Places to Live: New York City

Sure, Washington D.C. is the capital of the U.S. But the unofficial king of the country and capital of the world? That’s New York.

The largest city in the States, as well as the chief center of finance, entertainment, and more, New York is increasingly popular as a place to set up home camp. While real estate is booming and prices are growing, people are still poring into the five boroughs that make up New York City: Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens, the Bronx, and Staten Island.

Median price ranges for new homes in NYC vary according to source, and if all boroughs are included. In 2000, the median house value throughout the city was a reasonable $211,900. However, in 2004, the average price for only Manhattan was much higher: $990,800.

New York is the most expensive city in the country in which to live, and the thirteenth most expensive worldwide. Long-time residents often benefit from protective rent control laws, but new residents are making their way through an increasingly high-priced real estate market.

It’s easy to see why New York is so popular and expensive. Census figures from 2000 and since show the city population over 8 million. Counting suburbs and other commuter areas significantly adds to this number. Within that population is a fantastic diversity: Over 27 percent of residents are Hispanic, 26 percent African-American, and 13 percent other ethnicities including Chinese, South Asian, Korean, Filipino, and more.

New residents are also being attracted by the declining crime rate and sparkling new cultural amenities. From 1993 to 2003, crime declined over 60 percent in the city, doing away with the tarnish of public opinion painting the city as a cesspool of crime and poverty. In fact, the FBI lists NYC as one of the ten safest cities per 100,000 population.

More than ever, in the last few years NYC has proven its attraction, community and resilience. Since the 9/11 attacks decimated the World Trade Center, New Yorkers have been recovering and thriving, showing a strong spirit and humanity.

Why else is New York so popular? While its size is vast, it is still very much a city of smaller neighborhoods. Avant-garde Greenwich Village, busy Harlem, sophisticated TriBeCa, or culturally diverse Little Italy and Chinatown all provide small-town community flavor within huge metropolitan opportunity.

One of the oldest cities in the country, New York has also developed into the trendsetting cultural epicenter of a good chunk of the world. Beautiful historic monuments, like the Statue of Liberty, Ellis Island, and Empire State Building, stand alongside ultra-hot nightlife spots, ultra-hip comedy scenes, and ultra-popular media centers. Then there’s the Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts, the home of cultural icons like the Philharmonic Orchestra, the City Opera, the Ballet, and the Metropolitan Opera. For art-lovers and connoisseurs the world famous Museum of Modern Art (MoMA), the Whitney, and the Guggenheim are the tip of the iceberg. And of course, there’s Broadway. The center of worldwide musical theater, drama, and both seasoned and newly ripening stars, the Great White Way can make or break acting dreams and create legends. 

For sports enthusiasts, New York has it all. The Jets and Giants share a stadium in the Meadowlands Sports Complex in nearby New Jersey. The Knicks play at Madison Square Garden, a stargazing spot as well as a basketball haven. The Rangers and Islanders take on the hockey league. And the rivalries continue with the Yankees and Mets baseball teams.

It’s extremely easy to get to all these cultural hotspots and sporting arenas with the city’s subway and bus system. Most residents ditch the cars to avoid the nation’s heaviest gridlock, and travel over 704 miles of well-policed and well-packed subway track every day. The train connects other tourist highpoints like the Bronx Zoo, Coney Island, the United Nations, the New York Stock Exchange, and the biggest store in the world, Macy’s in Herald Square.

New Yorkers have a lot of options, but they also know how to take it easy. In the massive greenery smack dab in the middle of metropolis, Central Park offers exercise routes, great people watching, and a place to relax.

Learn more about New York from the following sites:
NYC.gov
NYHistory.org
NYCVisit.com

New York Facts

2005 population estimate (rank): 8,143,197 (1)

2000 census population (rank): 8,008,278 (1); % change: 9.4

Male: 3,794,204 (47.4%)

Female: 4,214,074 (52.6%)

White: 3,576,385 (44.7%)

Black: 2,129,762 (26.6%)

American Indian and Alaska Native: 41,289 (0.5%)

Asian: 787,047 (9.8%)

Other race: 1,074,406 (13.4%)

Two or more races: 393,959 (4.9%)

Hispanic/Latino: 2,160,554 (27.0%)

2000 percent population 18 and over: 75.8%

65 and over: 11.7%;

Median age: 34.2