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We are considering moving to the NYC area for a new job opportunity. Looking into Bronxville and Manhasset for the excellent schools in either town (and, yes, understanding both are very pricey for that reason!). I'd be commuting to midtown Manhattan.
Hopefully some City-Data readers know both towns and can weigh in how they are the same or different; in terms of schools, walkability, vicinity to retail/ restaurants/ cinemas, are many people moving there from other parts of the country/ is it easy to settle in?, conservative/liberal, and just overall "vibe".
Lower Westchester in general, which included Bronxville, will have more people from other parts of the country. Also note that each place takes you to a different station for the commute. Bronxville goes to Grand Central. Manhasset goes to Penn Station. Your work location’s proximity to one or the other will affect commute times. If it’s a tie, most people will prefer GST and Metro North. The communities have a lot of similarities. They are both fairly small c conservative, which has nothing to do with politically conservative. Bronxville has smaller school enrollment, which some people like. In part because of this, it has more of a private school vibe. Make sure you are looking at houses in each of these school districts. There are houses in Yonkers that have Bronxville addresses. Those houses are in Yonkers, not Bronxville.
I would also say that, in my opinion, Long Island presents additional logistical challenges (horrendous traffic, fewer major arteries to drive, seasonal influx of people driving through to get to the Hamptons, etc) that Westchester doesn't face to nearly the same degree. If you are really and truly on the fence with everything else being equal, dont discount the PITA factor of living/driving in and around LI.
I would say Bronxville's downtown is superior to Manhasset, if that's something important to you; just the aesthetics, layout, the feel and the vibe of it.
Bronxville: more walkable, better commute, more fancy main street feeling, interesting dichotomy of mansions and nice coops, better access to hiking and the rest of the region
Manhasset: better taxes, more traffic, more fancy mall feeling, wider range of housing, better access to beaches and water
Both are on the conservative end of the spectrum, Bronxville more old money style, Manhasset more political and finance new money leaning (but relative to the area). Both have well respected schools, but Bronxville is a bit better known and smaller. Both have a number of restaurant options, but tend towards the more expensive and neither are considered a destination for food. I don't think of either of them as a common/easier transplant location.
Bronxville: more walkable, better commute, more fancy main street feeling, interesting dichotomy of mansions and nice coops, better access to hiking and the rest of the region
Manhasset: better taxes, more traffic, more fancy mall feeling, wider range of housing, better access to beaches and water
Both are on the conservative end of the spectrum, Bronxville more old money style, Manhasset more political and finance new money leaning (but relative to the area). Both have well respected schools, but Bronxville is a bit better known and smaller. Both have a number of restaurant options, but tend towards the more expensive and neither are considered a destination for food. I don't think of either of them as a common/easier transplant location.
Thanks for your insights! On your last point, what towns would you consider to be more common or easier for "newcomers"?
Maybe the river towns like Irvington, Dobbs Ferry and Hastings, which apparently is the "Brooklyn of Westchester." I would also say Larchmont and Greenwich, which have a large European/international population.
I can't speak on Manhasset, but we moved to Bronxville a few months ago from NYC and loving it.
I work in midTown, blocks from Grand Central so it's super easy. 35min train. $250 for a monthly train ticket.
Just north you have White Plains and further you have the hiking stuff.
The public school is supposedly great, my kid is still in pre-school, some decent options for them too.
Really the only reason we chose this area was because my wife likes the school. But you must be in the zip code proper so triple check that when looking around.
And yes, it's mostly white here. Except for all the nannies you see in the daytime. I am not white. Everyone is friendly though. There is some snobbery, but I feel it's a class thing, which is easy to avoid if you don't play that game.
We live in a Coop though. not house. Walk to train, walk to town. plenty restaurants, cafes. Acme Grocery store, Starbucks, deli, banks. Hospital.
If you have a car it opens up. you got Central avenue nearby with a tons of strip mall type stuff.
Personally I prefer this side of the city, it's easier to 'get out', and hit up Pennsylvania or Jersey, or Catskill mountains.
another consideration is that manhasset looks to have 3 elementary schools while bronxville has one. in bronxville, you may be in the same class with 180 kids for 12 years in a row. if you don't like someone, you will be with them for 12 years in a row. just something to consider, for better or for worse.
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