
New York City is notoriously expensive, and new figures have emerged to show its impact: According to census data released in June 2024, the number of children and teenagers in New York City dropped by 9% from just three years earlier, the biggest drop in at least a decade. The authors of the study did not give a reason for the drop, but The New York Times suggests that factors like a shortage of affordable housing, a shift to work-from-home or hybrid work environments, and the desire for more parks and open spaces were at work.
However, that is not to say that it is impossible or inadvisable to raise children in New York. Between the parks, museums, and schools, the city offers incredible advantages. And while New Yorkers live in smaller homes than most other Americans, these homes can still be family-friendly. This article examines considerations all new and expectant parents should take before buying or renting in New York City, and presents a selection of listings with room to grow and ample storage space.
In this article:
Access to an elevator
Even if you're young, fit, and determined to carry your child until they start walking on their own, you'll likely want to live in an elevator building. Carrying a child, stroller, diaper bag, and groceries up five flights of stairs in a walk-up only seems viable to most New Yorkers until they have done it.Full service
Children love doormen, and why wouldn't they? Who doesn't want to get high-fived on the way home from school or soccer practice? But that's not why expecting parents should consider renting or buying in a doorman building. Having children means you'll be coming and going from your building many times a day, often with a lot of gear and packages. An attended lobby with another set of eyes minding all your packages and family members can make life much easier.Amenities
If you don't have children, you may have little need for a community room. If you have a preschooler and are preparing to host ten other preschoolers and their parents in your living room, even the dingiest community room may suddenly take on the aura of a luxury amenity. If you have children, there are going to be playdates, birthday parties, and other special events that require you to open up private space on a fairly regular basis. If you're living in a small New York City apartment, the ability to host guests without cramming everyone into your actual apartment is a huge bonus.
Noise policies
Different buildings are more family-friendly than others. If you're thinking about having a child or already having one on the way, ensure you move into a building with a relaxed attitude about noise. After all, you don’t want to end up living above a curmudgeon who can't handle the pitter-patter of little footsteps or occasional cry.Room to grow
While an infant might fit nicely into a bassinet in the corner of your bedroom, and a toddler or young child may be happy to live in a dining nook flexed into a second bedroom, that's not a permanent solution: Children will need more space and privacy as they grow up. If you're already expecting or planning to have or adopt one more children in the near future, leave room to grow, even if it's simply buying a larger flat that can be creatively and legally flexed down the line.
Safety
Thankfully, most New York City neighborhoods are relatively safe, but once you have children, your sense of what "safe" means may shift. Likewise, once you have children, everything from fire escapes to loose electrical sockets will become a hazard. Take time to carefully assess your neighborhood, building, and unit with an eye to living there with someone too young to know what is and is not a hazard.Parks
Until children reach middle school, trips to the playground tend to be a daily ritual. As a result, access to a safe local park is essential. If you don't already have children, get to know the neighborhood and ask about park access. It may not be on your radar yet, but it will be soon.
Schools
New York City public elementary school placements are nearly always based on your school zone, which is determined by your home address. Middle schools and even high school placements also are generally based on your school district. If you are opting for the public system and care about the reputation and quality of your child's school, it is important to consider the quality of local schools before renting or buying. In fact, even if you don't have a child yet but plan to have one soon, especially if you're buying, you'll want to consider whether the local schools meet your expectations.Neighborhood services and walk score
From social events to after-school activities to medical appointments, it is easy for parents of young children to spend several hours a day bringing their children to birthday parties, sports practices, music and art lessons, and doctor and dentist appointments. Living in a service-rich neighborhood where nearly everything is within walking distance can have a huge impact on one's time and one's sanity.Storage
Babies and toddlers may be tiny, but this doesn't mean they don't take up a lot of space. From the "gear" (strollers, car seats, scooters, tricycles, and the list goes on and on) to all those little outfits, shoes, and toys they seem to be constantly needing, wanting, and outgrowing, small people tend to have a large footprint on one’s living space. If you're a minimalist at heart and don't want to adopt the aesthetic of a daycare, you'll want to live in an apartment with generous closet space or a building with private storage.Two-beds and larger with generous storage space
126 Washington Avenue, #TH (Nest Seekers LLC)



Would you like to tour any of these properties?
Just complete the info below.
Or call us at (212) 755-5544
449 Bergen Street, #TH (Compass)



Avery, #14N
$2,165,000 (-9.8%)
Riverside Dr./West End Ave. | Condominium | 2 Bedrooms, 2 Baths | 1,350 ft2

Avery, #14N (Nest Seekers LLC)
315 West End Avenue, #5C
$1,949,000 (-3.8%)
Riverside Dr./West End Ave. | Cooperative | 3 Bedrooms, 2 Baths

315 West End Avenue, #5C (Brown Harris Stevens Residential Sales LLC)

450 West 23rd Street, #E (Compass)


No. 45E7, #4A (Compass)

158 East 22nd Street, #4 (Compass)

515 East 11th Street, #A3
$1,800,000 (-7.7%)
East Village | Condominium | 3 Bedrooms, 2 Baths | 1,261 ft2

515 East 11th Street, #A3 (Compass)
658 Washington Avenue, #2
$1,795,000 (-10%)
Prospect Heights | Condominium | 2 Bedrooms, 2 Baths | 1,340 ft2

658 Washington Avenue, #2 (Nest Seekers LLC)
Houston Place Condominium, #5C
$1,745,000 (-2.8%)
East Village | Condominium | 2 Bedrooms, 2 Baths | 1,086 ft2

Houston Place Condominium, #5C (Compass)



175W95, #19G (Compass)


360 East 72nd Street, #A1410 (Elegran LLC)

Novo, #11B (Corcoran Group)

Kips Bay Towers, #4C (Brown Harris Stevens Residential Sales LLC)


The Crystal House, #1201/1202 (Serhant)
The New York Towers, #18C
$1,585,000 (-3.9%)
Gramercy Park | Cooperative | 2 Bedrooms, 2 Baths | 1,200 ft2

The New York Towers, #18C (Douglas Elliman Real Estate)


Carriage House, #14A (Level Group Inc)
210 West 19th Street, #1G
$1,525,000 (-23.6%)
Chelsea | Condominium | 2 Bedrooms, 2 Baths | 1,300 ft2

210 West 19th Street, #1G (Compass)


Lincoln Towers, #17M (Brown Harris Stevens Residential Sales LLC)

35 West 90th Street, #2AB (Brown Harris Stevens Residential Sales LLC)
670 West End Avenue, #4A
$1,450,000 (-7.9%)
Riverside Dr./West End Ave. | Cooperative | 2 Bedrooms, 2 Baths

670 West End Avenue, #4A (Corcoran Group)

177 East 77th Street, #3B
$1,350,000 (-3.5%)
Lenox Hill | Condominium | 2 Bedrooms, 1 Bath | 1,057 ft2

177 East 77th Street, #3B (Brown Harris Stevens Residential Sales LLC)
Lumina, #8A
$1,195,000 (-10.5%)
South Slope - Greenwood Heights | Condominium | 2 Bedrooms, 2 Baths | 911 ft2

Lumina, #8A (Daniel Gale of Brooklyn LLC)


330 East 70th Street, #4EF (Douglas Elliman Real Estate)

Would you like to tour any of these properties?
Just complete the info below.
Or call us at (212) 755-5544
Would you like to tour any of these properties?