Why Living in Garden City, NY Is Great! | đź‘Ť [2022] Moving to Garden City Guide


Just 18 miles east of Midtown Manhattan is Garden City, one of Long Island’s most charming villages. Garden City is known for its tree-lined streets, beautiful Colonial and Tudor homes, and shopping. Its central location close to many of Long Island’s major highways with five train stops offers convenience for commuters and families. Garden City is a great place to live and is popular with families thanks to its excellent schools, low crime, and family-friendly amenities. It’s also one of the most affluent communities on Long Island. Garden City was created by Irish millionaire Alexander Turney Stewart who bought land in the sparsely populated area with the intention of creating an attractive community. The original attraction was Garden City Hotel. The Central Railroad of Long Island, another project by Stewart, provided access to the new community. His wife, Cornelia Stewart, founded two private schools and the Cathedral of Incarnation, the final resting place for the Stewarts and an iconic landmark of Garden City. Will you like living in Garden City? Here’s what to expect when moving to Garden City, NY.

Garden City, NY Population & Demographics

Garden City is an incorporated village of Nassau County, New York on Long Beach in the 516 area code and zip code 11530. The village is mostly in the Town of Hempstead, but small parts are in the Town of North Hempstead. It’s bordered by Mineola, West Hempstead, Hempstead village, Stewart Manor, and East Garden City. The Village of Garden City refers to not only the village itself but sometimes adjacent hamlets like Garden City Park, Garden City South, and East Garden City. The Village of Garden City has a population of 22,500 within 5.3 square miles for a population density of 4,222 people per square mile. The median age is 43, higher than the U.S. average, with a skewed sex ratio: for every 100 females over 18, there are 84 males. The racial and ethnic composition of Garden City is 88% White, 6% Hispanic, 5% Asian, 1.2% Black or African American, and 0.8% two or more races. Nearly 40% of residents report Irish ancestry. Garden City is an affluent community with a median household income of $174,900. That’s more than double the New York median ($68,500) and the NYC metro median ($78,800). The village is also highly educated: almost 74% of residents have a bachelor’s degree or higher! Famous people from Garden City, NY include Liza Huber (Passions actress), Susan Lucci (All My Children actress), and Chris Weidman (UFC Champion).

Crime in Garden City, NY

Garden City, NY is a safe place to live with a crime rate 71% below the national average! According to 2019 FBI crime data, Garden City Village has a crime rate of 1,226 total crimes per 100,000 people. You have a 1 in 82 chance of being the victim of crime. During 2019, there were just 276 index property and violent crimes reported. The vast majority of crime in Garden City is property crime.
  • Violent crime rate: 40 violent crimes per capita
  • Homicide rate: 0 per capita (national average is 5 murders per capita)
  • Property crime rate: 1,186 property crimes per capita

What Is the Cost of Living in Garden City?

How much does it cost to live in Garden City, NY? Be prepared for a high cost of living, even for Long Island. The Garden City cost of living index is 212 compared to the New York index of 120. Virtually everything is expensive about living in Garden City with health care and groceries about 13% higher than the U.S. average, transportation costs about 70% more expensive, and utilities 25% higher than average. Long Island utilities are notoriously high, but housing is the biggest factor influencing the high cost of living in Garden City with a housing index of 397! Garden City is known for having some of the highest home prices on Long Island. The average home price in Garden City is $930,000 with homes spending a median of 32 days on the market. You can see Garden City, NY homes for sale here to help you budget for buying a home. Thinking about renting while living in Garden City? Housing in the village is overwhelmingly owner-occupied. The average rent in Garden City is $3,828, according to RentCafe. You’ll find a small number of rental homes with private landlords and some smaller, older apartment buildings like Hilton Hall Apartments, Cherry Valley Apartments, and Fairfield 365 Stewart, where rent starts at $3,120 for a one-bedroom apartment. If you’re planning to rent, consider looking for rental properties in neighboring Mineola which has larger, more upscale apartments like the Allure Mineola, minutes away from Garden City with a resort-style pool, outdoor community lounge area, clubhouse, and more.

Best Garden City Neighborhoods | Where to Live in Garden City, NY

Ready to explore neighborhoods ahead of moving to Garden City? The village is divided into several sections: Mott section, Estate section, Central section, Eastern section, and Western section. However, most people talk about Garden City in terms of the Mott section vs the Estate section. The Garden City Recreation and Parks Department serves all areas of the village with community parks, recreation centers, senior centers, public pools, and public programs.

Eastern Section – Affordable Garden City Neighborhood

The Eastern section borders Hempstead village and it’s the most affordable neighborhood in Garden City. It’s also one of the only areas that isn’t walking distance to a train station. The Southeast section in particular is affordable thanks to its border with Hempstead, a low-income community with the highest violent crime rate on Long Island.

Western Section – Newer Homes & Less Personality

The Western section of Garden City has the least traffic congestion and new development. You’ll find more cookie cutter homes in the Western section and you’ll be farther away from the rest of Garden City. This is one of the safest neighborhoods in Garden City.

Estates Section – Most Desirable Neighborhood in Garden City

The Estates section of Garden City is one of the best neighborhoods for families, but it’s the most affluent area. Homes tend to be very large with many 4- to 6-bedroom homes. You’ll love the architecture and be close to schools. There are two downsides: you won’t be within walking distance of the center of the village and there can be plane noise because you’re under JFK flight paths.

Mott Section – Garden City Community Near Mineola with Historic Homes

The Mott section has homes mostly dating to the 1930s with primarily three-bedroom homes on smaller lots. This Garden City neighborhood borders Mineola. If you live in the western part of the Mott section, you can walk to the Mineola train station.

Garden City Climate | What’s the Weather Like in Garden City, NY?

After moving to Garden City, you can look forward to pleasant weather with a humid subtropical climate. Garden City has cool, wet winters and warm, humid summers without extreme temperatures. The average temperature is 75 degrees in July and 32 degrees in January. Just make sure you have a good raincoat: Garden City, NY gets 46” of annual rainfall per year but just 23” of snow.

Top Things to Do in Garden City, NY

Ready to explore the best things to do in Garden City? The village is definitely family-friendly with tons of kid-friendly attractions in Garden City to explore. It’s also known for its excellent golfing. You’ll find convenient shopping in Garden City with Stewart Plaza, Roosevelt Field, Key Food Marketplace, Walgreens, and Macy’s. Need more to do? You’re just 2 miles from Garden City to Mineola and 11.5 miles from Garden City to Queens. Here are the top Garden City attractions to explore.

Roosevelt Field

This is Long Island’s largest mall and one of the largest in the country. You’ll find more than 270 stores plus restaurants and an AMC cinema. Roosevelt Field, 630 Old Country Rd, Garden City, NY 11530v (516) 742-8000

St. Paul’s Recreation Complex

This indoor rec center offers kids’ fitness programs, yoga classes, track, and more. It’s located on a 30-acre park with soccer, lacrosse, baseball, and a large playground. St. Paul’s Recreation Complex, 295 Stewart Ave, Garden City, NY 11530 (516) 465-4075
Additional attractions in Garden City, NY:

Garden City Restaurants You’ll Love

Long Island cuisine is similar to New England cuisine with a focus on seafood and chowder. However, New York is nothing if not diverse, and you’ll find cuisine from around the world while living in Garden City, NY. Here are some of the top-rated restaurants in Garden City you’re sure to love.

Jobs in Garden City, NY

Can I afford to live in Garden City, NY? It helps to know the average salary in Garden City: $65,000 according to Payscale. The economy in Garden City is focused on education and retail. Many people living in Garden City work in nearby villages or towns or even Queens, Brooklyn, or Manhattan. The Garden City School District and Adelphi University are two of the largest employers in the village. Roosevelt Field, the largest shopping center on Long Island, also accounts for many of the jobs in Garden City. You can search on Indeed for jobs in Garden City, NY to get an idea of the career options in the village.

Garden City Schools & Higher Education

Moving to Garden City, NY with kids? One of the many things that makes the village so attractive to families is its school district which is one of the best on Long Island AND New York! The Garden City Union Free School District serves the village with three primary schools, two elementary schools, a middle school, and a high school. Garden City High School was recently ranked the 20th best high school in New York with an AP participation rate of 90%. Considering private school? Garden City is home to the Waldorf School, an independent pre-K to 12 school. There are two Roman Catholic elementary schools as well. Garden City is also home to Adelphi University, a nationally ranked doctoral research university. Students and other residents are served by the Garden City Public Library.

Garden City, NY Statistics & Information

  • Population: 22,500
  • County: Nassau County
  • Total area: 5.35 square miles
  • Zip code: 11530
  • Area code: 516
  • Time zone: UTC-5, Eastern Standard Time (EST)
  • Elevation: 89 feet

Garden City, NY Map

Explore more things to do and places to eat with this Garden City, NY map.

Living in Garden City Pros & Cons

  • Pro: One of the best places to raise kids with excellent schools
  • Pro: Beautiful homes with spacious yards
  • Pro: Very low crime
  • Con: Limited career options
  • Con: Lacks the beach, amenities, and easy commute to NYC of other Nassau County communities
Is moving to Garden City right for you? Check out our in-depth guide to living in the Town of Hempstead to learn more about the area, then give us a call when you’ve narrowed down your options! Our Garden City movers are standing by to give you a free moving quote and the top-notch service you deserve!

Rob Marchese
Rob Marchese is one of the founders of Zippboxx Moving and Storage. Since the start of the company it's been Rob's mission to change the way the moving industry is perceived.  The number one goal is to make the moving and storage process as stress free as possible for each and every customer. "The way we do this is by honesty, transparency, and providing a high quality of service."
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