Hudson Valley County Ranked No. 2 Best Place To Live In NY: Niche

HUDSON VALLEY, NY — The Hudson Valley is home to the second-best county in New York.

That's according to the neighborhood ranking site Niche, which released its 2023 list of the best counties to live across the state. Factors include public schools, housing, crime, the county’s diversity, available jobs, and commuting. Users on Niche’s website can also write their own reviews of a place they have lived. Those factors created the rankings below.

Westchester, Rockland and Dutchess counties all earned top spots on the list in the“Best Places to Live” category — including No. 2 overall — taking into account nightlife, diversity and being "good for families," according to Niche.com.

Here are the Niche rankings of the Hudson Valley's counties, and the score they got in certain factors. You can click on the link for each county to learn more about the Niche ranking:

2. Westchester County

According to Niche, Westchester County ranked second overall in the state, including No. 1 place for public schools, and No. 1 in diversity. Most residents in the county own their own homes, and it's home to lots of bars, restaurants, coffee shops and parks. Many families and young professionals live in Westchester, and residents tend to lean more liberal. Furthermore, the public schools are highly rated.

• Overall Grade: A+
• Public Schools: A+
• Nightlife: A
• Good for families: A+
• Diversity: A
• Housing: C
• Jobs: B-

9. Rockland County

Rockland County ranked No. 9 overall, scoring highly for public schools, nightlife, families and diversity. The county is home to many bars, restaurants and coffee shops. Many young professionals live in Rockland, and residents tend to have moderate political views.

• Overall Grade: A
• Public Schools: A
• Nightlife: A
• Good for families: A+
• Diversity: A
• Housing: C-
• Jobs: B-

10. Dutchess County

Dutchess County ranked No. 10 overall, also scoring highly for public schools, nightlife, families and diversity. The county is home to many bars, restaurants, coffee shops and parks. Many young professionals live in Dutchess, and residents tend to have moderate political views.

• Overall Grade: A
• Public Schools: A
• Nightlife: A
• Good for families: A
• Diversity: A-
• Housing: C
• Jobs: B

12. Putnam County

Putnam County ranked No. 12 overall in the state, scoring highly for public schools, nightlife and families. Many residents own their own homes, and many young professionals live there. Residents tend to lean conservative.

• Overall Grade: A-
• Public Schools: A
• Nightlife: A-
• Good for families: A
• Diversity: B
• Housing: B-
• Jobs: B

14. Rensselaer County

Rensselaer County ranked No. 14 overall in the state. Most residents own their homes, and the area has plenty of bars, coffee shops and parks. Many young professionals live there, and residents tend to have moderate political views.

• Overall Grade: A-
• Public Schools: A-
• Nightlife: A-
• Good for families: A-
• Diversity: B
• Housing: B-
• Jobs: B

14. Orange County
Orange County ranked No. 16 overall in the state. Most residents own their homes, and the area has plenty of bars, coffee shops and parks. Many families and young professionals live there, and residents tend to have moderate political views. It also has highly rated public schools.

• Overall Grade: A-
• Public Schools: A
• Nightlife: A
• Good for families: A
• Diversity: A
• Housing: C-
• Jobs: B-

19. Columbia County
Columbia County ranked No. 19 overall in the state. Most residents own their homes, and many young professionals and retirees live there. Residents tend to have moderate political views. It also has public schools that are rated above average.

• Overall Grade: B+
• Public Schools: B-
• Nightlife: A-
• Good for families: B+
• Diversity: B-
• Housing: C+
• Jobs: B

20. Ulster County

Ulster County ranked No. 20 overall in the state. Most residents own their homes, and many young professionals live there. There are many bars, restaurants, coffee shops and parks, and residents tend to lean liberal. It also has public schools that are rated above average.

• Overall Grade: B+
• Public Schools: B
• Nightlife: A-
• Good for families: B+
• Diversity: B+
• Housing: C-
• Jobs: B-

What do you think of the grades? Is Nassau County the best place to live in New York? Let us know in the comments.