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Is Yonkers, New York a Good Place to Live?

    Yonkers is the fourth highest populated city in the state of New York. As of 2016, the city had a population of around 200,000. The city is located North of the famous Manhattan and the Bronx. Most businesses and local government headquarters are located in the downtown part of the city. The city can be viewed as a suburb of New York City lying right next to the Hudson River. Yonkers is commonly referred to as the ‘city of seven hills’ and is a viable option for anyone moving to New York.

    Is Yonkers, New York a good place to live? Living in Yonkers involves living in incredible diversity in terms of race and income. The communities are very distinct and almost segregated. The schools in Yonkers are good with excellent graduation rates. Property taxes and prices are low especially compared to nearby cities. Transport in and out of the city is outstanding.

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    Moving to Yonkers clearly reveals a different life to most people living in New York. Life in Yonkers is affordable and convenient. You can access most services you can find in New York at lower rates. There is also plenty of great waterfront property for all income groups in Yonkers. Good schools and beautiful neighborhoods make the city very livable. In fact, in 2014 Yonkers received credit from Liveability.com as one of the top 100 places to live in the United States. Moreover, there are numerous employment opportunities in the city which is evidenced by the city’s recent growth spurt.

    Is Yonkers, New York a good place to live? Prons & Cons

    As stated earlier, Yonkers has a relatively high level of inequality. A lot of the city is divided by ethnicity and income which decides where the majority of the residents live. As with any other city in the USA, some neighborhoods are worse than others. The best neighborhoods in Yonkers are Scarsdale, East Hills, Oyster Bay Cove, Woodcliff Lake, Sands Point, Larchmont, North Hills, Munsey Park, North Caldwell and East Williston. The worst neighborhoods in Yonkers are Getty Square, Newark, Elizabeth, Spring Valley, Roselle, Paterson, Haverstraw, East Orange, Linden and Passaic.

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    The crime rate in Yonkers is about equal to the national average hence Yonkers is among the safer areas in New York. There are about 14 crimes per 1000 residents in the city and the chances that you fall victim to a crime are 1 in 72. The crime rate in Yonkers is 25% lower than the New York average and 49% lower than the USA average. Violent crimes are the most prevalent crimes in the city with property crimes a significant level behind them. Despite this degree of crime, extra security measures and insurance for your valuables is advised.

    The public school system in Yonkers is managed by Yonkers Public Schools. The public school district contains a mixture of about 50 elementary and high schools. There are also several private schools which are mostly affiliated to religious organizations, for example, Saint Vladimir’s Orthodox Theological, St. Peter’s Catholic Elementary School and the Seminary Academy for Jewish Religion. The most prominent institution of higher learning in Yonkers is Sarah Lawrence College. Westchester Community College has several campuses in the city, the vastest one situated at the city’s biggest shopping center. The libraries in the city are managed by the Yonkers Public Library.

    Yonkers has one of the highest rates of public transport use evidence being the fact that more than a quarter of Yonkers homes do not own a car. One of the main avenues for mass transit in Yonkers is buses. The main bus service in Yonkers is the Bee Line Bus Service which is one of the major bus systems in the state of New York. There are also express buses from Yonkers to Manhattan offered by the MTA Bus Company. The other popular mass transit method is the train. Yonkers is served by two train lines. One of them is the Hudson Line Metro-North Railroad which offers passenger services to New York City. The other line is the national Amtrak line. Yonkers also has a bike-share program run by LimeBike.

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    Yonkers has a vibrant social and cultural scene. There are racetracks, casinos, gourmet restaurants and shopping centers. Examples include Yonkers Raceways and its Empire City Casino. There are also many bars and nightclubs if you are more interested in the nightlife social scene. If you like the outdoors, Yonkers does not disappoint. There are plenty of parks in Yonkers like Tibbetts Brook Park for biking and hiking. Yonkers’ closeness to the Hudson River also allows its residents’ activities like kayaking and boating.

    Is Yonkers, New York a good place to work?

    The unemployment rate in Yonkers is 5.4% which is a smidge higher than the national unemployment rate of 4.9%. The income per person in Yonkers stands at about $31,500 which is also only a tiny fraction above the national average annual income. The most common job titles in Yonkers are Administrative Assistant, Office Manager, and Registered Nurse.

    The largest industries in Yonkers categorized by the number of people employed are Health Care & Social Assistance Educational Services and Retail Trade. The highest paying industries are Public Administration, Information and Utilities. As far as individual organizations are concerned, the largest employers include Yonkers Raceway, Montefiore IT, Liberty Lines Transit, Leake and Watts Services, POP Displays US, Stew Leonards, Consumers Union, Kawasaki Rail, American sugar Refining and FedEx.

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    Is Yonkers, New York a good place to buy a house?

    The average home price in Yonkers is $380,000 which is pretty high and explains why only 47% of Yonkers residents own their homes. Most homes in the city are owned by a mortgage. 53% of Yonkers residents rent their property paying an average monthly rent of $1,275.

    The best neighborhoods in Yonkers are Scarsdale, East Hills, Oyster Bay Cove, Woodcliff Lake, Sands Point, Larchmont, North Hills, Munsey Park, North Caldwell and East Williston. The worst neighborhoods in Yonkers are Getty Square, Newark, Elizabeth, Spring Valley, Roselle, Paterson, Haverstraw, East Orange, Linden and Passaic.

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    The average price of a one-bedroom apartment in Yonkers is $238,750, of a two-bedroom apartment is $295,100, of a three-bedroom apartment is $354,200, of a four-bedroom apartment is $392,660 and the average price of a five-bedroom apartment is $446,800.

    The average monthly rent for an apartment with a single bedroom in Yonkers is $1050, for an apartment with double bedrooms is $1300 per month, for an apartment with triple bedrooms is $1670 a month, for a quadruple bedroom apartment is $2100 and for an apartment with quintuple bedrooms is $2560 a month.

    Is Yonkers, New York a good place to retire?

    If you are going to retire in New York, Yonkers would be the place to do it. The security in the city is moderately good which is a great concern for retired people. The city lies next to the Hudson River and has numerous parks which are scenic sights retired folks tend to enjoy. The downside to retiring in Yonkers is that property is expensive but an extensive search can yield good deals.

    The best neighborhoods in Yonkers are Scarsdale, East Hills, Oyster Bay Cove, Woodcliff Lake, Sands Point, Larchmont, North Hills, Munsey Park, North Caldwell and East Williston. The worst neighborhoods in Yonkers are Getty Square, Newark, Elizabeth, Spring Valley, Roselle, Paterson, Haverstraw, East Orange, Linden and Passaic.

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    Depending on the retirement property you are looking for, the above numbers on property prices and monthly rents can be used as a reference.

    Is Yonkers, New York a good place to visit?

    Yonkers is a great place to visit and thousands of domestic and foreign tourists visit the city every month. The city is imbued with an incredible mix of natural and manmade attractions that even as an expat will find great. There is something for every kind of tourist paying a visit to Yonkers.

    Noteworthy landmarks and attractions in Yonkers include Untermyer Park and Gardens, LEGOLAND Discovery Center Westchester, Empire City Casino, Tibbetts Brook Park, The Palisades, Van Cortlandt Park, Palisades Interstate Park, Broadway, Derfner Judaica Museum, Tenafly Nature Center, Field Station, and the George Washington Bridge.

    Frequently Asked Questions

    What is the cost of living in Yonkers, New York?

    The cost of living in this city is 28% higher than the state average and 51% higher than the national average. Goods & service and housing make up the bulk of living household expenses in Yonkers. All services including transport, utilities and healthcare are more expensive than the national average cost.

    Is Yonkers a good place to invest in property?

    Buying property in Yonkers is a good idea for several reasons. You can get good opportunities to buy houses at low prices and sell houses for unbelievable profits. Moreover, rental rates in the city are higher so landlords earn more than a sufficient profit. You can also rest assured that the demand for housing in Yonkers will rarely if ever, depreciate.

    Is Yonkers a good place to raise a family?

    You can raise a family relatively easily in Yonkers. There are good schools for your children’s education and there are plenty of spaces to ensure they are active and healthy. The security level is moderately good so you can rest assured of your family’s safety. However, it will cost you more to raise a family in Yonkers than it would in most of the rest of the country.