Alright, so I’ve been getting a lot of questions lately about where to live on Long Island if you’re commuting to New York City. It’s a tough one, right? You want that suburban life but also need to get to the city without it taking up half your day. I spent a good chunk of time looking into this myself, so I thought I’d share what I found.
First, I started by figuring out the actual distance between Long Island and Manhattan. Turns out, it’s about 57 miles, give or take, depending on where on the Island you are. The road distance is close to 52.9 miles. I don’t have a car, so I immediately ruled out driving. Then, I dived deep into train options. Found out that the train is the best bet without a car, takes about 1 hour and 55 minutes, and costs between $8 and $28. Not bad, huh?
Next, I started hitting up forums and blogs, just soaking in other people’s experiences. Bellmore kept popping up. It’s down on the south shore, Nassau County. People were saying it’s peaceful and quiet, you know, that chill suburban vibe. And it’s a waterfront community, which is always a plus. Seemed like a good spot for young folks and millennials.
I also found out some popular cities that are close to New York City are New Rochelle, Jersey City, Hoboken, and Elizabeth. These are all within about a 45-minute commute by train or car. Oh, and I also heard that White Plains is rich in history.
Then I started looking at specific towns. Manhasset, wow, that place is fancy. It’s on the North Shore, and apparently, it’s only a 30-minute train ride to Penn Station. Huge, beautiful houses, top schools, low crime – basically, living the dream. But I’m guessing the price tag matches that dream, so I just noted that.
I kept digging, wanting to find places that were more, shall we say, realistic for my budget. I wanted that short commute, and two names kept coming up: Great Neck and Garden City. They’re known for being pretty convenient for getting into the city. No specific times were given, but the consistent mentions made me put them on my shortlist.
Then I expanded my search beyond Long Island and looked at Hackensack, NJ. It has a median sale price of homes of $337, which seems affordable, but the commute time was not mentioned, so I decided to pass it.
Finally, I saw someone mention Port Washington. They were raving about it being one of the best Long Island communities. No hard facts to back it up, but it sounded promising, so I added it to my list.
So, after all that, here’s where I landed:
- Bellmore – Seems like a solid choice for a quieter, waterfront lifestyle.
- Great Neck – Definitely on the list for the commute.
- Garden City – Same as Great Neck, commute is key.
- Manhasset – If you’ve got the money, this seems like the place to be.
- Port Washington – Gonna do some more research on this one, but it sounds good.
Final thoughts
Honestly, this is just the beginning of the journey. There’s so much more to consider – schools, taxes, that “feel” of a neighborhood. But hopefully, this gives you a starting point if you’re also looking to make that Long Island-to-NYC life a reality. It is worth noting that this is just my personal take, and I encourage you to do your own research to find the perfect place for your needs. Also, remember that commute times can vary, and it’s always a good idea to check the latest train schedules. I’ll definitely keep updating as I learn more, but let me know if you have any tips or experiences to share!
