$150,084 median income · $858,496 median home · #1 best place in New York
Located in
Nassau County, New YorkFloral Park is a village of 16,169 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.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
$149,489 median income · $801,814 median home · #2 best place in New York
Located in
Nassau County, New YorkMalverne is a village of 8,477 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 $149,489/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 2.3%, 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.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
$173,315 median income · $1,472,340 median home · #3 best place in New York
Located in
Nassau County, New YorkWe’re starting off our tour of the best places to live in New York with North Hills, a village of 5,415 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 7th most expensive in New York, going for a median price of $1,472,340. 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 $173,315/year. The good news is that the economy works for more than just the hyper-wealthy here. At 1.9% unemployment and 3.0% of people living below the poverty level, North Hills has the 7th lowest unemployment and 16th lowest poverty level in New York. One important thing to note before moving to North Hills is that, with a median age of 61, 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.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
$211,299 median income · $2,373,621 median home · #4 best place in New York
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 4th 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.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
$171,953 median income · $792,452 median home · #5 best place in New York
Located in
Nassau County, New YorkWe’re going down to Long Island’s South Shore to reach our 5th 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 $171,953/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 3.1%, the 17th 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!
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
$140,739 median income · $805,359 median home · #6 best place in New York
Located in
Nassau County, New YorkLong Beach ranks as our 6th best place to live in New York. This community of 34,756 residents has money backing it up. The median home value is $805,359.
And the numbers keep impressing. Unemployment sits at just 3.2%, with barely 300.0% of adults without a high school diploma. For one of the best communities on Long Island, explore Long Beach and discover where affluence meets education.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
$149,191 median income · $841,959 median home · #7 best place in New York
Located in
Nassau County, New YorkTucked along Long Island’s North Shore, Bayville is a quiet village where affluence is nearly universal. The median household income is $149,191/year, and the poverty level sits at just 3.7%.
Home prices hit $841,959, and yes, that’s steep. But with low crime, excellent schools, and an 4.5% unemployment rate, Bayville stands out as one of the best places to live in New York. It’s a mature, prosperous community that draws settled families.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
$124,929 median income · $735,012 median home · #8 best place in New York
Located in
Nassau County, New YorkThe 8th best place to live in New York for families seeking stability is East Rockaway, a village of just over 10,000 residents on Long Island’s South Shore. With a median household income of $124,929, residents here enjoy financial security among the state’s best. Home values reach $735,012, and unemployment runs at just 3.2%.
Only 2.6% of residents live below the poverty line. The median age of 42 reveals an established community of long-term families.
If you’re seeking stability, explore East Rockaway’s cost of living to see for yourself. It’s a top choice among New York’s best places to live.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
$151,938 median income · $965,150 median home · #9 best place in New York
Located in
Nassau County, New YorkA neighbor of Malverne, Rockville Centre is a somewhat urbanized village of 25,765, making it the most populous of the places listed here. Rockville Centre doesn’t stand out as the 9th place thanks to any one statistic; across the board strong numbers land it on this list. For example, 99.2% 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.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
$239,815 median income · $2,180,592 median home · #10 best place in New York
Located in
Westchester County, New YorkWe’re taking our first foray out of Long Island to reach the 10th 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 2nd 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 $239,815/year, the 5th highest in the state. That helps explain why 98.1% of folks here have health insurance. Rye is located just 15 minutes outside of White Plains and New Rochelle.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
The receipts
Compare the top ten
Pick a metric. The bars rescale. The red line is New York’s statewide median.
New York statewide median: $85,974
New York statewide median: $507,794
New York statewide median: 6.4%
On the map
Mapping The Best And Worst Places To Live in New York
Saturday Night Science
Methodology: How We Calculated The Best Cities To Live In New York
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 cities with populations over 100,000 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
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.’
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 162, 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 2026. This report is our eleventh 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 Floral Park at the end of the cul-de-sac.
The full plate
Best Places To Live In New York Table
Click any column to sort. Search by city name.
| Rank | City | Best Score | Population | Unemployment Rate | Home Value | Median Income | Rent | Total Crime /100k |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Floral Park | 32.40 | 16,169 | 3.1% | $858,496 | $150,084 | 1,033 | |
| 2 | Malverne | 35.95 | 8,477 | 2.3% | $801,814 | $149,489 | 1,033 | |
| 3 | North Hills | 37.70 | 5,415 | 1.9% | $1,472,340 | $173,315 | 1,033 | |
| 4 | Kings Point | 38.10 | 5,634 | 2.4% | $2,373,621 | $211,299 | 1,033 | |
| 5 | Massapequa Park | 38.95 | 16,963 | 4.6% | $792,452 | $171,953 | 1,033 | |
| 6 | Long Beach | 39.30 | 34,756 | 3.2% | $805,359 | $140,739 | 181 | |
| 7 | Bayville | 41.35 | 6,744 | 4.5% | $841,959 | $149,191 | 1,033 | |
| 8 | East Rockaway | 41.40 | 10,077 | 3.2% | $735,012 | $124,929 | 1,033 | |
| 9 | Rockville Centre | 42.20 | 25,765 | 5.8% | $965,150 | $151,938 | 1,033 | |
| 10 | Rye | 42.50 | 16,428 | 5.4% | $2,180,592 | $239,815 | 262 | |
| 11 | Farmingdale | 42.60 | 8,474 | 3.7% | $717,477 | $122,980 | 1,033 | |
| 12 | East Hills | 43.80 | 7,257 | 4.1% | $1,751,159 | $250,001 | 1,033 | |
| 13 | Sea Cliff | 44.95 | 5,033 | 13.5% | $1,099,757 | $193,590 | 1,033 | |
| 14 | Bronxville | 46.20 | 6,510 | 3.8% | $1,450,321 | $215,815 | 1,947 | |
| 15 | Mineola | 46.20 | 21,211 | 3.2% | $815,487 | $137,739 | 1,033 | |
| 16 | New Hyde Park | 46.40 | 10,220 | 4.9% | $974,068 | $142,927 | 1,033 | |
| 17 | Williston Park | 46.90 | 7,542 | 5.4% | $927,596 | $156,382 | 1,033 | |
| 18 | Manorhaven | 47.45 | 6,958 | 3.9% | $823,279 | $105,486 | 1,033 | |
| 19 | Lawrence | 47.70 | 6,778 | 3.9% | $2,123,230 | $170,000 | 1,033 | |
| 20 | Pelham | 50.00 | 7,305 | 5.3% | $1,360,404 | $184,375 | 1,947 | |
| 21 | Valley Stream | 50.75 | 40,315 | 2.8% | $756,941 | $133,190 | 1,033 | |
| 22 | Westbury | 51.15 | 15,808 | 3.9% | $768,992 | $145,185 | 1,033 | |
| 23 | Pelham Manor | 51.65 | 5,644 | 5.2% | $1,309,985 | $250,001 | 1,947 | |
| 24 | Great Neck Plaza | 52.00 | 7,593 | 6.2% | $498,568 | $92,474 | 1,033 | |
| 25 | Irvington | 52.10 | 6,531 | 2.1% | $1,222,448 | $173,248 | 1,947 | |
| 26 | Hastings-on-Hudson | 52.65 | 8,434 | 4.1% | $1,036,677 | $193,621 | 1,947 | |
| 27 | Lynbrook | 53.10 | 20,325 | 4.5% | $745,362 | $136,696 | 1,033 | |
| 28 | Cedarhurst | 53.20 | 7,320 | 4.8% | $1,206,385 | $101,572 | 1,033 | |
| 29 | Scarsdale | 53.60 | 18,010 | 4.5% | $2,157,586 | $250,001 | 1,947 | |
| 30 | Great Neck | 56.15 | 11,087 | 6.7% | $1,455,883 | $137,981 | 1,033 | |
| 31 | Northport | 56.30 | 7,322 | 0.8% | $850,559 | $146,921 | 2,638 | |
| 32 | Ballston Spa | 56.50 | 5,027 | 1.8% | $422,527 | $101,667 | 1,897 | |
| 33 | Larchmont | 57.10 | 6,567 | 10.5% | $1,661,377 | $167,536 | 1,947 | |
| 34 | Wesley Hills | 58.00 | 6,196 | 2.4% | $1,123,610 | $209,345 | 2,638 | |
| 35 | Babylon | 60.00 | 12,185 | 3.5% | $720,476 | $140,820 | 2,638 | |
| 36 | Williamsville | 60.60 | 5,469 | 1.4% | $410,876 | $98,850 | ||
| 37 | Dobbs Ferry | 62.30 | 11,443 | 5.0% | $975,067 | $165,417 | 1,947 | |
| 38 | Port Jefferson | 62.80 | 8,091 | 3.3% | $756,205 | $144,912 | 2,638 | |
| 39 | Saratoga Springs | 63.05 | 28,631 | 2.5% | $633,902 | $105,944 | 1,897 | |
| 40 | Briarcliff Manor | 64.00 | 7,519 | 3.1% | $1,094,016 | $229,732 | 1,947 | |
| 41 | Rye Brook | 66.50 | 9,900 | 6.2% | $1,236,848 | $246,944 | 1,947 | |
| 42 | Pleasantville | 67.00 | 7,371 | 7.7% | $987,582 | $136,406 | 1,947 | |
| 43 | Ilion | 67.25 | 7,593 | 2.2% | $147,236 | $62,843 | 484 | |
| 44 | New Rochelle | 68.05 | 82,769 | 5.9% | $917,531 | $109,167 | 1,272 | |
| 45 | North Tonawanda | 68.80 | 30,198 | 5.8% | $273,946 | $66,961 | 1,229 | |
| 46 | Hamburg | 69.65 | 9,792 | 2.6% | $297,871 | $112,292 | ||
| 47 | Glen Cove | 70.90 | 28,112 | 4.4% | $810,612 | $92,064 | 573 | |
| 48 | Nyack | 71.10 | 7,393 | 8.8% | $748,480 | $116,649 | 2,638 | |
| 49 | Scotia | 71.20 | 7,264 | 3.2% | $249,645 | $76,525 | 3,762 | |
| 50 | White Plains | 71.45 | 60,666 | 5.9% | $770,309 | $110,763 | 1,910 | |
| 51 | Glens Falls | 71.70 | 14,609 | 4.9% | $264,460 | $67,788 | 808 | |
| 52 | Johnstown | 72.00 | 8,111 | 3.1% | $192,659 | $63,763 | 1,577 | |
| 53 | Freeport | 72.35 | 44,088 | 6.4% | $652,866 | $120,625 | 1,033 | |
| 54 | Fairport | 72.60 | 5,403 | 1.8% | $396,821 | $107,009 | 3,822 | |
| 55 | Harrison | 73.30 | 29,961 | 5.5% | $1,211,014 | $164,250 | 1,947 | |
| 56 | Lindenhurst | 73.45 | 27,142 | 6.3% | $600,910 | $130,128 | 2,638 | |
| 57 | Suffern | 74.65 | 11,441 | 5.2% | $576,040 | $104,607 | 2,638 | |
| 58 | Kenmore | 75.25 | 15,044 | 4.7% | $249,943 | $77,639 | ||
| 59 | Croton-on-Hudson | 75.30 | 8,202 | 7.2% | $812,905 | $191,678 | 1,947 | |
| 60 | Colonie | 75.65 | 7,702 | 1.2% | $341,964 | $103,983 | 3,724 | |
| 61 | Amityville | 75.90 | 9,588 | 3.1% | $587,036 | $106,285 | 2,638 | |
| 62 | Watervliet | 76.45 | 10,287 | 4.5% | $308,697 | $57,919 | 2,440 | |
| 63 | Lancaster | 76.90 | 10,113 | 1.3% | $242,275 | $66,148 | ||
| 64 | Beacon | 76.95 | 14,834 | 7.3% | $538,601 | $107,859 | 789 | |
| 65 | Mamaroneck | 76.95 | 19,826 | 4.1% | $859,344 | $120,000 | 1,947 | |
| 66 | Lake Grove | 77.00 | 11,061 | 5.2% | $713,790 | $118,311 | 2,638 | |
| 67 | Patchogue | 77.15 | 12,396 | 3.5% | $586,013 | $107,306 | 2,638 | |
| 68 | Canandaigua | 77.60 | 10,514 | 4.5% | $274,506 | $64,929 | 1,731 | |
| 69 | East Aurora | 78.30 | 5,993 | 4.0% | $431,047 | $103,949 | ||
| 70 | Kiryas Joel | 78.35 | 38,916 | 2.2% | $909,189 | $50,032 | 2,854 | |
| 71 | Hudson Falls | 79.65 | 7,395 | 4.1% | $230,035 | $62,969 | 2,638 | |
| 72 | Elmsford | 80.05 | 5,186 | 3.7% | $678,626 | $120,179 | 1,947 | |
| 73 | Horseheads | 80.60 | 6,449 | 2.6% | $213,484 | $61,223 | 4,662 | |
| 74 | Cohoes | 80.85 | 18,159 | 5.8% | $330,326 | $61,145 | 1,294 | |
| 75 | Brockport | 81.85 | 7,277 | 2.7% | $269,355 | $69,866 | 3,822 | |
| 76 | Sleepy Hollow | 82.40 | 10,887 | 5.5% | $1,010,737 | $104,313 | 1,947 | |
| 77 | Geneva | 83.15 | 12,512 | 3.4% | $218,802 | $79,435 | 3,053 | |
| 78 | Kaser | 83.70 | 5,694 | 7.0% | $1,050,815 | $26,848 | 2,638 | |
| 79 | Corning | 84.00 | 10,643 | 5.8% | $189,794 | $61,760 | 2,537 | |
| 80 | Mount Kisco | 84.30 | 10,737 | 5.7% | $688,450 | $96,534 | 1,947 | |
| 81 | Mechanicville | 86.20 | 5,124 | 3.3% | $483,740 | $50,675 | 1,897 | |
| 82 | Cortland | 86.35 | 17,450 | 4.2% | $197,781 | $59,482 | 3,135 | |
| 83 | Yonkers | 86.40 | 209,978 | 7.1% | $680,218 | $83,549 | 1,305 | |
| 84 | Hempstead | 86.70 | 58,801 | 9.2% | $627,531 | $90,420 | 1,033 | |
| 85 | Oneonta | 86.80 | 15,045 | 6.4% | $220,587 | $61,111 | 2,638 | |
| 86 | Goshen | 87.35 | 5,773 | 4.1% | $558,034 | $104,643 | 2,854 | |
| 87 | Auburn | 87.45 | 26,285 | 4.9% | $214,996 | $51,052 | 1,552 | |
| 88 | North Syracuse | 87.60 | 6,693 | 3.8% | $230,806 | $71,026 | 4,958 | |
| 89 | New Hempstead | 87.75 | 5,472 | 5.5% | $978,445 | $126,165 | 2,638 | |
| 90 | Baldwinsville | 87.90 | 7,715 | 5.0% | $321,320 | $77,241 | 4,958 | |
| 91 | Herkimer | 88.05 | 7,566 | 5.5% | $159,599 | $48,529 | 484 | |
| 92 | West Haverstraw | 88.05 | 10,711 | 4.9% | $425,897 | $86,301 | 2,638 | |
| 93 | Chestnut Ridge | 88.20 | 10,557 | 4.0% | $862,819 | $111,725 | 2,638 | |
| 94 | Port Chester | 88.20 | 31,102 | 5.4% | $725,361 | $92,222 | 1,947 | |
| 95 | Warwick | 88.80 | 6,585 | 5.6% | $566,347 | $89,609 | 2,854 | |
| 96 | Washingtonville | 88.90 | 5,707 | 5.6% | $516,964 | $95,313 | 2,854 | |
| 97 | New Square | 88.95 | 9,803 | 5.6% | $793,683 | $31,443 | 2,638 | |
| 98 | Depew | 89.00 | 15,000 | 4.2% | $260,965 | $73,556 | ||
| 99 | Dunkirk | 89.05 | 12,549 | 4.7% | $128,151 | $53,299 | 2,160 | |
| 100 | Plattsburgh | 89.95 | 19,830 | 5.9% | $244,069 | $57,630 | 2,638 |
Source: U.S. Census ACS 2020-2024, FBI UCR, Zillow research. 162 places with more than 5,000 residents.
Summary
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 Floral Park, Malverne, North Hills, Kings Point, Massapequa Park, Long Beach, Bayville, East Rockaway, Rockville Centre, and Rye.
Floral Park made a strong showing to take in the overall number one spot for the best place to live in New York for 2026.
