead
Average Home Value $1,050,913
Average Yearly Household Income $105,000
School District Roslyn Union Free School District
School District Ranking for NY State #5
Closest Train Station Roslyn
Commute Time to Penn Station 45 minutes
Distance to Manhattan by Car 27 miles

Roslyn is one of the most desirable neighborhoods in the entire tri-state area. The village offers impeccable public education, a beautiful historic village, and easy access to NYC. It is considered part of the “Gold Coast” and is situated right on Hempstead Harbor. All of these amenities certainly come at a cost. However, if you can make it work, you’re living in one of the best, most desirable neighborhoods in the entire country.

Massapequa

Town(s) Oyster Bay
Average Home Value $555,000
Average Yearly Household Income $123,935
School District Massapequa Union Free School District
School District Ranking for NY State #98
Closest Train Station Roslyn
Commute Time to Penn Station 1 hour 1 min
Distance to Manhattan by Car 38 miles

Massapequa is a fantastic enclave for young professionals as well as families. It’s less than 40 miles from Manhattan, yet offers a variety of restaraunts (check out All American Hamburger Drive-In), parks, and entertainment locally.  The neighborhood offers some of the best long island beach access around.

East Meadow

east meadow on a map

Town(s) Hempstead
Average Home Value $545,453
Average Yearly Household Income $105,192
School District East Meadow School District
School District Ranking for NY State #45
Closest Train Station Hicksville – 15 min drive or Westbury – 11 min drive
Commute Time to Penn Station Hicksville – 50 mins Westbury – 45 mins
Distance to Manhattan by Car 33 miles

East Meadow is another fantastic NYC suburb. It’s pretty densely populated, with diverse and successful professionals and families. One of the best aspects of this neighborhood is Eisenhower Park. It’s larger than Central Park, features a wide array of athletic facilities, and is one of the most popular parks in Long Island.

Stony Brook

Stony Brook on a map

Town(s) Brookhaven
Average Home Value $530,818
Average Yearly Household Income $130,202
School District Three Village Central School District
School District Ranking for NY State #29
Closest Train Station Stony Brook
Commute Time to Penn Station 1 hour 47 mins (not including transfer time)
Distance to Manhattan by Car 57 miles

Stony Brook features a beautiful historic village center and is right on the harbor with access to beaches and docks. The Stony Brook School is one of the finest private college prep high schools in the country. Stony Brook University, an award-winning public university, is in the neighborhood as well. This contributes to an academic vibe, and a culture of prosperity and success.

Plainview

diverse family embracing one another for a picture

Town(s) Oyster Bay
Average Home Value $649,123
Average Yearly Household Income $143,534
School District Plainview-Old Bethpage Central School District
School District Ranking for NY State #23
Closest Train Station Hicksville – 15 min drive
Commute Time to Penn Station 50 minutes
Distance to Manhattan by Car 38 miles

Plainview is a centrally-located hamlet in Long Island that offers families and young professionals a great mix of amenities. The hamlet offers excellent schools and a variety of restaurants and shopping centers. The neighborhood also contains a variety of parks, like Manetto Hills Park and Plainview Old Bethpage Park.

Levittown

Levittown on a map

Town(s) Hempstead
Average Home Value $490,173
Average Yearly Household Income $119,426
School District Levittown Union Free School District
School District Ranking for NY State #70
Closest Train Station Hicksville – 12 min drive or Bethpage – 8 min drive
Commute Time to Penn Station Hicksville – 50 mins Bethpage – 55 mins
Distance to Manhattan by Car 35 miles

Levittown is historically significant in that it was the country’s first planned suburban community, originally built for veterans returning home from World War 2. Today, Levittown offers good schools, and relatively affordable homes compared to the rest of Long Island. They offer residents a ton for their tax money, with excellent athletic and music programs at their schools. The hamlet is pretty lively as well, offering some solid restaurants, bars and even a comedy club.

Bellmore

Jones Beach State Park in the fall

Town(s) Hempstead
Average Home Value $574,591
Average Yearly Household Income $132,927
School District Bellmore Union Free School District or North Bellmore Union Free School District or Bellmore-Merrick Central High School District
School District Ranking for NY State Bellmore-Merrick Central High School District – #24
Closest Train Station Bellmore
Commute Time to Penn Station 53 minutes
Distance to Manhattan by Car 37 miles

Bellmore offers its residents waterfront peace, quiet, and serenity. Yet, it is within 40 miles of Manhattan and offers convenient city access as well as a plethora of local conveniences. It’s got some of the best Long Island Beach Access with Jones Beach State Park minutes away. The village itself has a nice little downtown area, with a variety of restaurants, shops, and bars. Bellmore has a couple of parks as well, one of which is home to the Town of Hempstead Dog Park.

Smithtown

hiker walking through the woods with a backpack

Town(s) Smithtown
Average Home Value $508,140
Average Yearly Household Income $129,926
School District Smithtown Central School District
School District Ranking for NY State #66
Closest Train Station Smithtown
Commute Time to Penn Station 1 hour 25 mins
Distance to Manhattan by Car 55 miles

Smithtown is a large town of over 115,000 people located right in the middle of Long Island. It has a sparse suburban feel and offers residents really great public schools and spacious parks. Caleb Smith State Park is a spacious natural escape from the hustle and bustle of the area, with picturesque views and sprawling hiking and jogging trails. They even offer year round nature programs for children and people of all ages. The town is prosperous, family oriented and strikes a great balance for everything a Long Island family would want.

Greenport

North Atlantic Lighthouse seen from a rocky shoreline

Town(s) Southold
Average Home Value $663,651
Average Yearly Household Income $67,535
School District Greenport Union Free School District
School District Ranking for NY State #755
Closest Train Station Greenport
Commute Time to Penn Station 2 hrs 47 mins (not including transfer)
Distance to Manhattan by Car 100 miles

Greenport is a unique seaside village on the far eastern end of Long Island’s North Fork. It is known for its historic downtown seaport, with shops, excellent restaurants, bars, and museums. It captures the essence of a quaint North Atlantic seaside town so authentically. You’ll find fantastic seafood along with a variety of seaside attractions. Commute times to New York City are a little excessive. However, with the increased prevalence of remote working, it would be realistic to live out here if you only had to go to the city a few times a month. What you get in return is a charming, unique community that offers more dining and entertainment locally and relies less on its proximity to New York City.

Long Island Movers

Friendly NYC Movers If you find yourself ready to slow down a little bit and enjoy a prosperous, success-oriented community that offers its residents the best of suburban living in all of the United States, you should really consider checking out some of these neighborhoods in Long Island. When you’re ready to move to Long Island, you’ll need a team of trustworthy moving professionals who understand how to operate efficiently and safely during the pandemic. Get a moving quote today and start building your American Dream in some of America’s finest suburban communities.

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