Best Neighborhoods in Westchester, New York

With Long Island Sound to the southeast, the Hudson River to the west and Connecticut to the east, Westchester County is a picturesque part of New York. It was one of the original twelve counties of New York and has been in existence since 1683. 

It was a busy place during the American Revolution, with people on both sides of the conflict. It was the site of the Battle of White Plains and the apprehension of British spy Major John André. White Plains might be the capital, but Neil Simon immortalized Yonkers in a Broadway play, and “Hello Dolly” starts in Yonkers. 

Richard Gere, Bea Arthur, Ryan Reynolds and Blake Lively, and Mary J. Blige have all called Westchester County home. Washington Irving’s “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow” immortalized an actual place, and E. L. Doctorow’s “Ragtime” was set in Westchester at the beginning of the 20th century. 

But is Westchester County a good place to live? Let’s find out. 

Which location are close to Westchester, NY?
Pelham, NY
Yonkers, NY
New Rochelle, NY

In compiling this list of some of the best neighborhoods in Westchester County, we looked at things like demographics, location, housing costs, commute time to Manhattan and crime rates. Here are some of the best neighborhoods in alphabetical order.

Bronxville

Until 1898, the Bronx was part of Westchester County until it switched to the newly-formed New York County. However, it left a little piece behind in the village of Bronxville, located just 15 minutes north of New York City. 

John F. Kennedy lived with his family in Bronxville as a boy. However, an even more famous (or infamous, depending on your viewpoint) resident of Bronxville was Anne Hutchinson, a trailblazer. She challenged the view of traditional puritans from 1636 to 1638 before being excommunicated and run out of town. The “Antinomian Controversy” shook the Massachusetts colony to the core, and she has become a symbol of religious freedom.

Niche.com gives Bronxville an A+ overall, including top marks for good for families, health and fitness and public schools, an A for outdoor activities, crime and safety and nightlife. It’s considered the No. 3 place to raise a family in Westchester County by Niche.

Be prepared to pay top dollar for a home since the median home value is $1.1 million, and 81% of residents own their homes. The median rent is $2,773, well above the national average of $1,062. The average household income is $181,000, and it’s a well-educated community, with 47% holding a master’s degree or better and 33% holding a bachelor’s degree.

Travel to Manhattan will take you 35 minutes by train, 40 minutes by bus or 20 minutes by car. A taxi will cost you approximately $120. 

Chappaqua

The hamlet of Chappaqua is about 30 miles north of New York City, in the northern part of Westchester County. You might bump into Bill or Hillary Clinton at the post office; Andrew Cuomo and Vanessa Williams have also called it home. 

The local high school is named after another famous resident, Horace Greeley. Niche lists it as the No. 1 best place to buy a home in New York.  Eighty-six percent of the residents own their homes, the median house value is approximately $697,000, and median income is $250,000. 

People are well educated in Chappaqua, with 46% having a master’s degree or better, and 37% having a bachelor’s. Given the population is just under 1,450, that’s a smart bunch of people. 

Niche gives Chappaqua an overall rating of A+, including public schools, good for families and outdoor activities. It earns an A for housing and outdoor activities. It earns only a B- in diversity and a C+ for nightlife. 

Niche does not list any crime information for Chappaqua. Perhaps the presence of the Secret Service at the Clinton house is enough of a deterrent. AreaVibes.com lists the Chappaqua crime rate as 90% lower than the national average. 

It’s a 1-hour train ride from Chappaqua to Manhattan or a 35-minute drive. 

Tarrytown

Located on the east bank of the Hudson River, Tarrytown was originally the home of the Weckquaesgeeks Indians. 

Tarrytown lists the first Dutch settler’s residence around 1645. In 1681, Frederick Philipse started buying up land, amassing 90,000 acres in Tarrytown and neighboring Sleepy Hollow (yes, that Sleepy Hollow) and starting a grist mill on the Hudson River. 

During the Revolutionary War, British spy Major John André was captured in Tarrytown, exposing the plot of Benedict Arnold. Later, during the U.S. Civil War, it was a stop on the Underground Railroad. 

John D. Rockefeller once called Tarrytown home. So did Cab Calloway, J.D. Salinger, Barbara Bel Geddes, Caitlyn Jenner and Mark Twain. 

Niche lists Tarrytown as the 17th best place to live in Westchester County. It earns an overall A rating, with an A+ for health and fitness, an A in outdoor activities, good for families, public schools, nightlife and diversity.

Most people in Tarrytown own their own homes, and median house value is $609,400. Median family income is approximately $124,000. Only 10% of the population have less than a high school diploma. 

It’s just under an hour by train from Tarrytown to Manhattan or a 30-minute drive. 

You’re guaranteed to experience all four seasons in Westchester County, so if you need a place to stash your Skidoo, patio furniture, skis or kayak, Storage Post has locations in Westchester County for your convenience. 

With a range of unit options, including climate-controlled, 24-hour security features and dollies and handcarts, Storage Post can keep your personal belongings safe and sound.  (If you see the Headless Horseman, however, you’re on your own.)

Do you like our Neighborhood Series? Check these out.
Best Neighborhoods in Brooklyn, New York
Best Neighborhoods in Long Island, New York