Park Slope Versus The Burbs
New York has a reputation for being an expensive town, which of course it is. But the high housing prices and rents don’t tell the whole story. You see, New Yorkers don’t necessarily need cars. And our property taxes are pretty low. Which is why a Times story this weekend comparing the cost of living…
New York has a reputation for being an expensive town, which of course it is. But the high housing prices and rents don’t tell the whole story. You see, New Yorkers don’t necessarily need cars. And our property taxes are pretty low. Which is why a Times story this weekend comparing the cost of living in Park Slope versus Orange, NJ found that a family of four with a household income of $170,000 could actually live more inexpensively in Brooklyn than Jersey. In fact, monthly expenses were $1,285 cheaper in the County of Kings. “Specifically, each month, the suburban family needs to lay out about $5,668 to run their home and commute to work in Manhattan, compared with $3,852 for the urban family,” said The Times. “That includes most relatively static expenses — from the mortgage, property taxes and homeowner’s insurance, to transportation, utility bills and, for the house, landscaping. ” The major caveat: If you want to send your kids to private school, fuhgettaboutit. You’re better off moving to the burbs.
High-Rise, or House With Yard? [NY Times]
Photo by Betty Blade
The “‘burbs” are always going to lose in this comparison. Better to compare cost of NYC with a small city, like Portland or Charlotte.
OK, so I am exaggerating.
But there are plenty of suburbs that are a hell of a lot more diverse than Park Slope.
“It would take a pretty cold fish to make such decisions based on cost alone, rather that more subjective factors.”
For whatever reason, these kind of financial balances always have a great influence on population flows.
Pete, you are right. There are plenty of gays getting beaten up in the suburbs.
There’s just as much ‘cultural’ stuff to do in Montclair as there is in Park Slope. fact
Suburbandude: “Park Slope …. I cannot think of a less diverse community.”
Really? is this hyperbole or are you just not capable of effective thinking?
suburbandude seems quite the generalizer and stereotyper.
But I hear that the parks around PS are full of litter from latinos.
If you are a high earner (like Ditto, apparently) this comparison completely falls apart as the city tax gets brutal. If you have more than one kid, again, different story altogether.