New York City remains the most expensive city in America, but its high cost is offset by unmatched cultural, artistic, and architectural richness. The Big Apple is home to nearly 200 museums, including major institutions like the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Museum of Modern Art, the Whitney Museum of American Art, and the Cooper Hewitt Smithsonian Design Museum.
Gotham also offers world-class dining and a constant stream of music, theater, and dance, attracting creatives of all kinds. Its skyline is globally iconic, shaped by famous skyscrapers such as the Empire State Building, Chrysler Building, and Rockefeller Center. While Chicago pioneered skyscrapers, NYC pushed them to new extremes with ultra-thin “supertall” towers. Despite its density, The City is also one of the greenest large metropolitan areas in the U.S., with about 27 percent of its land dedicated to parks and open space. The most famous is Central Park, known for its natural landscapes shaped by glaciers thousands of years ago.
The Big Apple might not be for everyone, but Zises has a few solid reasons why Gen X might decide to make it home. “New York City offers convenience and culture. Theaters, dining, and museums are always within reach. Many empty nesters, those looking to downsize, and people in the suburbs embarking on their next chapter love the walkability, simplicity, and energy the city offers,” she says. While it’s not the most affordable place to buy a home—the average home value is around $815,000—its appeal is still wide-ranging. And some people may really enjoy the convenience of living just a bus or subway ride away from John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) and LaGuardia Airport (LGA).
There is one open space larger. Pelham Bay Park is New York City's largest park, located in The Bronx, and is more than three times the size of Central Park, featuring diverse landscapes like forests, salt marshes, and coastline. It offers numerous recreational activities, including Orchard Beach, hiking and biking trails, golf courses, and historic sites like the Bartow-Pell Mansion and City Island, A Slice of NYC Paradise, and a short subway ride to Manhattan. Pelham Bay Park is renowned for its natural beauty, offering areas for birding, kayaking, and exploring unique habitats, making it a wilder, more natural escape within the city limits.
History-buffs can should check out City Island, where the oceangoing past is on display. The City Island Nautical Museum, for instance, is housed inside a former schoolhouse that dates back to 1898, and the Harlem Yacht Club, still in operation, is one of the oldest yacht clubs in the United States—started in 1883 and first moving to City Island in 1894.
