We don’t like to say that others judge us by our neighbors, but, unfortunately, you are known by the company you keep. So, what does your choice between the City and the suburbs say about you? Where do the smarter people live? Who runs with a more worldly crowd? We consulted some stats to find out who lives where and answer your most burning questions. Which municipality is…
…more crowded? New York City
New York City boasts 8,302,659 residents, while Westchester has only 949,050. We prefer to call it “more exclusive” rather than “antisocial.”
…skinnier? Westchester County
According to a report by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, only 18.7 percent of adults here are obese, compared with 23.3 percent in the City (averaging all five boroughs)—which means you can go ahead and splurge on that extra slice of pie.
…younger? New York City
The median age in New York City is 35.6, while the median age in Westchester is 39.4, giving us the right to tell all those whippersnappers to get off our lawns.
…more educated? Westchester County
Of the population age 25 and older, 22.3 percent of county residents earned a graduate or professional degree, compared with 13.5 percent of City-dwelling slackers.
…wealthier? Westchester County
The mean income in Westchester County is $128,430, while in the City, it’s only $78,017, so pick up the check next time you dine with a friend in Manhattan.
…more diverse? New York City
In the City, only 45.4 percent of the population considers itself white, while 27.4 percent of the population is Hispanic or Latino, 23.3 percent is black or African American, and 11.6 is Asian—and 35.9 percent of the population is foreign-born. In Westchester, 69.2 percent of the population self-classifies as white, with 18.7 percent of the population being Hispanic or Latino, 13.3 percent black or African American, 5.5 percent Asian, and only 23.8 percent foreign-born. So, if you’re looking to fence some Dave Matthews Band tickets, try Westchester’s Craigslist first.
All statistics, with the exception of the obesity rate, were taken from the U.S. Census 2005-2009 American Community Survey.
