Money.com published its annual list of the best 50 places to live in the United States, and two New York municipalities made the cut.
Calling the 50 municipalities “the blueprint for the future,” the list examined towns for and including:
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Having a healthy job market;
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What the average homeowner and renter costs are;
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The percentage of residents in poverty; and
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The quality of public schools, among other factors.
Reader suggestions were also taken into consideration, as well as various research from different public policy and advocacy groups.
Oneonta
Oneonta was named 22nd in the unranked list. “The town boasts affordable home prices, exposed rock cliffs, and a minor-league baseball team,” Money notes.
The February unemployment rate was 5.10%, compared to 5.30% the previous month and 4.40% last year. The Otsego County Chamber of Commerce states as a whole the employers in that county, to which Oneonta is a part of, consistently give Otsego one of the lowest unemployment rates in central New York.
Major employers in Oneonta include its two colleges, SUNY College at Oneonta and Hartwick College, as well as A.O. Fox Hospital and the city government. Springbrook, which provides developmental disability services, is based in Oneonta, as is The Arc Otsego, which helps people with intellectual and developmental disabilities, and Opportunities for Otsego, a community action agency. Corning Incorporated also has a Life Sciences office in the city.
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As of March 2024, the median home listing price in the city was $249,900, while the median sold home price was $274,000, according to Realtor.com. The website also notes Oneonta is currently a buyer’s market, with supply greater than the demand of homes.
Troy
Closer to the Hudson Valley is Troy, named as 35th in the unranked list. States Money: “This up-and-coming city on the Hudson celebrates art and architecture in equal measure.”
For the Albany-Schenectady-Troy metropolitan area, the February unemployment rate was 4%, compared to 3.80% the previous month and 3.30% last year. “For more than 30 years, the region’s unemployment rate has never been above the national average,” the Center for Economic Growth stated in an August 2022 economic profile of the area.
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The Center also notes Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute’s research and development center, along with others in the Capital Region contribute to local companies retaining their competitive advantage in the global marketplace. DLC Electric and the United Group of Companies, the latter a commercial real estate development and property management company, both of which are headquartered in Troy, were among the Capital Region’s 63 Top Workplaces in an April 2023 ranking.
As of March 2024, the median home listing price in the city was $250,000, while the median sold home price was $205,000, according to Realtor.com. The website also notes Troy is currently a seller’s market, with more people looking to buy than there are homes available.
This article originally appeared on Rockland/Westchester Journal News: Best places to live in U.S.: These New York towns made the list