Rockland County Suburb Beacon for Millennials

by Stephanie Colombini, Rob Palazzolo | 08/07/2015 | 11:22am

pearl river train station

It's become a cliche to say millennials don't want to live in the suburbs. But one town in New York's Rockland County is poking holes in that theory. 
 
Pearl River is a nice, quiet, leafy town. But according to the consumer finance website Nerd Wallet, there's more to it: it's also the best place in all of New York state for millennials to live.
 
Pat Brosnan is a young resident of Pearl River. He says the area is definitely an up-and-coming place for millennials.
 
 "A lot of people have been moving into houses that are close to town with roommates," Brosnan said.
 
According to the study by Nerd Wallet, Pearl River's advantages include solid public transit and an interesting and walkable downtown. And one of the most important factors is it's relatively affordable.
 
Brosnan thinks perks like that make Pearl River ideal for millennials.
 
"So [Pearl River's] Central Avenue has great restaurants, many pizza places, barbershops, etc." Brosnan said. "Downtown there are several bars that are always really popular on the weekends with people from New Jersey and other towns in Rockland. It's definitely a good area to be in; it's got a lot to offer."
 
According to Nerd Wallet, from 2010-2013, the population of millennials in Pearl River has shot up by 30%.
 
Pearl River might be a hot spot for Millennials, but many still want to live in New York City, and some are taking unique steps to afford it. Hear about how one young person is roommates with a senior citizen, or how signing a lease can make or break a friendship on WFUV's new podcast. It's called Issues Tank, and it's by the young and for the young. Check out issuestank.com to listen.  
 

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