Best New York City Suburbs for Families

There are a lot of reasons families choose to live in the suburbs of New York City. For one, living in the city is expensive, and oftentimes the cost of renting or buying an apartment that can fit a family of four (or more) is incredibly cost prohibitive. Then, there’s the issue of school systems. New York private schools are notoriously hard to get into, and even the city’s best public and charter schools often face competition for admission. Finally, the commute to Manhattan from many of the ‘burbs isn’t actually too much worse than the commute from an outer borough.

If you’re thinking about moving to the suburbs of New York City, here are some of the best to consider based on the quality of the school systems, the commute times, and the housing costs.

Based on school districts:

Jericho, New York. U.S. News and World Report ranked Jericho High School as the 11th-best in the state, the best position of any school in the New York City suburbs.

Ardsley, New York. According to GreatSchools.com, Ardsley’s High School is one of the top-rated schools in the New York suburbs, rated a perfect 10.

Woodbury, New York. Niche.com ranks this Long Island town as the best New York City suburb to live in if good schools are a top priority for your family. The town got an A+ ranking.

Jersey City, New Jersey. Based on U.S. News and World Report, Jersey City’s Dr. Ronald E McNair High School ranks number two in New Jersey, and number 49 nationwide.

Based on commute times:

(Commute times are to Midtown Manhattan via Mass Transit)
Hoboken, New Jersey. When it comes to commuting, it’s hard to beat Hoboken. According to data from NeighborhoodX, the average commute from Hoboken is just 25 minutes, which is 6 minutes faster than the commute from Brooklyn’s Boreum Hill.

Montclair, New Jersey. Based on the NeighborhoodX data, Montclair, New Jersey is your second-best bet if a short commute is your priority. The average train ride from the city’s Bay St. station to Midtown is just 41 minutes. By comparison, the commute from Sunset Park, Brooklyn is 39 minutes, and from Riverdale in the Bronx is 53 minutes.

Fort Lee, New Jersey. Close behind Montclair is Fort Lee, with a commute of 44 minutes long, significantly quicker than the train ride from the 68 minute commute from Bergen Beach, Brooklyn.

Based on housing costs:

Red Bank, New Jersey. Median housing prices in this New Jersey suburb come in at an affordable $354,100.

South Orange, New Jersey. Homes in South Orange average $562,800, an attainable price considering that amount of money would barely cover a studio apartment in New York City.

Westwood, New Jersey. According to the New York Daily News, a single-family home in Westwood, New Jersey can be had for as little as$275,000.

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