The 10 Best Places To Live In New York For 2024


The best places to live in New York for 2024 are Kings Point, Malverne, and Floral Park. Find out where your city or town ranks.

While New York City looms large in the minds of people looking to move to New York, the best places to live in New York have a leg up on the Big Apple.

With the bigger is better lifestyle in New York, we had to find the best places to live in New York.

We used Saturday Night Science to compare factors like home prices, schools, and above average employment rates for the 165 places in New York over 5,000 people. The data comes from the Census, FBI, and Zillow.

So grab yourself a cup of diner coffee and a slice of pizza, and read on to find the best places to live in New York.


Table Of Contents: Top Ten | Table | Map | Methodology | Summary


What city is the best place to live in New York for 2024? The best place to live in New York is Kings Point.

If you live anywhere near New York’s Nassau County, consider yourself lucky. The star on The Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree has nothing on these places.

For more reading, check out:

The 10 Best Places To Live In New York For 2024

Best Places To Live In New York Map

Kings Point, NY

Source: Flickr User LunchboxLarry | CC BY 2.0
Stat Kings Point New York
Population 5,593 19,994,379
Rank Last Year 9
Median Home Value $2,350,495 $452,476
Median Income $172,402 $81,386
Unemployment Rate 2.2% 6.2%
Crime Per Capita 0.0094 0.0172

More on Kings Point: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate

Kings Point sits on a throne as the city with the highest home prices in New York. And with home prices that high, it means everyone is knocking down the the door to live. Why? Because it’s the best place to live in New York based on the most recent data.

Located on Manhasset Bay in Nassau County on the northside of Long Island, Kings Point is a gem of a place to live. Besides the huge demand for housing, the town also ranks well for safety as crime rates are in the lowest 10% of the state. And Great Neck North High School, the public high school for the town, gets a solid A rating from Niche as one the better in the state.

In terms of things to do, the town has an abundance of parks like Steppingstone Park on the water and Kings Point Park in the middle of town. And being a suburb of New York City, there’s always the option to spend the afternoon in Brooklyn or Manhattan. A lot of people would argue it’s better to live this close to the City than in it.

Malverne, NY

Source: Wikipedia User DanTD | CC BY-SA 3.0
Stat Malverne New York
Population 8,526 19,994,379
Rank Last Year 2
Median Home Value $684,440 $452,476
Median Income $158,333 $81,386
Unemployment Rate 2.4% 6.2%
Crime Per Capita 0.0094 0.0172

More on Malverne: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate

Malverne is a village of 8,526 in the Town of Hempstead. Malverne’s population is on the older end of the scale for this list, with a median age of 45, so this might be a better choice for someone who doesn’t prioritize constant activity and just wants to live in a friendly, relaxing community. It also might be for someone who appreciates a good deal, because despite being under an hour from all the places listed so far, Malverne has the lowest home prices of the bunch. And with folks still earning $158,333/year, Malverne’s a close second for lowest cost of living among the places we’re covering here.

Unemployment in Malverne is also a super low 2.4%, which is good enough to be the 11th lowest in New York. One more thing for people who value security: Malverne is among the safest places in New York, so you won’t have to run back home if you forget to lock the door here.

Floral Park, NY

Source: Wikipedia User Freechild | GFDL
Stat Floral Park New York
Population 15,892 19,994,379
Rank Last Year 6
Median Home Value $769,798 $452,476
Median Income $153,659 $81,386
Unemployment Rate 3.8% 6.2%
Crime Per Capita 0.0094 0.0172

More on Floral Park: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate

Floral Park is a village of 15,892 located in Long Island’s Nassau County. Floral Park doesn’t need to be told it’s an awesome spot; its motto is “A Great Place to Live,” after all. Schools in Floral Park got an 8/10 average rating on GreatSchools, so you can rest assured that your kids are getting off on the right foot here.

Speaking of youth, Floral Park’s median age is 44, which is on the lower end of the spectrum for this list. If you combine that with the village’s status as the 14th most densely populated place in New York, you can see that Floral Park is one of the more dynamic places that we’re covering here. And with a poverty rate well below the 3% mark, Floral Park makes sure all its residents are along for the ride.

As a bonus, Floral Park is only fifteen minutes from JFK Airport, so far off friends and family will have a super easy time coming for a visit.

East Hills, NY

Source: Wikipedia User LINYperson615 | GFDL
Stat East Hills New York
Population 7,242 19,994,379
Rank Last Year 1
Median Home Value $1,503,280 $452,476
Median Income $250,001 $81,386
Unemployment Rate 3.6% 6.2%
Crime Per Capita 0.0094 0.0172

More on East Hills: Data | Cost Of Living | Real Estate

From North Hills, it’s not a long drive to our 4th best city in New York, East Hills. The data shows that East Hills is one smart village; over 40% of its residents have a master’s degree or higher. You might want to do a quick study session or two before moving here, just to make sure you’ll fit in. Especially when you’re meeting new friends at the exquisite village green.

Life on the North Shore of Long Island isn’t cheap, but folks in East Hills are the 2nd best-paid in New York, with residents pulling in a median household income of $250,001/year. With that kind of wealth, It’s no surprise that East Hills has the 4th lowest poverty level in the state, 1.7%. It also helps explain why, of all the places in New York, East Hills residents have the 23rd highest rate of health insurance coverage, 98.4%.

North Hills, NY

Source: Flickr User Joe Shlabotnik | CC BY 2.0
Stat North Hills New York
Population 5,425 19,994,379
Rank Last Year 5
Median Home Value $1,477,467 $452,476
Median Income $182,401 $81,386
Unemployment Rate 1.9% 6.2%
Crime Per Capita 0.0094 0.0172

More on North Hills: Data | Cost Of Living | Real Estate

We’re starting off our tour of the best places to live in New York with North Hills, a village of 5,425 located just east of New York City. Life in North Hills is fairly ritzy; I mean, the nearby Gold Coast inspired The Great Gatsby with its over-the-top opulence after all. In that spirit, we should mention that homes in North Hills are the 6th most expensive in New York, going for a median price of $1,477,467. That’s not much of an issue when you’re one of the richest places in New York, though, seeing as the median household income in North Hills is a cool $182,401/year.

The good news is that the economy works for more than just the hyper-wealthy here. At 1.9% unemployment and 3.3% of people living below the poverty level, North Hills has the 6th lowest unemployment and 20th lowest poverty level in New York.

One important thing to note before moving to North Hills is that, with a median age of 55, it’s far and away the oldest place to make this list. So if you’re cool with a more mature, slow-paced lifestyle, North Hills should suit you just fine. But if you crave constant action, maybe consider one of the other cities listed below as an alternative.

Rye, NY

Source: Wikipedia User JayHeritageCenter | CC BY-SA 4.0
Stat Rye New York
Population 16,447 19,994,379
Rank Last Year 10
Median Home Value $2,034,669 $452,476
Median Income $227,565 $81,386
Unemployment Rate 5.2% 6.2%
Crime Per Capita 0.0015 0.0172

More on Rye: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate

We’re taking our first foray out of Long Island to reach the 6th best place to call home in New York, Rye. We named Rye the best place for families in New York, and a lot of those same factors land Rye here on this list. For example, GreatSchools gave Rye’s public schools a stellar 9/10 rating. Rye also has the lowest overall crime rate in New York, with crime being about 85% less frequent here than the national average.

As far as quality of life goes, Rye residents enjoy the a median household income of $227,565/year, the 5th highest in the state. That helps explain why 98.5% of folks here have health insurance.

Rye is located just 15 minutes outside of White Plains and New Rochelle.

Williston Park, NY

Source: Public domain
Stat Williston Park New York
Population 7,543 19,994,379
Rank Last Year 4
Median Home Value $781,485 $452,476
Median Income $145,956 $81,386
Unemployment Rate 4.4% 6.2%
Crime Per Capita 0.0094 0.0172

More on Williston Park: Data | Cost Of Living | Real Estate

Wrapping up our list of best places to live in New York is Williston Park, another village proudly representing the Town of Hempstead. The poverty level in Williston Park is under 3%, so you know people are generally doing alright for themselves here. Williston Park is also the 12th most densely populated place in New York, and the most densely populated among cities on this list. That means there’s plenty of action to keep you occupied here. Like signing up for some classes at Hofstra University or just going out for a night of high culture at the school’s art museum.

Williston Park’s inclusion on this list means that 90% of the best places to live in New York are on the western end of Long Island, so that’s a good place to start looking if you’re planning a move soon.

Rockville Centre, NY

Source: Wikipedia User DanTD | CC BY-SA 3.0
Stat Rockville Centre New York
Population 25,784 19,994,379
Rank Last Year 7
Median Home Value $856,286 $452,476
Median Income $147,361 $81,386
Unemployment Rate 5.1% 6.2%
Crime Per Capita 0.0094 0.0172

More on Rockville Centre: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate

A neighbor of Malverne, Rockville Centre is a somewhat urbanized village of 25,784, making it the most populous of the places listed here. Rockville Centre doesn’t stand out as the 8th place thanks to any one statistic; across the board strong numbers land it on this list. For example, 98.5% of residents have health insurance, the unemployment and poverty levels are around the top 25 statewide, as well as home prices and household incomes.

The educational system in Rockville Centre is also top-quality, with GreatSchools giving an average score of 8/10 for local public schools. And schools are more than just about learning here, because at Molloy College’s Madison Theatre, big name acts put on shows all the time.

Stat Farmingdale New York
Population 8,428 19,994,379
Rank Last Year 11
Median Home Value $606,719 $452,476
Median Income $127,059 $81,386
Unemployment Rate 4.5% 6.2%
Crime Per Capita 0.0094 0.0172

More on Farmingdale: Data | Cost Of Living | Real Estate

Farmingdale is the #9 top choice for living in New York, blending suburban appeal with an optimal location within Nassau County, Long Island. With easy access to New York City via the Long Island Rail Road, Farmingdale is an excellent spot for those seeking to work in NYC, but live outside it.

The local economy is solid, with a 127,059 median income supporting home prices of $606,719. Farmingdale values education, with 51% of adults holding higher education degrees. Bethpage State Park is right around the corner.

Massapequa Park, NY

Source: Wikipedia User Kenneth C. Zirkel | CC BY-SA 4.0
Stat Massapequa Park New York
Population 17,045 19,994,379
Rank Last Year 8
Median Home Value $676,157 $452,476
Median Income $161,193 $81,386
Unemployment Rate 4.9% 6.2%
Crime Per Capita 0.0094 0.0172

More on Massapequa Park: Data | Cost Of Living | Real Estate

We’re going down to Long Island’s South Shore to reach our 10th best place to call home in New York, Massapequa Park. While Massapequa Park is fairly expensive, its combination of a lower than average median home price (for the region) and higher income of $161,193/year actually gives it the lowest cost of living of places you’ll see on this list.

Affordability is an especially great thing when it reaches all levels of a community. That’s what happens in Massapequa Park, where the poverty rate is a measly 4.0%, the 25th lowest in all of New York. A strong economy is great and all, but we think what Massapequa Park residents love best about their home is having the world-famous Jones Beach right in their neighborhood. It’s hard to assign a statistical value to that sort of perk though!

Mapping The Best And Worst Places To Live in New York

Best Places To Live In New York Size Requirement

Before we even started to collect data on the best places to live in New York, we had to answer a tough question: Is it fair to pit Albany, with a population of 99,692, against places with a population of 18?

We firmly decided no, that just isn’t fair.

So, to create our ranking, we broke the best places to live into three tiers:

  • Cities — Populations over 5,000
  • Towns — Populations between 1,000 and 5,000
  • Small Towns — Populations below 1,000

This filter left 165 cities, 465 towns, and 340 small towns.

We then decided no matter how much anyone loves their town, the best cities to live in New York have more of everything, and therefore, you need over 5,000 people to truly be ‘the best.’

Methodology: How We Calculated The Best Cities To Live In New York

Now that we had our set of the best possible cities, it was time to rank them using Saturday Night Science.

We ranked each place in New York across a number of criteria from one to 165, with one being the best.

We then took the average rank across all criteria, crowning the city posting the lowest overall score, the “Best Place To Live In New York.”

The criteria we looked to determine the best places were:

  • Median Home Values
  • Median Income
  • Population Density (Higher is better)
  • Unemployment Rate
  • Commute Time
  • Crime
  • Education Levels
  • Health Insurance Coverage
  • Poverty rates

Sources of criteria include the New Census Data, FBI Crime Data, and Zillow. We updated this article for 2024. This report is our tenth time ranking New York’s best places to live.

If your city or town isn’t among the top 10, jump down to the bottom of the post to see a detailed chart of the best places in New York. Otherwise, buckle up for a ride down good living lane with Kings Point at the end of the cul-de-sac.

Summary: The Best Places In New York

If you’re looking at areas in New York with the best economic situations, where there’s lower than average crime, and a lot to do, this is an accurate list.

The best places to live in New York are Kings Point, Malverne, Floral Park, East Hills, North Hills, Rye, Williston Park, Rockville Centre, Farmingdale, and Massapequa Park.

Kings Point made a strong showing to take in the overall number one spot for the best place to live in New York for 2024.

If you’re curious enough, here are the worst places to live in New York according to the data:

  1. Liberty (Pop. 5,030)
  2. Salamanca (Pop. 5,906)
  3. Albion (Pop. 5,428)

For more New York reading, check out:

Best Places To Live In New York Table

Rank City Population Unemployment Rate Home Value Median Income Rent Crime Per Capita
1 Kings Point 5,593 2.2% $2,350,495 $172,402 $3,501 0.0094
2 Malverne 8,526 2.4% $684,440 $158,333 $1,883 0.0094
3 Floral Park 15,892 3.8% $769,798 $153,659 $2,173 0.0094
4 East Hills 7,242 3.6% $1,503,280 $250,001 $0 0.0094
5 North Hills 5,425 1.9% $1,477,467 $182,401 $3,501 0.0094
6 Rye 16,447 5.2% $2,034,669 $227,565 $2,468 0.0015
7 Williston Park 7,543 4.4% $781,485 $145,956 $2,077 0.0094
8 Rockville Centre 25,784 5.1% $856,286 $147,361 $1,685 0.0094
9 Farmingdale 8,428 4.5% $606,719 $127,059 $2,208 0.0094
10 Massapequa Park 17,045 4.9% $676,157 $161,193 $0 0.0094
11 Bronxville 6,570 3.5% $1,414,491 $206,850 $3,387 0.0199
12 Bayville 6,763 3.2% $719,065 $136,346 $1,958 0.0094
13 Pelham 7,261 6.2% $1,115,333 $172,692 $2,231 0.0199
14 Cedarhurst 7,307 7.1% $1,014,899 $102,561 $2,106 0.0094
15 Pelham Manor 5,682 5.2% $1,213,121 $250,001 $1,897 0.0199
16 Hastings-on-Hudson 8,456 2.2% $979,873 $161,908 $1,911 0.0199
17 Lawrence 6,773 5.1% $1,754,064 $169,029 $1,962 0.0094
18 Mineola 20,940 3.7% $709,636 $130,111 $2,197 0.0094
19 Irvington 6,590 3.1% $1,089,139 $184,569 $2,408 0.0199
20 Long Beach 34,734 3.8% $741,005 $125,974 $2,267 0.0023
21 Sea Cliff 5,062 12.2% $956,983 $181,375 $2,233 0.0094
22 East Rockaway 10,070 6.3% $653,020 $115,701 $2,150 0.0094
23 New Hyde Park 10,235 4.3% $837,167 $144,375 $1,658 0.0094
24 Great Neck 11,060 4.7% $1,274,040 $128,457 $2,121 0.0094
25 Scarsdale 18,061 4.5% $1,926,527 $250,001 $3,501 0.0199
26 Great Neck Plaza 7,443 7.0% $461,075 $97,022 $2,263 0.0094
27 Lynbrook 20,299 3.9% $646,702 $139,266 $2,010 0.0094
28 Ardsley 5,013 8.7% $844,517 $243,594 $3,501 0.0199
29 Manorhaven 6,929 3.3% $765,121 $95,493 $3,045 0.0094
30 Larchmont 6,549 10.3% $1,464,885 $220,714 $1,977 0.0199
31 Briarcliff Manor 7,395 4.0% $943,253 $208,988 $2,066 0.0199
32 Westbury 15,788 3.2% $656,547 $125,976 $2,225 0.0094
33 Babylon 12,185 4.2% $654,830 $136,875 $2,370 0.0251
34 Northport 7,337 0.5% $760,930 $137,487 $2,180 0.0251
35 Ballston Spa 5,288 2.5% $364,302 $78,136 $1,088 0.0215
36 Williamsville 5,411 1.7% $364,883 $93,730 $1,257 0.0393
37 Pleasantville 7,430 5.8% $858,680 $167,841 $1,781 0.0199
38 Valley Stream 40,288 5.1% $655,780 $122,048 $1,912 0.0094
39 Dobbs Ferry 11,431 5.8% $860,831 $144,000 $2,315 0.0199
40 Ilion 7,703 4.1% $134,190 $71,556 $675 0.0096
41 North Tonawanda 30,479 5.6% $244,331 $66,836 $855 0.0122
42 Saratoga Springs 28,505 2.7% $532,060 $97,241 $1,495 0.0215
43 Port Jefferson 7,990 2.9% $676,622 $134,230 $2,127 0.0251
44 Rye Brook 9,920 9.5% $1,008,631 $199,965 $2,394 0.0199
45 Mamaroneck 19,930 3.6% $846,875 $121,672 $1,964 0.0199
46 Beacon 13,876 3.4% $477,592 $96,891 $1,605 0.0106
47 White Plains 59,421 5.4% $695,239 $109,551 $2,047 0.0139
48 Hamburg 9,749 2.5% $260,812 $93,942 $956 0.0393
49 Harrison 28,721 5.3% $1,124,534 $151,038 $2,605 0.0199
50 Wesley Hills 6,123 1.7% $937,865 $147,408 $1,481 0.0251
51 Johnstown 8,216 3.4% $180,972 $59,809 $860 0.0168
52 Lancaster 10,160 1.2% $200,380 $61,646 $873 0.0393
53 Lindenhurst 27,139 6.7% $520,461 $115,967 $2,017 0.0251
54 Kenmore 15,155 5.3% $210,511 $74,571 $953 0.0393
55 East Aurora 5,996 3.9% $385,855 $95,216 $966 0.0393
56 Amityville 9,507 4.7% $510,280 $96,496 $1,983 0.0251
57 Freeport 44,210 6.0% $552,986 $109,390 $1,902 0.0094
58 New Rochelle 80,828 7.0% $807,345 $100,542 $1,763 0.0079
59 Nyack 7,057 9.7% $701,755 $97,013 $2,089 0.0251
60 Croton-on-Hudson 8,237 7.7% $692,679 $166,087 $2,034 0.0199
61 Horseheads 6,524 3.6% $200,449 $58,125 $1,169 0.0329
62 Glen Cove 28,132 3.6% $703,932 $91,372 $2,301 0.0071
63 Scotia 7,292 2.2% $214,828 $66,736 $1,024 0.0409
64 Lake Grove 11,066 5.2% $628,854 $114,381 $2,146 0.0251
65 Colonie 7,767 2.7% $292,148 $100,093 $1,614 0.0464
66 Glens Falls 14,743 5.7% $230,775 $64,731 $1,022 0.0097
67 Elmsford 5,192 5.3% $591,257 $120,301 $2,389 0.0199
68 New Hempstead 5,449 6.9% $783,851 $119,875 $2,389 0.0251
69 Suffern 11,376 5.5% $491,644 $94,688 $1,848 0.0251
70 Watervliet 10,325 4.7% $265,978 $51,092 $1,024 0.0239
71 Oneonta 14,097 3.6% $201,322 $62,188 $980 0.0251
72 Mount Kisco 10,835 4.9% $623,471 $99,444 $1,727 0.0199
73 Herkimer 6,858 6.1% $128,285 $56,607 $780 0.0096
74 Mechanicville 5,177 6.5% $401,291 $45,686 $956 0.0156
75 Cohoes 17,960 7.3% $286,531 $62,679 $1,183 0.0174
76 Fairport 5,442 4.5% $335,276 $95,354 $1,164 0.0430
77 Ossining 27,076 4.4% $504,426 $99,678 $2,002 0.0199
78 Kaser 5,501 7.2% $978,813 $30,320 $1,145 0.0251
79 Patchogue 12,343 5.0% $508,629 $99,271 $2,195 0.0251
80 Yonkers 209,780 6.6% $616,101 $78,208 $1,659 0.0122
81 New Paltz 7,732 9.2% $391,808 $59,779 $1,588 0.0233
82 Canandaigua 10,562 3.6% $250,446 $59,144 $1,015 0.0248
83 Chestnut Ridge 10,339 5.6% $732,843 $106,918 $1,792 0.0251
84 Wappingers Falls 5,775 3.8% $429,759 $61,554 $1,369 0.0250
85 Sleepy Hollow 10,396 8.2% $897,889 $98,580 $1,710 0.0199
86 West Haverstraw 10,649 6.4% $376,904 $81,795 $1,750 0.0251
87 Depew 15,141 4.9% $231,208 $68,856 $1,007 0.0393
88 Geneva 12,670 3.1% $191,307 $63,602 $939 0.0249
89 Plattsburgh 19,907 6.0% $217,419 $55,049 $940 0.0251
90 Hempstead 58,557 8.4% $515,919 $80,350 $1,670 0.0094
91 Port Chester 31,288 6.9% $609,851 $92,116 $1,963 0.0199
92 Saranac Lake 5,079 2.8% $313,198 $58,197 $781 0.0251
93 Ithaca 31,359 5.9% $382,030 $45,468 $1,391 0.0410
94 Peekskill 25,401 9.2% $444,855 $86,695 $1,798 0.0135
95 Batavia 15,510 4.0% $177,026 $54,937 $864 0.0291
96 Rome 32,031 5.0% $179,000 $56,901 $867 0.0174
97 Middletown 30,169 4.9% $358,572 $70,155 $1,505 0.0181
98 Kiryas Joel 34,368 3.4% $737,673 $40,218 $1,417 0.0359
99 Canton 7,245 7.7% $181,207 $57,639 $804 0.0386
100 Dunkirk 12,668 4.6% $118,045 $46,800 $826 0.0181

About Chris Kolmar

Chris Kolmar has been in the real estate business for almost ten years now. He originally worked for Movoto Real Estate as the director of marketing before founding HomeSnacks.

He believes the key to finding the right place to live comes down to looking at the data, reading about things to do, and, most importantly, checking it out yourself before you move.

If you've been looking for a place to live in the past several years, you've probably stumbled upon his writing already.

You can find out more about him on LinkedIn or his website.