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Step aside, White Plains. Better luck next year, Hicksville. According to the latest U.S. News & World Report rankings, the top spot for best place to live in New York State for 2025–2026 goes to… Massapequa Park, a leafy Long Island village equal parts suburban idyll and commuter haven.
Clocking in with an overall score of 6.1—and edging out bigger-name contenders like New Rochelle, Yonkers and, yes, even New York City itself in the process—Massapequa Park impressed on everything from household income and home value to education and access to green space. The village of just over 17,000 residents offers a median household income north of $167,000 and a relatively breezy 28-minute average commute (shoutout to the LIRR Babylon Branch).
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Tucked inside the Town of Oyster Bay in Nassau County, Massapequa Park is a little slice of Americana with a twist: it’s affectionately nicknamed “Matzo-Pizza Park,” thanks to its large Jewish and Italian populations. Beyond the nicknames, it’s got actual charm—think historic Sears kit houses, family-friendly parks (like Brady and Mansfield) and a civic vibe that’s kept this incorporated village tightly run since 1931.
The village itself is just 1.6 square miles, but Massapequa Park has deep roots, literally and figuratively. It was once home to the 19th-century Woodcastle Hotel resort, and its now-defunct airport, Fitzmaurice Flying Field, drew 100,000 spectators when it opened in 1929. Today, it has standout schools, a robust parks department and a lively commuter scene that keeps residents connected to the city while enjoying a slower suburban pace.
While it’s not the cheapest spot in the state (median home prices hover around $628,000), it’s hard to beat for families craving top-notch schools, stable incomes and a tightly woven community vibe. If you’ve been dreaming of ditching city chaos for a quieter, well-kept corner of Long Island that still gets you to Penn Station in under an hour, Massapequa Park might just be the neighborhood of your future—and according to the rankings, the very best New York has to offer.