C’mon, folks, get those votes in for the Best Damn Commuter Town Period contest.
A week ago, we announced the second running of Trainjotting’s search for the best commuter town in the area, based on train service, downtown options, property taxes, walkability, a**hole factor, and other factors that make a cool town cool.
Is it Mamaroneck? Summit? Revitalized Rockville Centre, fey English spelling and all?
Or something from the Nutmeg state: The wilds of North Stamford, or the Aryans who make Darien so special?
Will Pleasantville repeat its 2008 win? Get those votes in, either via the Comments section or by email.
I guess I’d have to vote for Tarrytown. The downtown is cute and pretty vibrant, the river views are gorgeous (from town and from the train), and there are some beautiful houses there. The only thing is, to live close enough to walk to town, taxes are probably INSANE. But that’s the case with most of Westchester.
Mineola, NY !! only 35 min to manahatten, beaches nearby / good schools.
As someone who just moved here after seventeen years in Manhattan, I’ll put in my vote for Larchmont (including the part of Mamaroneck in the Larchmont/10538 P.O., where I live).
The neighborhoods are beautiful and established, with great architecture (virtually no teardowns and/or McMansions). Most of it is walkable to the train and the two ‘downtowns’ with a wide variety of shops, restaurants, and bars – and many of us can walk to the schools as well.
We also have a 29 minute express train to NYC, and it’s just over a half hour to drive to Manhattan in off hours – which helps add up to a feeling that we’re very ‘connected’ to the city.
Yes, I’m a fan!
Summit has a great downtown and is also a stone’s throw to the Mall at Short Hills (aka The Short Hills Mall). In my opinion the “a**hole” factor is a couple notches down from Westchester and Fairfield and taxes are a little better than Westchester as well. Express train is 35 minutes.
It’s full of Larchmartians, but we like Larchmont. Mamaroneck is a close second, though 4 minutes farther.
Larchmont
I vote for Larchmont. Very close to the city, walkable and less pretentious then some of its neighbors despite its affluent population.
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Millburn, NJ.
a) The winner has to be a town on the Midtown Direct line of NJ Transit because of the midtown and downtown options (how would you get to downtown from Larchmont?)
b) Great downtown.
c) Two train stops in town (Millburn and Short Hills)
d) Many, many beautiful homes within 1/2 mile of each station.
e)Two stops closer to the city than Summit.
f) Lower taxes than Westchester towns.
g) 34 minutes to midtown on the 6:58. 32 minutes return trip on the 5:47.
My vote is Larchmont. Town is awesome. On the water walking distance to everything and the train is a quick ride into the city.
Larchmont, of course! What’s not to like????
Larchmont is the best commuting town. Trains to Grand Central leave every half hour and take just over 30 minutes. Great restaurants, wonderful shopping, access to Long Island Sound, good schools and terrific housing stock make for terrific place to live. Larchmont-ers are very city oriented, thinking nothing of popping into the city to go to the theatre, eat or visit galleries and museuems. But the town offers its own galleries and shops and restuarants that make the trip unnecessary if you feel like staying closer to home.
Larchmont, NY
A stones throw to Manhattan and CT employment hubs, walking town, great restaurants, non pretentious people, situated on the LI sound.
Maplewood
Maplewood, NJ….are you joking? Please!
You can’t miss with Larchmont! As good as those Jersey towns, with a waterfront and beaches too. Not to mention – Grand Central is far more convenient a destination for midtown than Penn Station.
Outstanding write-up. I’m also from Mineola, NY and for once it’s awesome to find somebody on the internet also from where I live. Though we’re in two totally distinct professions, we certainly have comparable mindsets simply because we operate in the same local community. Check my blog out here. Mineola dentist
I have to agree with Mineola NY. This town is quiet, clean and great school. I live there there for years and love it. Check out my blog mineola dentist
This commuter app in the Itunes store worked well.. It wakes you up if you fall asleep on the train
App Store – Transit Nap http://bit.ly/nc8HRj