Rockland County suburb across the Hudson River from NYC
An outsider might think that an address reading “New City, NY” is missing a word. Those in the know understand that New City is its own thing, the county seat of Rockland County, the town seat of Clarkstown, and a place known more for its midcentury subdivisions than an expansive skyscraper skyline. “New City developed like a lot of the county. Before the 50s and 60s, it was largely rural. Then came the big wave of suburbanization,” says Joe Barbieri, the local history librarian at New City Library. “We’re pretty much your standard-model American suburb, but we do have a lot of older buildings and sites that people could stop and appreciate that they might not recognize at first.” From its courthouse-village days to the settled suburbia of today, New City’s proximity to the most populous city in the nation has given it the enduring economic engine needed to maintain highly rated schools and desirable single-family suburbia even a river-crossing away from the big city noise.
From its courthouse-village days to the settled suburbia of today, New City is a superb place to call home.
Spanning the width of the Hudson River, the Gov. Mario M Cuomo Bridge nearby to New City, NY provides a convenient crossing with spectacular views.
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Rockland County industry and New York City commuter highways
New City is a historic and modern local government hub. “Rockland County was an important crossroads through the Revolutionary War, and the courthouse built after the war is still here. It was a major reason why people came through. It’s not how it was 200 years ago, when you had to hitch up a horse and wagon and it would take a whole day to come do your business, but it’s still smack dab in the middle with all the county offices,” Barbieri says. Rockland County reports a modern economy with major employers in the biotech industry, including a Pfizer campus in Peal River to the southwest of New City. Healthcare is also big in Rockland, with the closest major hospital being Montefiore Nyack Hospital, about 8 miles from the Rockland County Court House. Like much of the Lower Hudson Valley, however, New City is full of commuters bound for that other city with new in its name.
The New York State Thruway runs south of New City and spans the Hudson River on the Governor Mario M. Cuomo Bridge, starting many on the nearly 40-mile drive through Westchester County to Manhattan. The drive takes roughly the same amount of time but clocks in at closer to 30 miles when cutting through New Jersey by way of the Palisades Interstate Parkway. Rockland Coach buses stop along Main Street, offering a roughly one-hour trip to Manhattan’s Washington Heights neighborhood. Accessing other popular regional transit routes, including the Metro-North or NJ Transit, would require driving to different municipalities and parking in train, bus or ferry lots on either side of the Hudson River. Westchester County Airport is about 26 miles away.
Standard midcentury suburban homes and larger, newer construction in New City
Standard-model American suburb isn’t just Barbieri’s characterization, it’s a truth borne out in the extensive, evenly spaced grassy blocks and winding subdivisions that make up much of New City. Hallmarks of midcentury suburban construction, namely the classic Cape Cod, ranch-style and split-level homes that were the most popular through the post-World War II era, blend with limited stock leftover from earlier decades. As intended by architects of the time, many families have added on and updated their homes over the years. Other parts of New City, including in both subdivisions and on forested side roads, house expansive custom construction and New Traditional homes built in the latter decades of the 20th century. A couple of townhouse communities built during the same time offer lower price points and overall square footage. New City’s median single-family home price is $760,000, higher than the national median of $406,100 given by the National Association of Realtors.
Midcentury single-family homes are common for many of New City's residential blocks and subdivisions.
Larger, newer homes and smaller townhouses are scattered throughout the New City community.
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Clarkstown Central schools and nearby private education
Clarkstown Central School District earns an A from Niche. Clarkstown North Senior High School also earns an A and offers both Advanced Placement and International Baccalaureate classes. Dual enrollment courses are held in partnership with institutions like Syracuse University and Marist College. A-plus-rated Albertus Magnus High School is just south of New City, a private Catholic school known for its strong college-going culture.
Clarkstown High School North is a well regarded educational institute serving New City, NY students.
Albertus Magnus High School provIdes a safe and positive environment for students in the New City, NY area.
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State parks on the Hudson and New City Little League fields
New City is surrounded by beloved recreation spaces. A few state parks line the Hudson River at the northern bounds of the region’s stunning Palisades to the east; the shoreline at Nyack Beach State Park and pool at Rockland Lake State Park are major hubs through the summer, while the hiking and biking trails at Hook Mountain State Park are popular throughout the year. More hiking trails fill the hills that bound New City to the north. Within the hamlet, New City Little League and the Clarkstown Soccer Club’s youth athletic associations practice and play at Zukor Park, just down the road from the golf course and other amenities at Paramount Country Club. Further town, county and privately operated recreation spaces are scattered throughout New City.
Nearby to New City, Hook Mountain is the site of a 676-acre undeveloped State Park stretching through almost seven miles of waterfront and cliff slopes.
Strawtown Fields is the home of Little League baseball in the greater New City, NY area.
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Shopping and dining on Main Street
Most of New City’s restaurants and stores line Main Street, collected in grocery store-anchored strip malls built in reaction to the suburban housing boom. In recent years, developers have drafted proposals for a redevelopment of one such strip mall, centered around a new residential tower. Plans indicate some retail spaces will be preserved, while others will be replaced by new buildings. Overall, this type of development seeks to address the shortage of affordable housing experienced through much of New York. Churches and synagogues are scattered throughout the city.
The BURGER Loft is a popular lunch and dinner spot on New City's Main Street, the area's hub for shopping, dining and everything in-between.
Houses of worship from multiple faiths, such as the striking St. Augustine's Church, are scattered throughout New City, NY.
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Street fairs with the New City Chamber of Commerce
The New City Chamber of Commerce and Town of Clarkstown host seasonal events throughout the year, from free movie nights to bigger vendor-packed street fairs in the summer and fall. Other community spaces get people together outside of annual events, including a movie theater and the local history-packed Rockland Room at the New City Library.
The New City Library's designated focus areas are popular with local students and interest groups seeking a place to focus.
New City's shopping and entertainment options are bolstered by the wildly popular nearby Palisades Center.
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Police data, weather patterns and Hackensack River flood zones
New City is served by the Clarkstown Town Police Department. According to overall town data reported to the New York State Division of Criminal Justice services, violent crime rose by about 3.9% and property crime rose by about 26.3% from 2022 to 2023.
New City experiences four temperate seasons, including hot summers and below-freezing winters.
A few narrow waterways, most notably the Hackensack River, can pose flooding problems when they become saturated following heavy rain. While these higher risk zones do impact New City, some of the most notable nuisance flooding occurs along New York State Route 59 elsewhere in Clarkstown. Town and state leadership are investing millions of dollars into ongoing mitigation work.
Written By
Julia Szymanski
Video By
Anne Sheridan
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On average, homes in New City, NY sell after 72 days on the market compared to the national average of 70 days. The median sale price for homes in New City, NY over the last 12 months is $999,000, up 38% from the median home sale price over the previous 12 months.
Welcome to this spacious 5-bedroom bilevel home nestled on a serene, park-like property surrounded by tall trees at the corner of a safe and charming cul-de-sac with an easy NYC commute. Inside, enjoy an open, airy living space with abundant windows and gleaming hardwood floors. The large chef-friendly kitchen features bay windows, skylights, granite counters, and a picture window to overlook the
When it just feels like home..... a charming, well maintained, freshly painted 2,300 sq ft sandstone Colonial offers low taxes and Clarkstown Schools with a short proximity to the New City business district, local shopping, restaurants, public transportation and is just under 45 minutes to NYC! Sitting pretty on .48 acres of meticulously maintained property, this home offers a large front porch
LAND OF OPPORTUNITY! Versatile 6.70 acres in New City NY in an R-80 Zone ( see attached Zoning table) that offers a plethora of possibilities! As per the Town of Clarkstown Zoning table possibilities include- general accessory use; a places of worship, preserve parks and playgrounds, schools of general instruction, commercial agricultural operations and many miscellaneous accessory uses all
Welcome to this spacious 5-bedroom bilevel home nestled on a serene, park-like property surrounded by tall trees at the corner of a safe and charming cul-de-sac with an easy NYC commute. Inside, enjoy an open, airy living space with abundant windows and gleaming hardwood floors. The large chef-friendly kitchen features bay windows, skylights, granite counters, and a picture window to overlook the
When it just feels like home..... a charming, well maintained, freshly painted 2,300 sq ft sandstone Colonial offers low taxes and Clarkstown Schools with a short proximity to the New City business district, local shopping, restaurants, public transportation and is just under 45 minutes to NYC! Sitting pretty on .48 acres of meticulously maintained property, this home offers a large front porch
LAND OF OPPORTUNITY! Versatile 6.70 acres in New City NY in an R-80 Zone ( see attached Zoning table) that offers a plethora of possibilities! As per the Town of Clarkstown Zoning table possibilities include- general accessory use; a places of worship, preserve parks and playgrounds, schools of general instruction, commercial agricultural operations and many miscellaneous accessory uses all
Set against a lush green backdrop with cascading mountain views, your new Nanuet apartment features a lifestyle of unrivaled amenities in a scenic setting. Treat yourself to a luxury 1,2, or 3 bedroom apartment complete with a private balcony, granite countertops, oversized closets, and soaring 9' ceilings.
Studio apartment ,new floors, new windows ,nicely updated kitchen and bath, state of the art heating system. It has its own private entry. Just minutes away from major roads, shopping. Very good credit is a must ,prove of income. NO Pets! No Smokers!
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