Report: Westchester County Popular Among Young Adults

A new study finds young adults like living in Westchester County for its mix of nightlife, parks, schools and public transportation.

Marsha Gordon heads the Business Council of Westchester, the group that conducted the study.  She says with New York City right next door, the results came as somewhat of a surprise.

“We may have expected that there was a real youth flight to New York City, but this study suggests that Westchester competes strongly.”

Gordon says through a series of focus groups, they found young professionals see Westchester as the perfect blend of urban and suburban living.

However, the Business Council report says the county can still do more to retain and attract young people. The recommendations include:

•    Build more mixed-used development such as Downtown White Plains where housing, retail and mass transit are available in one location.

•    Enact a tax rebate program that would help young people afford to live in the county. The rebate would be on the first five years of a mortgage.  

•    Improve utilization of parkland to include dog runs and bike paths which are popular socialization venues for young people.

•    Permit more cell towers on county property in order to generate revenue as well as improve cell phone service, particularly in the northern half of the county.

•    Create a consortium of all Westchester colleges and universities which would provide young professionals with access to employment, internship and mentoring opportunities.  

•    Develop a website and phone app that would be a one-stop source of information on all events, programs and services in Westchester attractive to young adults.