You’ve seen these lists before. Best places to live in New York. Best sururbs in New York. Best counties in New York.
Etc., etc., etc.
But they all focus on major cities and towns in the Empire State, and no one pays attention to the little guy.
Well, that’s all about to change as we put together a list of the superb small towns in New York based on numbers–not opinions or hearsay.
We’ll dive right into our methodology in the next section, but first, we thought you might want to know which places in New York ranked the best based on Saturday Night Science.
Table Of Contents: Top Ten | Methodology | Summary | Table
The 15 Best Small Towns To Live In New York For 2026
- Sparkill
- Glenwood Landing
- Skaneateles
- Plandome
- Saddle Rock
- East Williston
- Pittsford
- Russell Gardens
- Cold Spring Harbor
- East Norwich
- Munsey Park
- Albertson
- Brightwaters
- Flower Hill
- Roslyn Estates
What’s the best small town in New York? Sparkill is the best small town in New York based on the most recent Census data. If you live in one of these small towns like Sparkill, chances are, you’re not surprised. After all, you know how great you have it.
But for the rest of you–keep reading, and we’ll get to just why these small towns made our list.
For more reading on the Empire State check out:
- Best Places To Live In New York
- Cheapest Places To Live In New York
- Most Dangerous Places In New York
The 15 Best Small Towns In New York For 2026
1. Sparkill
/10
Population: 1,483
Median Income: $250,001 (12th Best)
Median Home Value: $739,034 (102nd Best)
Unemployment Rate: 1.6%
2. Glenwood Landing
/10
Population: 3,896
Median Income: $131,573 (102nd Best)
Median Home Value: $984,162 (73rd Best)
Unemployment Rate: 2.3%
3. Skaneateles
/10
Population: 2,543
Median Income: $125,625 (110th Best)
Median Home Value: $775,350 (96th Best)
Unemployment Rate: 1.1%
4. Plandome
/10
Population: 1,518
Median Income: $250,001 (12th Best)
Median Home Value: $2,396,387 (7th Best)
Unemployment Rate: 1.4%
5. Saddle Rock
Population: 1,190
Median Income: $175,625 (48th Best)
Median Home Value: $2,077,187 (18th Best)
Unemployment Rate: 2.3%
6. East Williston
/10
Population: 2,611
Median Income: $214,750 (36th Best)
Median Home Value: $1,374,902 (45th Best)
Unemployment Rate: 1.7%
7. Pittsford
/10
Population: 1,664
Median Income: $119,211 (124th Best)
Median Home Value: $505,959 (155th Best)
Unemployment Rate: 3.0%
8. Russell Gardens
/10
Population: 1,078
Median Income: $242,083 (27th Best)
Median Home Value: $1,831,318 (27th Best)
Unemployment Rate: 2.1%
9. Cold Spring Harbor
/10
Population: 3,220
Median Income: $250,001 (12th Best)
Median Home Value: $1,672,270 (32nd Best)
Unemployment Rate: 1.5%
10. East Norwich
/10
Population: 2,697
Median Income: $204,071 (41st Best)
Median Home Value: $977,908 (75th Best)
Unemployment Rate: 2.7%
11. Munsey Park
/10
Population: 2,778
Median Income: $250,001 (12th Best)
Median Home Value: $2,377,694 (9th Best)
Unemployment Rate: 6.2%
12. Albertson
/10
Population: 4,891
Median Income: $132,955 (99th Best)
Median Home Value: $1,068,544 (61st Best)
Unemployment Rate: 0.9%
13. Brightwaters
/10
Population: 3,179
Median Income: $218,000 (35th Best)
Median Home Value: $819,934 (86th Best)
Unemployment Rate: 4.4%
14. Flower Hill
/10
Population: 4,803
Median Income: $250,001 (12th Best)
Median Home Value: $2,367,030 (10th Best)
Unemployment Rate: 5.0%
15. Roslyn Estates
/10
Population: 1,405
Median Income: $250,001 (12th Best)
Median Home Value: $2,110,018 (17th Best)
Unemployment Rate: 1.2%
Methodology: How We Determined The Coolest Towns In New York
We threw a lot of criteria at this report to get the best, most complete results of the best small towns in New York possible.
Using the most recent data from the Census’s 2020-2024 American Community Survey, the Bureau of Labor Statistics, and Saturday Night Science, this is the criteria we used:
- Population Density (Higher is better)
- Lowest Unemployment Rates
- Housing costs (Higher is better. More demand.)
- Adjusted Median Income (Higher is better)
- Highly Educated Adults (Higher is better)
- Insurance Rates (Higher is better)
- Commute Times (Lower is better)
We looked at places with populations lower than 5,000 people and greater than 1,000, of which there were many – 461 to be exact.
We then ranked each place in each category with scores from 1 to 461, averaged them out, and the lowest scores went to our Best Small Towns in New York. Top of that list — Sparkill.
This is our eleventh time ranking the best small places to live in New York.
Summary: Science Can Tackle Any Issue, Even Small Ones
We said it once, and we’ll say it again — this list: it’s just science. We did the research, crunched the numbers, and it turns out these 15 small towns in New York are the best in which to live.
And who can argue with that?
The best small towns in New York are Sparkill, Glenwood Landing, Skaneateles, Plandome, Saddle Rock, East Williston, Pittsford, Russell Gardens, Cold Spring Harbor, and East Norwich.
If you’re curious, here are the worst small towns in New York:
- Whitehall
- Afton
- Clyde
For more New York reading, check out:
- Best Places To Raise A Family In New York
- Safest Places In New York According To Science
- Worst Places To Live In New York State
Best Small Towns In New York
| Rank | City | Population | Median Income | Median Home Value | Unemployment Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sparkill, NY | 1,483 | $250,001 | 1.6% | |
| 2 | Glenwood Landing, NY | 3,896 | $131,573 | 2.3% | |
| 3 | Skaneateles, NY | 2,543 | $125,625 | 1.1% | |
| 4 | Plandome, NY | 1,518 | $250,001 | 1.4% | |
| 5 | Saddle Rock, NY | 1,190 | $175,625 | 2.3% | |
| 6 | East Williston, NY | 2,611 | $214,750 | 1.7% | |
| 7 | Pittsford, NY | 1,664 | $119,211 | 3.0% | |
| 8 | Russell Gardens, NY | 1,078 | $242,083 | 2.1% | |
| 9 | Cold Spring Harbor, NY | 3,220 | $250,001 | 1.5% | |
| 10 | East Norwich, NY | 2,697 | $204,071 | 2.7% | |
| 11 | Munsey Park, NY | 2,778 | $250,001 | 6.2% | |
| 12 | Albertson, NY | 4,891 | $132,955 | 0.9% | |
| 13 | Brightwaters, NY | 3,179 | $218,000 | 4.4% | |
| 14 | Flower Hill, NY | 4,803 | $250,001 | 5.0% | |
| 15 | Roslyn Estates, NY | 1,405 | $250,001 | 1.2% | |
| 16 | Lincolndale, NY | 1,323 | $234,417 | 1.9% | |
| 17 | Fayetteville, NY | 4,214 | $127,559 | 1.5% | |
| 18 | Great Neck Estates, NY | 3,023 | $237,788 | 1.7% | |
| 19 | Plandome Heights, NY | 1,036 | $250,001 | 6.0% | |
| 20 | Bridgehampton, NY | 1,531 | $139,486 | 0.0% | |
| 21 | Eatons Neck, NY | 1,173 | $234,375 | 0.0% | |
| 22 | Thornwood, NY | 4,140 | $170,398 | 1.8% | |
| 23 | Searingtown, NY | 4,720 | $212,344 | 5.0% | |
| 24 | Glen Head, NY | 4,653 | $138,465 | 2.0% | |
| 25 | Sag Harbor, NY | 2,489 | $129,821 | 0.4% | |
| 26 | Shrub Oak, NY | 2,498 | $172,778 | 0.5% | |
| 27 | Port Washington North, NY | 3,149 | $136,389 | 4.2% | |
| 28 | Atlantic Beach, NY | 1,422 | $165,565 | 3.1% | |
| 29 | Ardsley, NY | 4,998 | $243,000 | 5.7% | |
| 30 | Village Of The Branch, NY | 1,903 | $173,958 | 3.1% | |
| 31 | Chappaqua, NY | 3,046 | $241,432 | 6.2% | |
| 32 | Hartsdale, NY | 2,903 | $132,778 | 3.2% | |
| 33 | East Ithaca, NY | 1,918 | $116,410 | 2.3% | |
| 34 | Liverpool, NY | 2,695 | $86,932 | 2.0% | |
| 35 | Bellport, NY | 1,948 | $146,083 | 2.0% | |
| 36 | Great Neck Gardens, NY | 1,492 | $136,092 | 0.0% | |
| 37 | Head Of The Harbor, NY | 1,384 | $250,001 | 1.2% | |
| 38 | Valhalla, NY | 2,937 | $134,037 | 1.9% | |
| 39 | Gang Mills, NY | 4,177 | $108,194 | 1.0% | |
| 40 | Katonah, NY | 2,176 | $207,083 | 0.9% | |
| 41 | Thiells, NY | 4,475 | $133,623 | 2.4% | |
| 42 | South Hempstead, NY | 3,108 | $156,023 | 4.9% | |
| 43 | Armonk, NY | 4,429 | $230,357 | 2.0% | |
| 44 | Roslyn, NY | 2,978 | $116,386 | 2.1% | |
| 45 | Baxter Estates, NY | 1,058 | $153,750 | 3.1% | |
| 46 | Water Mill, NY | 2,764 | $186,875 | 6.0% | |
| 47 | Bellerose, NY | 1,136 | $232,250 | 6.1% | |
| 48 | New Hartford, NY | 1,989 | $82,717 | 2.6% | |
| 49 | Lloyd Harbor, NY | 3,565 | $250,001 | 0.9% | |
| 50 | Laurel Hollow, NY | 1,927 | $250,001 | 2.2% | |
| 51 | Poquott, NY | 1,127 | $190,391 | 2.3% | |
| 52 | West Sayville, NY | 4,800 | $166,312 | 1.1% | |
| 53 | Halesite, NY | 2,661 | $175,368 | 7.6% | |
| 54 | Old Field, NY | 1,007 | $250,001 | 4.8% | |
| 55 | Piermont, NY | 2,514 | $140,450 | 4.4% | |
| 56 | Cayuga Heights, NY | 4,000 | $166,526 | 3.6% | |
| 57 | Clinton, NY | 1,813 | $88,182 | 1.1% | |
| 58 | West Nyack, NY | 3,681 | $137,206 | 3.6% | |
| 59 | Remsenburg-Speonk, NY | 1,564 | $169,091 | 3.6% | |
| 60 | Barnum Island, NY | 2,302 | $116,250 | 1.8% | |
| 61 | Victor, NY | 2,687 | $90,227 | 1.9% | |
| 62 | Merritt Park, NY | 1,685 | $173,016 | 1.1% | |
| 63 | Shinnecock Hills, NY | 2,545 | $132,708 | 2.0% | |
| 64 | Washington Mills, NY | 2,112 | $134,397 | 2.4% | |
| 65 | Clarence Center, NY | 2,432 | $143,344 | 4.5% | |
| 66 | Spackenkill, NY | 4,279 | $141,005 | 6.4% | |
| 67 | Garden City South, NY | 4,075 | $136,164 | 2.9% | |
| 68 | Red Hook, NY | 2,275 | $107,411 | 2.4% | |
| 69 | Lake Success, NY | 2,829 | $244,079 | 3.3% | |
| 70 | Sands Point, NY | 2,722 | $250,001 | 4.5% | |
| 71 | Thomaston, NY | 2,744 | $157,917 | 3.2% | |
| 72 | Shenorock, NY | 1,558 | $127,180 | 5.5% | |
| 73 | Pleasant Valley, NY | 1,920 | $85,326 | 0.0% | |
| 74 | Grandyle Village, NY | 4,912 | $115,036 | 3.8% | |
| 75 | Old Brookville, NY | 2,107 | $250,001 | 1.2% | |
| 76 | Buchanan, NY | 2,397 | $128,218 | 1.1% | |
| 77 | North Ballston Spa, NY | 1,299 | $91,140 | 0.9% | |
| 78 | Red Oaks Mill, NY | 3,254 | $116,467 | 3.4% | |
| 79 | Kensington, NY | 1,189 | $220,625 | 4.4% | |
| 80 | East Atlantic Beach, NY | 1,825 | $157,468 | 7.9% | |
| 81 | Locust Valley, NY | 4,153 | $152,472 | 5.0% | |
| 82 | Spencerport, NY | 3,630 | $81,029 | 3.5% | |
| 83 | Tillson, NY | 1,530 | $98,750 | 1.6% | |
| 84 | Bardonia, NY | 3,717 | $99,794 | 5.8% | |
| 85 | Hawthorne, NY | 4,878 | $140,856 | 10.2% | |
| 86 | Northeast Ithaca, NY | 2,661 | $95,250 | 9.8% | |
| 87 | Voorheesville, NY | 2,824 | $111,172 | 3.4% | |
| 88 | Lewiston, NY | 2,588 | $73,821 | 1.2% | |
| 89 | Elma Center, NY | 2,814 | $121,425 | 3.0% | |
| 90 | Brookville, NY | 2,941 | $250,001 | 7.8% | |
| 91 | Lakeland, NY | 2,322 | $91,563 | 1.9% | |
| 92 | Huntington Bay, NY | 1,693 | $250,001 | 6.6% | |
| 93 | West Sand Lake, NY | 3,479 | $121,250 | 3.7% | |
| 94 | Altamont, NY | 1,855 | $112,159 | 0.8% | |
| 95 | Old Westbury, NY | 4,241 | $250,001 | 5.2% | |
| 96 | Blue Point, NY | 4,735 | $154,625 | 6.2% | |
| 97 | West Bay Shore, NY | 4,208 | $137,083 | 4.5% | |
| 98 | Averill Park, NY | 1,615 | $117,946 | 1.9% | |
| 99 | Manhasset Hills, NY | 3,692 | $165,536 | 3.1% | |
| 100 | Fort Montgomery, NY | 2,422 | $84,570 | 1.3% |
