Best places to live in the New York City metro area

Written by:
July 8, 2025
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Best places to live in the New York City metro area

Stacker compiled a list of the best places to live in the New York City metro area using data from the Niche. Niche uses 15 weighted factors for its rankings. A majority of the score is based on cost of living, higher education rate, housing, public schools, diversity, and crime. You can read more about Niche's methodology here.

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#25. Old Bethpage

- Niche grade: A+
- Public school grade: A+
- Population: 6,179

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#24. Scarsdale

- Niche grade: A+
- Public school grade: A+
- Population: 18,005

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#23. Berkeley Heights Township

- Niche grade: A+
- Public school grade: A
- Population: 13,121

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#22. Plainview

- Niche grade: A+
- Public school grade: A+
- Population: 26,251

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#21. Garden City

- Niche grade: A+
- Public school grade: A+
- Population: 22,866

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#20. Jericho

- Niche grade: A+
- Public school grade: A+
- Population: 14,117

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#19. Bernardsville

- Niche grade: A+
- Public school grade: A+
- Population: 7,871

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#18. Manhattan

- Niche grade: A+
- Public school grade: A-
- Population: 1,627,788

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#17. Metuchen

- Niche grade: A+
- Public school grade: A+
- Population: 14,982

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#16. Closter

- Niche grade: A+
- Public school grade: A+
- Population: 8,544

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#15. Great Neck Gardens

- Niche grade: A+
- Public school grade: A+
- Population: 1,245

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#14. Mountain Lakes

- Niche grade: A+
- Public school grade: A+
- Population: 4,535

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#13. Hoboken

- Niche grade: A+
- Public school grade: A
- Population: 58,340

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#12. East Williston

- Niche grade: A+
- Public school grade: A+
- Population: 2,627

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#11. Manhasset

- Niche grade: A+
- Public school grade: A+
- Population: 7,730

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#10. Summit

- Niche grade: A+
- Public school grade: A+
- Population: 22,512

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#9. Syosset

- Niche grade: A+
- Public school grade: A+
- Population: 18,274

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#8. Haworth

- Niche grade: A+
- Public school grade: A+
- Population: 3,321

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#7. Harrington Park

- Niche grade: A+
- Public school grade: A+
- Population: 4,883

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#6. Ardsley

- Niche grade: A+
- Public school grade: A+
- Population: 5,005

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#5. River Edge

- Niche grade: A+
- Public school grade: A+
- Population: 12,024

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#4. Kensington

- Niche grade: A+
- Public school grade: A+
- Population: 1,462

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#3. Ridgewood

- Niche grade: A+
- Public school grade: A+
- Population: 26,076

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#2. Great Neck Plaza

- Niche grade: A+
- Public school grade: A+
- Population: 7,503

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#1. Ho-Ho-Kus

- Niche grade: A+
- Public school grade: A+
- Population: 4,230

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