When New York is mentioned, people often think of New York City, with its tall skyscrapers and fast paced, high- energy, hustle and bustle lifestyle. While New York City is one of the state’s most wonderful assets, New York State has so much more to offer! People from outside the state don’t realize how big it is. There are other regions that you may not be acquainted with if you’ve never been to New York. We examined factors like cost of living, household income, crime rate and general quality of life to select our 10 favorite places to live in New York.
1) Woodstock
The first thing to come to mind, when Woodstock is mentioned, is the iconic 60’s music festival, (which was actually held in Bethel, the next county over), tie-dye and hippies. The quaint little town offers much more than a nearly fifty year old page in the history books though. While Woodstock might be a small town, it is surprisingly modern. There are several unique boutiques, shops and places to eat that offer a world class experience. There are also nature trails to explore, and wellness centers dedicated to improving the mind, body and spirit of residents and visitors alike. Perhaps Woodstock’s biggest draw, for being a place to live, is for artists. Particularly of note is the Byrdliffe Arts Colony, America’s oldest operational art colony. Each year, artists from around the world attend a retreat hosted there meant to inspire through collaboration. In addition to Byrdliffe, Woodstock has a number of museums and art and music schools. There are also several art festivals, dedicated to many mediums ranging from film, writing, music and the visual arts.