2023 Best Cities to Live in the New York City Area

• City in New York

• •
  Rating 4.27 out of 5  1,773 reviews

Visitor: My past trip to New York City was an exhilarating experience! The bustling streets, iconic landmarks like the Statue of Liberty and Empire State Building, and the diverse culinary scene left me in awe. The museums and Broadway shows were highlights, offering a perfect blend of art and entertainment. However, the city's fast pace can be overwhelming at times. Nonetheless, I cherished every moment and can't wait to return for another adventure in the Big Apple... Read 1,773 reviews

• grade A

• grade B+

• Population 8,736,047

• City in Connecticut

• •
  Rating 4.02 out of 5  210 reviews

Current Resident: What I like about Stamford is simply the kind of lifestyle there is and how big it is. One place to compare it to is NY CITY because of the amount of things to do there. You can "Go Cart", Ice skate, and many other activities as well as hanging out with friends in downtown Stamford. Not only that but many public parks that you can bike, walk, picnic, play sports like basketball, swim, and even barbeque.Some of those places are Scalzi park, cove park with there beaches. As well as lone park. Other notable parks include, mill river park which is a great place for sight seeing and walking around, also Kosciusko park, cummings park and more! Stamford athletically is good because of the sports complex's like sports complexes, like Bobby Vs, also Chelsie piers that also has fields and courts but younger kids can swim there and gymnastics and trampolines. Not only is Stamford exiting but the restaurant choices might be the best in CT. fancy restaurants, diners, great places for Icecream... Read 210 reviews

• grade A minus

• grade B+

• Population 134,820

• City in New Jersey

• •
  Rating 3.93 out of 5  326 reviews

Current Resident: I've grown up in Jersey City, and there are many things I really love about it, such as its proximity to Manhattan and the easy access to the big city across the Hudson River thanks to the PATH train. I also appreciate the vibrant downtown area and the beautiful marina I've ridden my bike beside for years alongside my family and friends. Additionally, there's the expansive Liberty State Park for family cookouts and picnics, and much more. It's quite a charming and welcoming place. Diversity is also something remarkable about Jersey City, constantly hearing people around you talking in their native tongues and admiring different traditional clothing on the streets. If there was something I could change about this great city, I would hope to get the community more engaged with each other by having more yearly neighborhood events. This way, we can meet and share with our neighbors and create a network or a "Jersey City family."... Read 326 reviews

• grade A minus

• grade C+

• Population 287,146

• City in Connecticut

• •
  Rating 3.14 out of 5  486 reviews

Current Resident: I love Bridgeport! Born and raised! I would love to see there be more activities to do in Bridgeport such as a movie theatre or a roller skating rink. There are so many housing projects in the works. Old places I used to frequent for fun no longer exist, have turned into housing or have been converted to gyms.... Read 486 reviews

• grade C+

• grade C minus

• Population 148,529

• City in New Jersey

• •
  Rating 3.39 out of 5  393 reviews

Current Resident: When I tell people that I was born and raised in Newark, New Jersey I always get judgemental glares and condescending remarks. Very few people see the beauty in "Brick City." They moan about the outdated homes, the loud music on the weekends, and even the graffiti on the walls, but little do they realize that Newark is the home of entrepreneurs and artists! Those homes, also known as "grandma's house" date back to our ancestors fighting for land in Newark. They symbolize what our grandparents had to endure to even be considered to rent in Newark! Now their kids want to sell and move to a more "modern" looking home, forgetting that their parents often went without food to ensure their rent was paid on time. The music they complain about and the murals; often come from local talented Black artists. I love my city, as it represents art and beauty in its purest form. I love the sounds of Newark, the graffiti that adds color to the city, and the old homes.... Read 393 reviews

• grade C

• grade C minus

• Population 306,247