RN Mom: Where Do Nurses Live in New York City?

Mindylane · Nov 21, 2012

I guess Long Island is an option... if you move into a town on one of the better LIRR lines, you can be in the city in about 40ish minutes (particularly the Babylon line). I'd say somewhere like Lynbrook, but there are tons of towns that are easily accessible (albeit expensive). Good luck.

LM NY · Nov 23, 2012

It also depends what kind of lifestyle you live. Do you want a quiet neighborhood where you need a car just to go shopping for groceries? Do you want to live in an area that is filled with families and businesses? Also, because you have children, would you rather somewhere closer to your place of employment so your commute isn't too long? Do you want most of your paycheck going to your rent? There are many things to consider. You should definitely try the travel agency so you can get a feel of how nursing in NYC is.

LotusRN1972 · Nov 23, 2012

Thank you so very much Mindylane and LM NY!!! Two of the most valuable bits of advice since ever!!! I am going to stick with the travel agency and go from there; the sky is the limit. Thanks again

Sincerely,

LotusRN1972

Meriwhen, ASN, BSN, MSN, RN · Nov 23, 2012

As someone who was born and raised in NYC for more than 20 years:

Manhattan is very expensive to live in. The only reason my family has lasted so long there is because they've been there since the turn of the century and therefore live in a rent-controlled apartment (rent-controlled apartments are not available otherwise). So you can easily spend a couple of grand or more on renting a studio apartment, and that's not including any utilities. And considering that's just the studio rate, I shudder to think what you'll end up paying for an apartment to house 5 people and 2 dogs. Some parts of Manhattan are cheaper than others...if you're willing to take on a subway ride, that is.

Long Island can be expensive depending on where you want to live, plus you have the added hassle and expense of commutting on the LIRR to the city proper.

Staten Island is its own isolated world, accessible only by car or ferry. Unless you are planning to work on Staten Island, don't even consider it.

The other outer boros (Brooklyn, Queens, Bronx) are generally cheaper to live in. But if you want to work at Sinai or NY Pres, you've definitely got a subway/bus commute in your future.

One other thing: the cost of living is higher in NYC/LI in general, no matter where you live. Something else to keep in mind.

I agree: try the travel agency first so you can get a feel of what it's like to live in NYC and how far your money goes. Also, I would NOT even begin to uproot and move your entire family to NYC without a permanent job offer in hand. The job market is very competitive even for those with experience.

Best of luck.

LotusRN1972 · Nov 23, 2012

Thank you Meriwhen! I had to let go of the 2 pups but the kids have to stay. Wow, you have a lot of insight, I am so glad that I came to allnurses; I was researching on my own. There are several travel agencies here in CA that is clamoring for me to get my NYS license; I hope that that is a good thing. All messages are met with much respect and gratitude. Thanks again.

DoGoodThenGo · Nov 24, 2012

Live in Manhattan but was born/raised on Staten Island and am here to tell you if you're looking for an apartment that can *hold* four children and two puppies/dogs don't even think of considering any of Manhattan's decent areas unless you wish to spend >$4k per month in rent. Even then you may not get that large a space and the building may restrict you to one dog.

Best suggestion I have would be to join the other parents making the exodus to either Brooklyn,Queens or even parts of New Jersey, Westchester or Long Island. You can rent a townhouse, huge apartment or even an entire house for less than it would cost for similar in Manhattan, if you could find it as the real estate market for this area is hot.

If you really want to remain in Manhattan I'd take a look at Battery Park City area/downtown Manhattan.

All the Eastside hospitals (Bellevue, Mount Sinai, NYU-Langone, Lenox Hill, NYP, etc..) are easily reached by the IRT subway which takes you to Grand Central (where you can catch Metro North), and soon there will be a connection to the LIRR (Long Island Rail Road) as well. Also there are parking garages near all these hospitals that offer discounts for staff (yes, quite allot of nurses, physicans and other staff drive in).

LotusRN1972 · Nov 24, 2012

Thanks DoGoodThenGo! I am very open to commuting; I have reliable car but can catch the subway/ bus like the best of them. I am partial to Brooklyn :yes: ...

Thank you, kindly

estrellaCR, BSN, RN · Nov 24, 2012

Hi

Some neighborhoods you can look at in Brooklyn: Park Slope, Sunset Park, Prospect Heights, Midwood, Kensington, Gravesend, Bay Ridge, Borough Park, Bensonhurst, Sheepshead Bay. All these areas are safe and family friendly (a lot of families already live there). They are also affordable except for Park Slope and Prospect Heights depending on what part of the neighborhood you look at.

In Queens: Elmhurst, Corona, Woodside, Jackson Heights. These are areas that have a lot of families and are also affordable. You can search nyc craigslist apartment section and put in price ranges and what # of bedrooms in apartment you are looking for.

estrellaCR, BSN, RN · Nov 24, 2012

Also in Queens: Ozone Park, Woodhaven, and parts of Jamaica if you dont mind being farther out from Manhattan. Long Island Hospitals are always hiring especially experienced RNs so these areas would put you close to LI and maybe 40 min subway ride to Manhattan.

Scooby-Dooby-Doo · Nov 24, 2012

Hi LotusRN1972!

I'm coming from CA too! (San Francisco) And new grad jobs here is a nightmare, even with BSN folks like me. I'm 22 and single and willing to take the dare devil risk in looking to NY as well. I'll send you a PM if I have more questions about housing! The NY community has been very friendly and supportive :) oh and happy 40th!

DoGoodThenGo · Nov 25, 2012

If you are moving to NYC with school aged children you might as well know another ugly truth about the NYC metro area regarding education.

Generally taxes are lower in NYC but the public schools in many areas leave much to be desired, in fact many would call the locally zoned grade, middle and high schools horrible. Parents with means send their children to private schools the cost of which offsets what they are paying in lower taxes.

OTHO one can move to Westchester, New Jersey, Long Island and pay more in taxes but live in a area where the locally zoned public schools are good to great to excellent.

In Manhattan the handful of great to excellent public grade to middle schools are always full with waiting lists. However that does not stop middle or working class parents from "working" the system to get their children in, sometimes it works but often it does not. Of the NYC high schools the top tier such as Stuyvesant enterance depends upon exam scores.

So what this all boils down to is yes, you might find a great apartment/house in say Williamsburg or Red Hook but you probably won't be sending your children to the locally zoned school. Indeed the "problem" with the gentrification by middle class and or upscale families (mainly white) to parts of Brooklyn and Queens is that by and large they still return to Manhattan for their healthcare needs and often do not send their children to local public schools if they can afford different.

One of the first questions anyone with children will ask a real estate agent here in NYC (or find out one their own) is the quality of the local public schools. Parents often base their real estate choices based upon the education system. Private school tuition and expenses like every thing else here cost dear, and not every family can afford that sort of outlay especially if they have more than one child so they hunt out the best public school options.

In parts of Manhattan at least (Upper East and Westsides, The Village, etc..) so many parents sent their children to private schools that the local public ones (which are often excellent) have slots open. Well they did anyway until Manhattan became the new suburb and word got out. Now out of area parents try to seek waivers to get their children in and or use a variety of other tricks.